Graduate Students
Graduate students funded by assistantships through the Center for Geospatial Analytics enjoy office space in the center and contribute invaluably to its cutting-edge research programs.

Current Students
Jenna Abrahamson
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Josh Gray
Research: Using remote sensing to analyze environmental change as it relates to water cycles and freshwater availability
jnabraha@ncsu.edu
Muyiwa Adeyeye
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Ryan Emanuel
Research: Examining regional water stress based on oceanographic parameters, human impact and other climate phenomena
aadeyey@ncsu.edu
Daniela Agostini
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management master’s student
Advisor: Jelena Vukomanovic
Research: Identifying the spatial and non-spatial trends in research conducted in Congaree National Park
dmagosti@ncsu.edu
Claudia Alberico
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management Ph.D. student
Advisor: Aaron Hipp
Research: Using spatial analytics to understand children’s use of public spaces and health outcomes
coalberi@ncsu.edu
Luke Allen
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Sandra Yuter
Research: Examining winter storms in the Northeast to better understand the dynamics associated with embedded heavy snow bands
lrallen3@ncsu.edu
William Beam
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management master’s student
Advisor: Aaron Hipp
Research: Understanding the spatial relationship between parks, urban heat islands, and vulnerable communities
wtbeam@ncsu.edu
Randi Butler
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Natalie Nelson
Research: Analyzing satellite remote sensing data to better understand sweet potato production trends and bring in a rich perspective of on-the-ground challenges
rbutler4@ncsu.edu
Elyssa Collins
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Ross Meentemeyer
Research: Forecasting the spatial redistribution of people and infrastructure following sea level rise
ecollin@ncsu.edu
Raja Das
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Karl Wegmann
Research: Developing remote-sensing-based geostatistical models for geohazard prediction and analysis
rdas3@ncsu.edu
Christopher Dunstan
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Co-advisors: Aaron Hipp and Laura Tateosian
Research: Analyzing how people participate in physical activity
cdunsta@ncsu.edu
Mollie Gaines
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Mirela Tulbure
Research: Examining surface water connectivity and how it may change with forecasted changes in climate and land use
mdgaines@ncsu.edu
Xiaojie Gao
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Josh Gray
Research: Studying the environmental impacts of global warming, with aims to understand human-nature interactions and global climate change
xgao26@ncsu.edu
Louis Goodall
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Robert Scheller
Research: Assessing how ecosystem services in forests respond to shifting climatic conditions and forest management practices
lagoodal@ncsu.edu
Nick Grokhowsky
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Helena Mitasova
Research: Solving problems where the environment and society converge, including how to detect chemicals affecting water supplies, how public sentiment affects environmental justice, and identifying locations where the most effective research is being performed
ngrokho@ncsu.edu
Umesh Gupta
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Co-advisors: Raju Vatsavai and Ross Meentemeyer
Research: Specialized AI and deep learning framework for dynamic spatial-temporal models in landscape forecasting, detection and advance prediction
urgupta@ncsu.edu
Caitlin Haedrich
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Helena Mitasova
Research: Developing tools and models for flooding and sea level rise to help stakeholders understand the impacts of climate change
chaedri@ncsu.edu
Izzi Hinks
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Josh Gray
Research: Developing and assessing remote sensing algorithms to optimize the productivity of sustainable agriculture amidst environmental change
irhinks@ncsu.edu
Byron Ifediora
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Bethany Cutts
Research: Understanding how communities recover from disasters by measuring social cohesion and social vulnerability factors
bifedio@ncsu.edu
Kate Jones
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Jelena Vukomanovic
Research: Integrating geospatial technologies with ecological modeling to understand forest disturbance and climate adaptation
kejones8@ncsu.edu
Kimia Karimi
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Dan Obenour
Research: Modeling watersheds and water quality to assess eutrophication trends under historical and projected scenarios
kkarimi2@ncsu.edu
Nicholas Kruskamp
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Co-advisors: Ross Meentemeyer and Josh Gray
Research: Combining geospatial technologies and ecological modeling to understand the effects of emerging infectious diseases on forest ecosystems
nfkruska@ncsu.edu
Brit Laginhas
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Ross Meentemeyer
Research: Understanding invasion dynamics and forecasting the spread of invasive pests and pathogens
blaginh@ncsu.edu
Margaret Lawrimore
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Ross Meentemeyer
Research: Examining urban development and displacement of human populations under varying climate change scenarios, specifically focusing on flood events
malawrim@ncsu.edu
Vishnu Mahesh Vivek Nanda
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Co-advisors: Perver Baran and Laura Tateosian
Research: Modeling trees from point clouds using deep learning for solar energy potential estimation in urban contexts
vvivekn@ncsu.edu
Martine Mathieu
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Jennifer Richmond-Bryant
Research: Performing geospatial and statistical modeling of particulate matter (PM) and environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) concentrations
mmathie@ncsu.edu
Venkata Matli
