The Brian R. Melchior Memorial Endowed Research Fund for Geographical Sciences honors the life of Brian Ross Melchior, who passed away on Saturday, October 24, 2015, after a yearlong battle with gastric cancer. Brian received both his B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy (2002) and his M.A. in Geography (2004) from UMD. For the past five years, he served as Maritime Geographer at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., where he was a maritime geographic and technical expert in law of the sea, and related ocean activities that may affect U.S. ocean policy. Brian’s ties to GEOG were strong. He met his wife, Minnie Wong, who began her Master’s program one year after Brian, during one of the classes that they took together. Brian loved the geographical sciences, as well as learning about mapping and technology. He was a passionate environmentalist and enjoyed outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling and camping. The Department joins Brian’s family, friends and loved ones in honoring him through memorial contributions to the Brian R. Melchior Memorial Endowed Research Fund for Geographical Sciences, which will provide research and travel support for students in the Department of Geographical Sciences.