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TOPIC: National Geographic released a study that found almost one-third of young Americans could not identify Louisiana on a map despite abundant Hurricane Katrina media coverage, according to an article by The Associated Press. Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 struggled with foreign locations, as six in 10 surveyed could not locate Iraq on a map. Experts stress the importance of geography as it becomes more crucial to have knowledge of different cultures and ideas when doing business in a global economy.

EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story:

Thomas D. Boswell, Ph.D. is the Chairman and Professor of the University of Miami's Department of Geography. Dr. Boswell has research and teaching interests in world population problems, migration, ethnicity, housing segregation and discrimination, and poverty. He has published more than 40 articles in major referred geography journals. He has co-authored or edited six books. In 2002, he was selected by the Association of American Geographers' Ethnic Geography Specialty Group as the "Outstanding Ethnic Geographer of the Year."

Ira Sheskin, Ph.D., is an associate professor of geography in University of Miami's College of Arts and Sciences. He is a human geographer with teaching and research interests in ethnic geography, the Middle East, quantitative methods, and urban geography. His recent grants include a study of the elderly in Coral Gables and assessment of the state of tourism in Florida for Visit Florida. As part of the assessment for Visit Florida, he conducted a study in 2004 on what impacts a hurricane has on tourism.

Vivien Stewart, Vice President for Education, Asia Society is well versed in facts and figures on Americans' disproportionate lack of knowledge about Asia. She is a recognized authority on ways to improve K-12 teaching and learning about Asia in the United States. Through the National Coalition on Asia and International Studies in the Schools, co-chaired by former Governors John Engler and James B. Hunt, Jr., she is leading a nationwide effort to improve education about Asia.

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