Dr. Jesse Lane

Assistant Professor of Geography

Education

• Ph.D. Geography
• M.S. Geospatial Science
• B.S. Social Science Secondary Education

Courses Taught

• Introduction to Geography
• Fundamentals of GPS
• Economic Globalization
• Image Interpretation and Analysis
• Survey of Geospatial Technology
• Geographic Approaches to Research
• Sustainable Economic Development
• Geography of the Global South

Academic Interests

I am a human geographer concerned with the relationship between people and place, especially the political and economic sphere. I have taught a variety of courses at Northwest Missouri and other universities concerning topics on economic development, political economy, human geography, earth science, physical geography, world regional geography, GPS fundamentals, UAV technologies, and geographic information systems. While my specialty is the analysis of place-based economic policy and its impact on community development, I have a wide range of interests in the classroom and in research within the field of human geography.

Research

My research consists of various studies related to uneven development, maritime trade, and access to food and physical activity. Much of my research has focused specifically on the impact of foreign-trade zones (FTZs) on patterns of development. The FTZ is a specific type of place-based economic policy designed to promote international trade on a local scale; however, this policy initiative has resulted in the clustering of manufacturing and trade-based firms in large urban regions at the expense of rural neighboring communities. Additionally, the clustering of dirty industries near minority communities has resulted in an increase in cancer rates and the degradation of fisheries along hardened shorelines. I have also expanded my research into the field of health geographies with my recent publication concerning accessibility to fresh foods and physical activity, two important aspects of healthy lifestyles. Minority communities and suburban regions bordering large urban centers are most affected by limited accessibility to fresh foods and physical activity, resulting in higher morbidity rates.

Scholarly Activity

My most recent publication focused on the impact of socioeconomic and health factors on the development of food, physical activity, and health deserts and how these impacts differ between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan regions in the Southeastern United States. I am currently researching the impact of the Missouri Enhanced Enterprise Zone (EEZ) program on county-level development. Findings suggest EEZs may have a net negative impact on economic development, at least on the county scale.

Publications: Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

• Davis, B. A. & Lane, J. M. (2025). Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan health deserts in the Southeastern United States: Socioeconomic Impacts and Diverging Results. Southeastern Geographer, 65(3), 217-246. https://doi.org/10.1353/sgo.0.a959212
• Lane, J. M. (2024). The foreign-trade zone and its impact on neighboring communities in Mobile, Alabama. Southeastern Geographer, 64(1), 128-155. https://doi.org/10.1353/sgo.2024.a920710
• Lane, J. M., & Liu, Z. J. (2022). The impact of foreign-trade zones on county level development: A temporal analysis. Papers in Applied Geography, 8(4), 452-467. https://doi.org/10.1080/23754931.2022.2110846
• Lane, J. M. & Davis, B. A. (2022). Food, physical activity, and health deserts in Alabama: The spatial link between healthy eating, exercise, and socioeconomic factors. Geojournal, 87, 5229–5249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-021-10568-2
• Lane, J. M. & Pretes, M. (2020). Maritime dependency and economic prosperity: Why access to oceanic trade matters. Marine Policy, 121, 104180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104180
• Lane, J. M. (2020). Foreign-trade zones in the Southeastern United States: Do they promote economic development or lead to spatial inequality? Southeastern Geographer, 60(2), 141-158. https://doi.org/10.1353/sgo.2020.0012

Publications: Chapters in Edited Volumes

• Lane, J. M. (2018). Maritime trade. In R. F. Buschmann & L. Nolde (Eds.). The world's oceans: Geography, history, and environment (pp. 297-300). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

Selected Conference Presentations

• Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG); Greenville, SC; November 25, 2024: Missouri’s Enhanced Enterprise Zones: The Success or Failure of a State-Run Place-Based Economic Policy.
• Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG); Norfolk, VA; November 20, 2023: Urban and rural health deserts in the Southeast: Socioeconomic impacts and diverging trends.

• Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG); Atlanta, GA; November 21, 2022: The foreign-trade zone in Mobile, Alabama and its impact on neighboring communities.
• Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG); Florence, AL; November 22, 2021: Food, physical activity, and health deserts in Alabama: The spatial link between healthy eating, exercise, and socioeconomic factors (Brett A. Davis co-presenter).
• Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (ASAHPERD); Birmingham, AL; November 16, 2021: Health deserts in Alabama (Brett A. Davis co-presenter).
• American Association of Geographers (AAG); virtual; April 8, 2021: Spatial & temporal impact of foreign-trade zones on economic development in the United States.
• Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG); Annual Conference Special Session Presentation; virtual; November 7, 2020: Spatial & temporal impact of foreign-trade zones on economic development in the United States.
• Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG); Wilmington, NC; November 25, 2019: Foreign-Trade Zones in the Southeastern United States: Do they promote economic development or lead to inequality?
• North Carolina Geographical Society (NCGS); Greensboro, NC; November 1, 2019: Foreign-Trade Zones in the Southeastern United States: Do they promote economic development or lead to inequality?
• American Association of Geographers (AAG); Poster Presentation; Washington, DC; April 5, 2019: Wealth and renewable energy: The growing division within the energy economy.
• Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG); Johnson City, TN; November 19, 2018: Wealth and renewable energy: The growing division within the energy economy.
• American Association of Geographers (AAG); Poster Presentation; New Orleans, LA; April 13, 2018: The future of maritime shipping: How will technology change the industry?
• Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG); Starkville, MS; November 20, 2017: Maritime exposure and economic prosperity: Why location matters.

Student Group Advisement

• Gamma Theta Upsilon Honor Society, Faculty Advisor

Other Professional Experience

• Editor-in-Chief of The North Carolina Geographer
• Reviewer for Applied Economics
• Reviewer for Southeastern Geographer
• Reviewer for Papers in Applied Geography

Selected Fellowships and Honors

• Student Impact Award, 2025: Northwest Missouri State University; received
• Commitment to Student Success Award, 2025: Northwest Missouri State University; received
• CASE Excellence Award: Outstanding Faculty Lecturer, 2021-2022: University of North Alabama; nominated
• Diversity Initiatives Mini-Grant, 2020-2021: Funding for a proposed National Geographic Giant Map educational initiative; University of North Carolina at Greensboro; received
• Gordon Bennett Award for Outstanding Geography Graduate Student, 2021, an award given “In recognition of excellence in research, teaching, and service in the school and discipline of Geography.”
• Gamma Theta Upsilon honor society inductee, 2019
• Phi Kappa Phi honor society inductee, 2014
• Phi Alpha Theta honor society inductee, 2009