Faculty Profile for Dr. Osvaldo A Muniz Solari

profile photo for Dr. Osvaldo A Muniz Solari
Dr. Osvaldo A Muniz Solari
Professor — Dept of Geography & Environmntl Studies
ELA 366
phone: (512) 245-2170
Scholarly/Creative Work
Awards
Grants
Service

Biography Section

Biography and Education

 Dr. Muniz Solari is originally from the Atacama Desert in northern Chile where he obtained a bachelor from the Catholic University of the North, Antofagasta. Two initial areas of research interest attracted him to pursue studies on sustainability related to population survival (i.e., mining operations, agricultural development). Nevertheless, Geography Education was the center of his research focus.

His continuous field work to study population and farming in the Andes paved the way to pursue a master degree in Geography at Michigan State University, East Lansing, where he completed his program with a thesis on Highland Rural Migration in Northern Chile. Afterwards, he had the special opportunity to be engaged with the CEMIG-Brazil project for energy expansion funded by the World Bank. As part of his doctoral program in geography at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, he had a full-year field work in the State of Minas Gerais to investigate the development of electrical grids from several dams to provide energy to farmers. This special international work allowed him to complete his doctoral dissertation on Diffusion Innovation of Agricultural Equipment in the Triângulo Mineiro.

He has worked as an international consultant to study mining operations in Peru and electrical expansion in Argentina; all of them related to environmental impacts. Finally, his academic work as full professor at the University of La Serena in Chile was concentrated in Geography Education before joining the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies.

Teaching Interests

 World Population, World Geography, Transportation Models, Theories and Methods in Geographic Education, and Geographical Analysis.

Research Interests

 International Flows (migration and labor, FDI), Geographical Analysis for Sustainability (mining operation, agricultural exploitation, water distribution), Geography Education (international collaboration in teaching and learning).

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Muniz Solari, O. A. (2018). A Study of Transnational E-Learning by Collaboration. China Academic Journal, 6, 96–1027. Retrieved from CNKI.net
  • Muniz Solari, O. A. (2024). Beyond perception. Do pre-service geography teachers understand education for sustainable development? International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2024.2417501
  • Muniz Solari, O. A. (2024). Exploring geography teacher’s perceptions towards spatial thinking in Vietnam. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2023.2298071
  • Muniz Solari, O. A. (2023). Understanding Sustainability with Pedagogical Practice. Singapore, Singapore: Springer.
  • Muniz Solari, O. A. (2023). Recontextualizing Sustainability: Regulative and Instructional Discourses. In Understanding Sustainability with Pedagogical Practice – A contribution from geography education towards sustainability (pp. 3–14). Singapore, Singapore.

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: Honorary Professor of International Studies, Center for International Studies. 2015 - 2017
  • Award / Honor Recipient: International Part-time Professor of Geography. School of Geographical Sciences, East China Normal University. Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. October 2014 - September 2016
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Travel Award for International Geographical Union – IGU Regional Conference, National Science Foundation/Association of American Geographers. 2011
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Best Professor of Geography. November 2009
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Scholar. Iota, Theta Chapter. International Honor Society (Gamma Theta Upsilon). 1987

Selected Grants

  • Muniz Solari, Osvaldo A (Co-Principal), Klein, Phil (Co-Principal), Solem, Michael (Principal). Internationalizing Geography Education: A Focus on Japan, AAG-Center for Global Geography Education. International Workshop in Tokyo, Japan, $67620. (Funded: 2012). Grant.
  • Muniz Solari, Osvaldo A (Co-Principal), Klein, Phil (Co-Principal), Solem, Michael (Principal). Expanding U.S.- South Asia Collaborations in Geography Education, AAG-Center for Global Geography Education, $54384. (Funded: 2011). Grant.
  • Muniz Solari, Osvaldo A (Principal), Cacace, Graciela (Co-Principal), Pineda, Maria Cristina (Co-Principal). Red Online de Aprendizaje Geográfico – REDONLINE-IPGH, Pan American Institute of Geography and History (PAIGH) – Organization of American States (O.A.S.), $10150. (Funded: 2014 - 2015). Grant.
  • Muniz Solari, Osvaldo A (Co-Principal), Huynh, Niem Tu (Co-Principal), Chow, Edwin (Co-Principal), Jensen, Jennifer (Co-Principal). Geography Educational Materials Development (GEMDF), $16998. (Funded: 2010 - 2011). Grant.
  • Muniz Solari, Osvaldo A (Other), Klein, Phil (Co-Principal), Solem, Michael (Co-Principal). National Science Foundation. Online Center for Global Geography Education (CGGE) Phase 2. Association of American Geographers., $498373. (Funded: 2007 - 2010). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Member
Instructional Review Committee
August 18, 2021-Present
Member
Editorial Board. Revista Geografica, PAIGH-OAS
2013-Present
International Evaluator
Research Group. Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima.
July 2012-Present
Member
Geography Commission. U.S. Section, Pan American Institute of Geography and History (PAIGH-OAS)
2011-Present
Editorial Review Board Member
GeoTrópico. An Open Access, peer reviewed geographical journal, Grupo GEOLAT. Universidad de Córdova
2003-Present