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Dan Obenour
Research: Developing geostatistical models to study large-scale aquatic systems (e.g., modeling hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico) with limited available in situ data
vmatli@ncsu.edu
Shannon McAvoy
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Katie Martin
Research: Studying hydro-ecological systems to better understand the benefits of different forest management strategies
smcavoy@ncsu.edu
Ian McGregor
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Josh Gray
Research: Using remote sensing to understand forest productivity, with the goal of applying this to ecological forecasts and species conservation
imcgreg@ncsu.edu
Katie McQuillan
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Katie Martin
Research: Investigating how the distribution and ecosystem function of forests and vegetation protect and sustain water resources for people and biodiversity now and into the future
kmcquil@ncsu.edu
Uchenna Osia
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Bethany Cutts
Research: Examining the crossroads between social justice and data science
unosia@ncsu.edu
Annie Paulukonis
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Co-advisors: Tom Purucker (US EPA) and Helena Mitasova
Research: Developing tools and analyses used in pesticide risk assessments for threatened wildlife species, particularly pollinators and amphibians
epauluk@ncsu.edu
Vinicius Perin
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Mirela Tulbure
Research: Applying high-resolution satellite imagery to evaluate small water bodies close to agricultural lands
vperin@ncsu.edu
Deja Perkins
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Caren Cooper
Research: Identifying spatial patterns in citizen science participation to engage underserved communities in environmental monitoring
djperkin@ncsu.edu
John Polo
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Co-advisors: Chris Jones and Ross Meentemeyer
Research: Modeling the spread of and potential control options for plant pathogens in space and time
japolo@ncsu.edu
Joshua Randall
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management Ph.D. student
Co-advisors: Jelena Vukomanovic and Bethany Cutts
Research: Developing a multidimensional spatial index characterizing energy poverty at multiple scales
jnrandal@ncsu.edu
Stacie Reckling
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Helena Mitasova
Research: Transforming our understanding of how environmental factors and social influences interact with human health
skreckli@ncsu.edu
Shannon Ricci
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Del Bohnenstiehl
Research: Developing automated processing techniques to analyze passive acoustic data collected in marine environments
swbrown@ncsu.edu
Ariel Saffer
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Ross Meentemeyer
Research: Understanding and forecasting the global spread of plant pests and pathogens
asaffer@ncsu.edu
Felipe Sanchez
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Gustavo Machado
Research: Investigating spatial, temporal and spatiotemporal disease dynamics in livestock animals
fesanche@ncsu.edu
Paul Schrum
Forestry and Environmental Resources Ph.D. student
Advisor: Stacy Nelson
Research: Leveraging computational geometry to improve geospatial modelling techniques and algorithms
ptschrum@ncsu.edu
Andrew Shannon
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Robert Scheller
Research: Examining landscape change, assessing management practices and modeling ecosystem dynamics in forested environments
ashanno@ncsu.edu
Owen Smith
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Josh Gray
Research: Efficiently computing and analyzing global land use and food security
osmith2@ncsu.edu
Varun Tiwari
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Mirela Tulbure
Research: Studying surface water and flooding dynamics under climate change scenarios
vtiwari@ncsu.edu
Laura Tomkins
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Sandra Yuter
Research: Studying snow bands and winter storm dynamics in the Northeast United States
lmtomkin@ncsu.edu
Jashira Torres Pabón
Forestry and Environmental Resources master’s student
Advisor: Stacy Nelson
Research: Analyzing management strategies for the red snapper recreational fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico
jmtorre2@ncsu.edu
Corey White
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Co-advisors: Ross Meentemeyer and Helena Mitasova
Research: Developing a serious game (TomorrowNow) using participatory modeling to inform decisions in smart and connected communities
ctwhite@ncsu.edu
Thom Worm
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Ross Meentemeyer
Research: Examining human-driven changes in landscapes and forecasting ecological change in a growing world
tworm@ncsu.edu
Alexander Yoshizumi
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. student
Advisor: Jelena Vukomanovic
Research: Investigating how best to make energy and transportation systems more equitable, sustainable, efficient, and resilient
ayoshiz@ncsu.edu
News From Our Students More News
Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. Students Land Prestigious Funding Awards
Congratulations to our students who recently won grants and fellowships from NSF, NASA, The Nature Conservancy and the Joint Fire Science Program!
"I Use Geospatial Analytics To..." Part III
Curious about what our third cohort of Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. students work on for their dissertations? Check out how they and their advisors use geospatial analytics to impact a range of fields.
"I Use Geospatial Analytics To..." Part IV
Curious about what our second cohort of Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. students work on for their dissertations? Check out how they and their advisors use geospatial analytics to impact a range of fields.
"I Use Geospatial Analytics To..." Part II
Curious about what our second cohort of Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. students work on for their dissertations? Check out how they and their advisors use geospatial analytics to impact a range of fields.