Dr. Francis Koti is a Professor in the Department of Political and Global Affairs at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). He is the Director of the Tanzania Study Abroad Program, the Chapter Sponsor of Gamma Theta Upsilon, the International Geographical Honor Society, and the Faculty Advisor of MTSU's African Students Organization (ASO). 

Dr. Koti teaches a wide range of graduate and undergraduate courses. Courses taught at the undergraduate level include: introduction to regional geography, cultural geography, global issues, urban geography, urban and regional planning, Geographic information systems, and Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Koti also teaches Foundations of Liberal Arts at the graduate level. 

Prior to MTSU, he was a faculty member at the University of North Alabama (UNA) for many years, seven of those as department chair, and one year as interim associate dean. While at UNA, Dr. Koti designed and led multiple education abroad opportunities in Tanzania, founded the Diaspora Community of African Geospatial Scientists, co-founded and served as Executive Secretary of the Kenya Scholars and Studies Association, served as President of the UNA Chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, served as the Secretary of the Southeast Division of the American Association of Geographers (AAG), and served as a Commissioner on the Planning Commission in the City  of Florence, Alabama.

An urban geographer, Dr. Koti’s research revolves around the use of geographic information systems (GIS) within participatory methodological frameworks to understand urbanization processes. His regional focus is Africa. His work has been published in the field, particularly related to participatory GIS, African peri-urban development, urban and regional planning, local community resource use and access, and social and spatial exclusion in African cities.

Dr. Koti grew up in Kenya where he received his undergraduate education. After teaching high school in the City of Nairobi in Kenya, he joined West Virginia University, WV, USA, where he obtained both MA and PhD degrees in Geography. In addition to English, Francis is fluent in Kiswahili and Kamba and also understands two other Kenyan tribal languages. Francis is married to Margaret and they have two children, Milton and Arianna. In his spare time, Francis enjoys golf, music, traveling with family, and college sports.    

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Koti, F.T and H. Hambati. 2024. Getting Started in Academic Life: Advise for New Hires. In: Solem, M., L. Eaves, K. Foote, J. Lee, & S. O’Lear. Thriving in an Academic Career: An International and Interdisciplinary Guide for Early Career Faculty. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Publishers. ISBN 9781032379951. DOI: 10.4324/9781003342953-2 

Hodza, P., C. Gibbes., and F. Koti. 2023. Africa’s spatial data science landscape in the context of covid-19 pandemic. GeoJournal https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-023-10852-3   

Koti, F.T. 2022. Resilience amid Uncertainty: COVID-19 pandemic, the urban informal sector, and livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa. Chapter 19 in: Laituri, M., R. B. Richardson, and J. Kim (eds). The Geographies of COVID-19: Geospatial Stories of a Global Pandemic. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11775-6_19 ISBN: 978-3-031-11774-9 

Koti, F.T. 2021. Foreign-born faculty and academic leadership in America: The myths, realities, and opportunities. Kenya Studies Review Journal 9 (1): 59-66. or

URL: https://kessa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Francis-Koti-1.pdf

Wanyama, Dan, Mighty, Mario, Sim, Sunhui and Francis Koti. 2019. “A spatial assessment of land suitability for maize farming in Kenya.” Geocarto International. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10106049.2019.1648564

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Koti, F.T. 2024. Launching an academic career in the United States: Tips and advice for foreign-born faculty. Paper presented at the 16th annual meeting of the Kenya Scholars and Studies Association (KESSA), Atlanta, GA. September 6-7, 2024.  

Koti, F.T., C. Gibbes, and P. Hodza. 2023. The COVID-19 Experience, Dynamics of African Cities, and Spatial Data Science: A Glimpse of Hope. Paper presented at the 15th annual conference of the Kenya Scholars and Studies Association (KESSA), Atlanta, GA, September 8-9, 2023.

Koti, F.T. 2022. An Unlikely Resilience: COVID-19 pandemic, the urban informal sector, and livelihoods in Kenya. Paper presented at the 14th conference of the Kenya Scholars and Studies Association (KESSA), Dallas, TX, September 9-10, 2022.

Koti, F.T.2021. Resilience amid uncertainty: COVID-19 pandemic, the informal sector, and livelihoods in African cities. Paper presented at the Cities' COVID Mitigation Mapping (C2M2) Virtual Symposium, Harvard University, June 23, 2021. YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZDVAQXp_Vw

Koti, F.T.  2021. Post Covid-19 African Cities: Towards a new Face of the Informal Sector. Paper presented at the virtual annual conference of the American Association of Geographers (AAG), April 7-10, 2021.  

Gibbes, C., F.T. Koti, and K. Foote. 2021. So you wanna be chair? Debunking Leadership Myths and Identifying Opportunities. Department leadership symposium organized at the virtual annual conference of the American Association of Geographers (AAG), April 7-10, 2021.

Koti, F.T. 2020. Understanding Peri-Urban Water Resources in Kenya Using Participatory GIS. Paper presented at a webinar titled, “Mapping Water Availability and its Impacts on Humans.” Organized by World Wide Human Geography Data Working Group. February 26, 2020.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=70&v=CbPqGOzLds0&feature=emb_logo 

Koti, F.T. 2019. Panel Organizer and Moderator. Conducting Study Abroad Programs: Opportunities for Foreign-Born Faculty. Panel session organized at the annual conference of the Kenya Scholars and Studies Association (KESSA), Atlanta, GA, September 13-14, 2019.

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April 11, 2024: Dr. Francis Koti from MTSU joins host Dr. Bill Krauss. WGNS Radio Roundtable Podcast. URL: https://www.wgnsradio.com/article/86712/dr-francis-koti-from-mtsu-joins-host-dr-bill-kraus  Duration: 57 min. 59 sec.

Watch on YouTube 

Februrary 7, 2024: Dr. Koti's Urban and Regional Planning class was recognized (1 min. 24 sec video clip) at the Murfreesboro City Planning Commision Meeting, Murfreesboro, TN. 

June 23, 2021. Dr. Koti delivered a keynote speech at Harvard University Cities' COVID Mitigation Mapping (C2M2) Virtual Symposium focusing on impacts of Covid 19 pandemic on the informal sector in kenya. 

Watch on Youtube Duration: 40 min 35 sec.

Februrary 26, 2020 Dr. Koti gave a webinar presentation on water resources in Kenyan cities.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=70&v=CbPqGOzLds0&feature=emb_logo

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Courses taught

Fall Semester:

*GEOG 2000 - Intro to Regional Geography (In person)

*GEOG 4360/**5360 - Cultural Geography (In person)

Winter semester (Dec/Jan):

*GEOG 2000 - Intro to Regional Geography (Online)

Spring Semester: 

*GEOG 2000 - Intro to Regional Geography (In person and Online)

*GEOG 4290/**GEOG 5290 - Urban and Regional Planning (In person)

Summer Semester: 

*GEOG 2000 - Intro to Regional Geography (Online)

*GEOG 3470- Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa (Taught as Study Abroad Course in Tanzania)

*GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography (Taught as Study Abroad Course in Tanzania)

**MALA 6060 - Liberal Arts Abroad (Taught as Study Abroad Course in Tanzania)

*GEOG 4550 - Global Issues - Upon Sufficient demand

* Denotes Undergraduate Course

** Denotes Graduate Course

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