Francis Galgano

I am the founding Chair of the Department of Geography and the Environment at Villanova University. I retired from the U.S. Army in 2007 as a Lieutenant Colonel, after 27 years of service with experience in tank and cavalry units. I served in numerous locations in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East--most recently at the United States Military Academy where I was an Academy Professor and Director of the Geography Program until 2007. I am a physical geographer with expertise in coastal geomorphology, military geography, and environmental security. I have published five books, three physical geography study guides, and more than 30 professional articles focused on geographic, environmental, and military subjects. In 2018, I published (as editor) a book titled The Environment–Conflict Nexus: Climate Change and the Emergent National Security Landscape (Springer). I have been invited to speak on the subject of environmental security and military geography at West Point, University of Maryland, Hofstra University, and the University of Pennsylvania, as well as by organizations such as the Pew Charitable Trust Foundation, The Naval Post-Graduate School, and Defense Intelligence Agency. I am currently researching topics such as the effects of climate change on regional stability, ungoverned space, environmental security, and abrupt climate change.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1998
• M.A., University of Maryland, 1989

Areas of Interest:

• Coastal Geomorphology
• Environmental Geography
• Military Geography

Area of Expertise:

• Environmental Change
• Geophysical Processes
• Environmental Security
• Military Geography