Sohrob Aslamy

My goal as an instructor is to develop students' innate curiosity about the world, helping them evaluate the significance and interconnectedness of place, people, and environments. Students enter my introductory geography courses from various majors and backgrounds, often possessing limited familiarity with geography as a discipline. "What exactly do geographers do?" a puzzled student once asked me after the first day of class. I had given a lecture introducing how social and material landscapes are produced over time and how humans inscribe their mark upon the earth. In the tradition of critical human geography, I explained that no place or space is neutral. Every landscape and corresponding spatial representation are embedded with histories of social contestations. Geography, I argued, is not just about reading the world around us, but questioning why it is so and imagining how it could be different. While emphasizing what I felt were core concepts of geography, this encounter made me realize that how I communicated was just as important as what I communicated in my lecture. Geography as a field of study needs to be tangible and relevant to students’ lives.

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My approach to instructional design is rooted in the belief that anyone can be a geographer. I aim to harness students’ enthusiasm for pursuing the field while assisting those from other areas in applying geographical skills to their respective studies and careers. To fulfill this aim, I emphasize lived experiences in my teaching, using them as foundations to explore the broad and often abstract theories of space, place, and scale. In World Urban Geography, we ground our initial discussions in students’ own knowledge of transforming urban landscapes before diving into more complex concepts like disinvestment, deindustrialization, and speculation around urban property. In my World Urban Geography course, we ground our initial discussions in students’ own knowledge of transforming urban landscapes before diving into more complex concepts like disinvestment, deindustrialization, and speculation around urban land and properties. We examine studies of cities like New York, Berlin, and Lagos to understand the structures driving gentrification and displacement, connecting more universal processes to students' own unique observations and experiences in their communities. These reflective exercises foster a deeper connection with course content and allow me to recognize diverse learning needs.

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I work to create a supportive classroom environment, mindful of today’s college learning dynamics. I prioritize open communication to ensure students feel comfortable expressing any challenges they face with understanding content, participating in class, or other course aspects. Student anxiety, exacerbated by events like the pandemic or changes on campus, often extends into the classroom—whether in-person or virtually—requiring empathy and flexibility to create safe and supportive learning environments. I therefore incorporate flexible teaching methods to accommodate different needs and learning styles, including holding online and evening office hours, recording lectures, and providing clear and transparent expectations for all course assignments.

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My course on Human Geography, offered through Syracuse University in partnership with the InterLearn Program—which encourages international and non-native English speakers to take preparatory coursework before beginning their first year—pushed me to refine my use of visual aids and interactive activities, and to break down assignment tasks into manageable steps. These strategies offered students the chance to meaningfully engage with course content when language presented a barrier to learning. By the end of the course, students presented mini-lessons on case studies that applied course themes and concepts in their own voices, having practiced critical analysis throughout the term. One student was able to present on her interest in science fiction literature and its connections to emerging digital geographies, demonstrating a personalized application of course concepts.

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My lessons feature different types of participation, such as collaborative and peer-to-peer learning, and are complemented by an array of resources—videos, podcasts, articles, interactive maps, and guest lectures—to expose students to multiple perspectives and practical applications of course themes. In my Environment and Society course, students investigate energy use patterns in their hometowns using an online map to reflect on class discussions about histories of energy and our complex relationship to fossil fuels. A guest speaker involved in New York State’s transition to renewable energy also explored related career possibilities with them. Such activities invite students to demonstrate their understanding of environmental issues in ways relevant to their unique educational, career, and personal development goals.

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I have taught seven courses as instructor of record at Syracuse University on the topics of “Critical Issues for the United States,” “Human Geography,” “Environment and Society,” and “World Urban Geography.” I have also served as a teaching assistant for eleven courses, including “Political Geography,” “Mapping Today—Technology and Spatial Thinking,” as well as “Sustainability Science and Policy.” My teaching evaluations highlight an appreciation for my commitment to student involvement, encouragement of student participation, knowledge of subject material, as well as my flexibility and understanding around individual student needs. As a university educator and urban scholar, I am also strongly committed to understanding and addressing the challenges facing the cities in which we reside. For this reason, I have sought opportunities to connect my teaching to community-based initiatives. In 2020, I helped found a housing coalition along with organizers from the Syracuse Tenants Union. Our initial work involved speaking with tenants about the New York State eviction moratorium during the pandemic. I assisted in collecting canvassing data that was later used to generate GIS-based maps visualizing housing conditions and household needs in Syracuse.​

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I recognize that there is always more learning to do in the collective effort to build an educational experience that recognizes the diverse backgrounds of students and the place of the university in the wider community. I actively work to create a classroom environment in which students feel that they can share their suggestions, as well as their struggles. This includes recognizing that students may need responsive mentoring to connect their learning to their personal experiences and career goals, or to process difficult emotions that arise when confronting challenging topics. For example, in a Human Geography course, I mentored a student struggling with significant anxiety related to climate change. Recognizing her distress after our class discussions on environmental degradation, I encouraged her to attend office hours. Over the course of the semester, we created a space for her to express her feelings of helplessness that made it difficult for her to engage in discussions on this topic. Together, we explored the complexities of climate action and she began to shift from a sense of despair to a more empowered perspective, recognizing that she was not alone and that there were opportunities for her to work alongside like-minded people who care deeply about addressing this global challenge. For me, this experience underscored the importance of addressing the emotional dimensions of learning, particularly when confronting difficult topics like climate change which inevitably come up in geography courses. By the end of the course, she was an active participant in class discussions, voicing a newfound conviction in collective action. Such experiences underscore the importance of addressing the emotional dimensions of learning alongside the academic.  To further develop my ability to foster supportive learning environments, I have participated in professional development workshops at Syracuse University on creating diversity-rich classrooms, supporting students with disabilities, and universal design, among other topics.

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That initial question, "What exactly do geographers do?", continues to resonate with me. It serves as a reminder that my role as an educator is not simply to provide answers, but to encourage questions and a spirit of inquiry. By the end of each course, my hope is that students leave not only with a clear understanding of geographical concepts but also with the confidence to ask their own critical questions about the world around them. I want them to see themselves as geographers, capable of analyzing the complex relationships between place, people, and power, and inspired to contribute to positive change in their communities.