The mission of the Marble Fund is to support the advancement and application of geographic information science (GIS) and quantitative methods in geography. By honoring Dr. Duane Marble's contributions, the fund encourages academic excellence and innovation within these domains.
The Visiting Geographical Scientist Program (VGSP) supports visits by prominent geographers to colleges and universities with the aim of enhancing geographic education. The program is designed to benefit students by exposing them to geographic subfields not available in their current curriculum, sparking interest in geographic research, and providing insight into career opportunities in geography. Faculty members gain encouragement, knowledge enrichment across geography's subfields, counsel on research, and curriculum development. For administrative officers, the program offers deeper insights into the discipline of geography, its contribution to liberal education, and advice on developing staff and curricula.