Geospatial Forum

Lecture

NOTE: This event is postponed to a future date to be determined.

Speaker: Mr. Jason J. Roberts, Research Associate, Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

Hosted by: Dr. DelWayne Bohnenstiehl, Professor in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and CGA Faculty Fellow

Summary: Species distribution models increasingly drive regulatory and policy decisions for the ocean by providing data needed to balance ecological and economic priorities. This trend will only accelerate as additional satellites and drones come online, providing new modes of remote sensing and ever-expanding coverage. In this talk, Jason will discuss his career transition from a software engineer focused on operating system development to a marine ecologist who specializes in modeling spatial distributions of marine megafauna. Jason will describe what he does, what he’s learned on this journey so far, and how he thinks the field will continue to develop.

About the speaker: Originally a software engineer with a passion for scuba diving and other marine hobbies, Jason left Microsoft in 2003 to pursue a full time career in marine research and conservation. At the Duke Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab since 2006, Jason splits his time between writing software tools and conducting scientific research. Jason’s interests include facilitating progress in marine ecology and conservation by developing, applying, and helping others apply advanced software tools, statistical methods, and modeling approaches. Currently, Jason spends most of his time developing species distribution models for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale and other marine mammals that inhabit the western North Atlantic.

Lecture

Speaker: Dr. Eleni Bardaka, Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering (CCEE), and CGA Faculty Fellow

Introduction by: Dr. Ashly Cabas, Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering (CCEE), and CGA Faculty Fellow

Summary: This forum presentation explores the socioeconomic impacts of transit infrastructure investments through the application of advanced econometric and spatial analysis methods, including difference-in-differences and spatial spillover modeling. Using case studies from Charlotte, NC, and Denver, CO, it investigates the causal effects of urban rail projects on residential gentrification, commercial turnover, and property market dynamics. The discussion will include methodological frameworks, such as quasi-experimental designs, and the implications of spatiotemporal heterogeneity in treatment effects. Insights will inform equitable urban planning and policy development in the context of transit-oriented development.

About the speaker: Dr. Eleni Bardaka is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University. Her work focuses on two main research areas: (i) the study of causal social and economic impacts of transportation investments and policies; and (ii) the analysis of aggregate and individual travel demand, preferences, and needs related to public transportation and micromobility. Dr. Bardaka holds a Ph.D. and M.S. degree in Transportation Engineering and an M.S. degree in Economics from Purdue University. She earned a five-year diploma in Civil Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens in Greece.

Lecture

Speaker: Dr. Matt Dannenberg, Assistant Professor, Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, University of Iowa

Hosted by: Dr. Chris Jones, Senior Research Staff and Faculty Fellow, Center for Geospatial Analytics, NC State

Summary: Drylands make up ~40% of Earth’s land surface and are home to >2 billion people and numerous rare and endemic organisms. Their large size and dependence on intermittent water availability also make drylands important regulators of the global carbon cycle, but monitoring dryland ecosystem function with remote sensing poses many challenges not encountered in more humid regions. In this talk, Matt discusses the potential for multi-source and multi-resolution remote sensing of dryland primary production (carbon fixation through photosynthesis) and evapotranspiration, ranging from near-surface sensors at individual sites to global-scale satellite-based approaches.

About the speaker: Dr. Matt Dannenberg is a global change ecologist specializing in responses of forests and drylands to climate variability and change, especially to human-caused changes in the water cycle. He received both his M.A. and Ph.D. in Geography just a short drive down I-40 (UNC Chapel Hill) and then did his postdoctoral research at the University of Arizona, where he discovered his love for drylands. He’s been an assistant professor at the University of Iowa since 2019. In Matt’s free time, he enjoys building things, playing disc golf and Magic: The Gathering, reading sci-fi/fantasy novels, and listening to death metal.

Lecture

Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. students will share current research in a series of short talks.

Speakers

> Christina Perella – Climate as Push and Pull: Forecasting Movement of US Populations (co-advised by Dr. Adam Terando and Dr. Jelena Vukomanovic)

Abstract: Human choices and preferences shape and impact landscapes. Historically, migration has been driven in large part by push and pull factors such as economic opportunity, political oppression, or social networks. Recently, with rising incomes and fewer barriers to relocation, pull factors increasingly include amenities that enhance quality of life, such as outdoor recreation and milder summers and winters. To understand how this trend might continue into the future, we recreate a widely-cited econometric model documenting the relationship between climate variables and population growth in the US and project future population growth under different climate scenarios.

