Cameron Craig lectures in the Department of Geology/Geography at Eastern Illinois University
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Cameron Douglas Craig
Professor Laureate, 2010-2011
 
Geographer/Climatologist/Documentarian
EIU WeatherCenter
Department of Geology/Geography
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois 61920
 
Ph.D. Candidate, Indiana State Univ., 2006
M.A. in Geography, Indiana State Univ., 2003
B.S. in History, Indiana State Univ., 1999
 

Cameron Douglas Craig is a geographer, climatologist, and documentarian in the Department of Geology/Geography at Eastern Illinois University. He is an accomplished educator having the honor of Professor Laureate (2010-2011) bestowed upon him by the Office of the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. As geographer, he oversees students in the broadcast meteorology program and collaborates with WEIU-TVs EMMY Award Winning NewsWatch as Broadcast Meteorologist and Meteorological Consultant allowing student forecasters to have an immediate resource for meteorological inquiries and severe weather events. Mr. Craig is also the founder and director of the EIU WeatherCenter that provides meteorological and climatological data to the public, researchers, faculty, and students. As educator, Mr. Craig provides essays and video lectures entitled, "Without the Sun," that are available from the center's website for students across the globe wanting to learn more about atmospheric science.

Mr. Craig and his students work with National Weather Service in Lincoln, Illinois in observing daily climatological data for the Cooperative Weather Observation program using the Dalias Price Memorial Weather Observation Station located on the EIU Campus. Among the learning opportunities Mr. Craig provides for his students, he founded Tempestas et Caelum Productions to allow students to produce, direct, and film documentaries on topics of history, geography, meteorology, environmental science, and geology. Students have produced, "Stinging Dust & Forgotten Lives: The Dust Bowl (2008)," "Expedition Nature's Realm (2007)," "Returning to Paradise: Voices of the Human Spirit (2011)," and other short non-fiction films.

Understanding the importance of educating students and the community Mr. Craig collaborates with WEIU producer, Fred Peralta, in the short segment, "Under the Four River Skies" in the "Four Rivers Ag Report."

Mr. Craig is working toward receiving his Ph.D. in Physical Geography at Indiana State University with emphasis on Climatology, Physical Geography, and Geographic Education.

 
EIU Faculty Laureate Thanks 'Grandma Robinson' for Opening His Eyes

Vicki Woodard
August 10, 2010

Eastern Illinois University students fortunate enough to have Cameron Craig as a teacher should thank “Grandma Robinson” for the pleasure.

 “She’s the one who opened my eyes to the fact that there’s much more to my life than music,” the geographer/climatologist/musician/historian/etc., said. “She’s also the one who taught me that there’s no such word as 'can’t.'”

And now Craig’s on a mission to pass that same message on to others.

As EIU’s 2010-11 Faculty Laureate -- an honor presented to him by the Council on Academic Affairs -- he will reach out to an even larger audience than usual during this coming academic year. As the university’s official spokesperson on the importance of a general/liberal education, he will deliver the keynote address at the 2010 Convocation, a welcoming ceremony for incoming students.

The event is set to begin at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 20.

As he speaks to Eastern’s newest students, Craig will likely be recalling his own undergraduate years when things didn’t go exactly as planned. He spent the first three years at Indiana State as a music major. But something, he said, “just didn’t feel right.”

He ultimately received a bachelor’s degree in history, followed four years later with a master’s degree in geography. Craig is currently a geographer/climatologist in EIU’s Department of Geology/Geography. In addition, oversees students in the broadcast meteorology minor and collaborates with WEIU-TV's “News Watch” as a meteorological consultant.

He is also founder and director of the EIU WeatherCenter that provides meteorological and climatological data to the public, researchers and students.

In 2006, Craig founded Tempestas et Caelum Productions, providing a creative outlet for students in broadcast meteorology, geography, geology, history and other fields in producing, filming and directing documentary films. Most recently, he and three EIU students headed to Grand Isle, La., and Mobile Bay area, Ala., to document the impact the Gulf oil spill has had on humanity. The project focuses on the personal stories of residents impacted by the oil spill that occurred on April 20.

Craig won’t say he wants all students to choose science as a career. He does, however, want to increase students’ awareness and understanding, allowing all to recognize how science affects their everyday lives.

“When students come in to my Weather and Climate class (a general education class designed for all majors), I ask them, ‘Who likes science?’ And a handful out of 100 will raise their hands,” Craig said. “Then I ask, ‘Who doesn’t like science?’ The majority put their hands up.

“I tell them, ‘My job here is to get you to love science.”

The trick, he continued, is to “relate the material to the students’ level. You have to make it relate to them.” Nearing 40, Craig is a young, energetic faculty member who says he “finds ways as I go along” to get his message across.

“I like spontaneous communication,” he said, noting that he begins his lectures with basic outlines. “But then I use whatever is out there at the time to find a way to make that information understood.”

A recycling bin full of newspapers, for example, can become a quick classroom tool to explain density. Or a table top will become Craig’s dance floor as he leads his (sometimes dubious) students in an impromptu memory exercise that will help them remember test-worthy material.

“I tell the class to stand up, that we’re going to dance. And I can see them – especially the guys -- looking at each other and saying, ‘Hey, man… I don’t dance.

“At first, they think I’m crazy,” Craig continued. “But I say, ‘Yes, I’m a dork. But follow along with me and I think you’ll learn this stuff.’”