> Rebecca Composto – Best of Both Worlds: Comparing Satellite- and Process-Based Methods to Map Urban Flooding (advised by Dr. Mirela Tulbure)

Abstract: Flooding causes many types of harm from economic losses and damages to disrupting daily life. Flood maps help decision-makers recover from and prepare for future events. Satellite-based and process-based flood models are two effective approaches for mapping floods; however, they are rarely tested in urban areas or compared. To address these gaps, we produced a flood extent using satellite imagery and a flood model for Hurricane Ida (2021) and compared the results.

> Owen Smith – Accelerating Land Surface Phenology Estimation with Computationally Efficient Bayesian LSP Modeling (advised by Dr. Josh Gray)

Abstract: The Bayesian Land Surface Phenology (BLSP) model is a hierarchical Bayesian model which enables the creation of long-term phenology time series from sparse data plus uncertainty quantification through Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. However, MCMC methods are computationally intensive, making pixel-wise processing at high resolution and over large spatial regions challenging. I show a reformulation of the BLSP inference problem from an algorithmic perspective along with memory and CPU optimizations to facilitate the computational feasibility of the BLSP approach.

> Randi Butler – Assessing Climate- and Weather-Driven Impacts to Crops of the U.S. National Crop Yields and Losses: Which Data Source is Best? (advised by Dr. Natalie Nelson)

Abstract: The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Survey (NASS) is the premier data source for agricultural production statistics in the U.S, but data quality is compromised by reliance on voluntarily self-reported data. Meanwhile, the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA), which manages crop insurance for two-thirds of planted acres in the U.S. and mandates reporting, may provide higher quality data as compared to NASS and serve as a more robust alternative. A comparative analysis of NASS and RMA annual crop loss and yields data over 10 years, focusing on corn, cotton, soybean, and wheat, was applied to quantify differences between the two datasets.

Lecture

Speaker: Nick Okafor, Founder and Executive Director @ trubel&co, and doctoral student at Stanford University 

Hosted by: Dr. Aaron Hipp, Professor of Community Health and Sustainability, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, and CGA Fellow for Social and Behavioral Science Applications, Center for Geospatial Analytics

Summary: Technology holds immense potential to advance social outcomes and equity, yet without intentional design, it can also reinforce systemic inequalities. This session examines how critical GIS, guided by abolitionist strategies, can serve as a transformative tool to mitigate harm, amplify equity, and spark civic imagination. Drawing on examples of biased algorithms and data-driven solutions that fail to account for community needs, it highlights the risks of perpetuating harm when technology is developed without intention. Strategies in liberatory innovation can guide the creation of geospatial tools that center marginalized voices, enable collective repair, and prioritize community-led solutions.

About the speaker: Nick Okafor (he/him), a strategist and design researcher, is the founder of trubel&co, a tech-justice nonprofit that mobilizes the next generation to tackle complex societal challenges using equitable data analytics, responsible technology, and inclusive design. trubel&co builds youth power in the digital age by grounding career technical education with liberatory design and experiential learning, where its flagship program, Mapping Justice, teaches high school youth to design geospatial tools for social change. Nick is also a graduate student at Stanford University between the School of Engineering and the Graduate School of Education, where his research focuses on the practice and pedagogy of liberatory innovation. Previously, Nick was a Senior Associate at Sidewalk Labs (Google’s urban innovation arm), where he piloted and scaled emerging products that improve quality of life in cities. Nick holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering and sustainable development from Washington University in St. Louis. He is committed to ensuring the digital revolution can increase opportunity, mitigate harm, and create liberatory futures for all.

Symposium: Note this event is in Hunt Library’s Teaching and Visualization Lab, Room 4505, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. ET.

The MGIST Digital Symposium is an opportunity for our graduating professional master’s students to present their Capstone projects to the geospatial community at NC State and beyond. This includes student peers, alumni, faculty and staff from across the university, and our community and industry partners. This is a tremendous professional development and networking opportunity for our students.

The technology in Hunt Library will allow students to present digital posters of their Capstone projects on a large, immersive projection screen in a social atmosphere with networking and open discussion. The event is capped off with an award to the winner of the poster competition!

Schedule: To be announced.