It’s always fun come test time, Craig said, chuckling, because he’ll see students sitting at their desks, subtly and quietly performing the dance’s hand moves in order to recall the material needed to answer written questions.

"I try to make learning fun and exciting. And yes, I may sometimes get overly enthusiastic,” Craig said. “But even though some might find my ways to be a bit unorthodox, they are effective.”

 

"Full-Length Productions Seen on PBS"
 
Returning to Paradise: Voices of the Human Spirit-A Preview (2011)
Exploring Illinois' Winter on the Prairie (2010)
Expedition Nature's Realm: A Microscopic Realm (2007) Episode 3
Expedition Nature's Realm: An Invasive Nature (2008) Episode 4
Expedition Nature's Realm: Fields of Plenty (2008) Episode 5
Expedition Nature's Realm: A Looming Disaster (2008) Episode 6
Expedition Nature's Realm: The Full Circle (2008) Episode 7
Expedition Nature's Realm: The Expedition (2008) Episode 8
An Illinois Winter (2006)
A World of Winter (2004) from Indiana State University Climate Laboratory

 

"A Moment in Nature's Realm." Nature Music Videos

 

"Department Activities and Courses"

 

 

"Student Productions"

 

 

"Four Rivers Ag Report" a collaboration with WEIU-TV (PBS)

Courses Offered
  • Weather and Climate (ESC 1400)
  • Senior Seminar: Spaceship Earth (EIU 4101)
  • Broadcast Meteorology Practicum (ESC/GEG 3400)
  • Climate and History (GEG/HIS 3500)
  • Severe Weather and Thermodynamics (ESC 3960)
  • Agricultural Climatology (ESC 3960)

Student Independent Research/Study

  • Darren Leeds (Geography), "Geography of Illinois: The Land of Lincoln Documentary Series"
  • Michael Gismondi (Geography, "Talking Gibberish: An Analysis of How Much Science is Too Much in Broadcast Meteorology"
  • Christopher Slater (Geography), "Creating a Visual Weather Map for Radio"
  • Caitlin Napoleoni (Geography), "Foundations in Meteorological Forecasting"

Student Independent Research/Study (Fall 2009)

  • Brandt Schisler and Robert Kennedy (Geography), "Using Dendroclimatology to Reconstruct Flood Events of the Kickapoo"
  • Andrea La Jeunesse (Geography), "Determining the Accuracy of the Seven-Day Forecast"

Honors and Awards

  • Excellence in the use of Technology, Eastern Illinois University, 2010.
  • Professor Laureate, Eastern Illinois University, 2010-2011.
  • Outstanding Faculty Nominee, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, 2009.
  • Outstanding Faculty Award, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, 2007.
  • Excellence in the use of Technology, Eastern Illinois University, 2006.
  • Outstanding Service Award, Department of Geography, Geology, & Anthropology, Indiana State University, 2005.
  • Educational Excellence Award, College of Arts & Science, Indiana State University, 2002.

Filmography (D=Director, P=Producer, W=Writer, N=Narrator, E=Editor, M=Music)

  • "A World of Winter" (2004) Indiana State University Climate Laboratory, D/P/W/E/M
  • "Explore the Skies: Human Modification of the Environment" (2005) Eastern Illinois University, D/P/W/E/M
  • "An Illinois Winter" (2006) Eastern Illinois University, D/P/W/E/M
  • "Expedition Nature's Realm" (2007) Eastern Illinois University, D/P/W/E/M
  • "Stinging Dust & Forgotten Lives" (2007 & 2008) Eastern Illinois University, D/P/W/E/M
  • "Explore Illinois' Winter on the Prairie" (2010) Eastern Illinois University, P/M
  • "Returning to Paradise: Voices of the Human Spirit" (2011) Eastern Illinois University, D/P/E/M

Contact

cdcraig@eiu.edu

More Information

Curriculum Vitae

 

In the Media  

WEIU-FM "Issues & Attitudes"

June 6, 2011

Radio director, Jeff Owens, interviews Cameron Craig about the recent Cicada Outbreak, his recent documentary film, the spring weather, teaching, and future plans for the Geology/Geography Professor Laureate.

WEIU-TV "Issues & Attitudes: Town Hall"

April 2011

This episode of Issues & Attitudes focuses on Nuclear Safety in Illinois in light of the recent events in Japan.

Issues & Attitudes: Cameron Craig (20101129) from Tempestas et Caelum Films on Vimeo.

WEIU-FM "Issues & Attitudes"

November 29, 2010

Radio Director, Jeff Owens, interviews Cameron Craig about his work on documentary films, collaboration with WEIU Skywatch Students, what it is to be a Professor Laureate, and various other topics of teaching in the Department of Geology/Geography.

"EIUs Framework of Interactions" Professor Laureate Address 2010 from Tempestas et Caelum Films on Vimeo.

"EIUs Framework of Interactions"

August 20, 2010

Professor Laureate address for incoming Freshmen and Transfers delivered by Geology/Geography instruction Cameron Craig

"Returning to Paradise: Voices of the Human Spirit" A Preview of a New Documentary about the BP Oil Spill (2011) from Tempestas et Caelum Films on Vimeo.

"Returning to Paradise: Voices of the Human Spirit"

Promo video for the full length documentary film.

Video Copyright 2011 by Cameron Douglas Craig and Zach Nugent