Geospatial Information Science and Engineering (GIScE)
Environmental and Resource Engineering M.S. & Ph.D.

Overview

The Geospatial Information Science and Engineering (GIScE) program offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in spatial information acquisition, analysis, modeling and applications. We focus on environmental monitoring using remote sensing methods and environmental modeling through the use of geographic information systems (GIS). The program includes a strong quantitative component ranging from statistical methods to advanced artificial intelligence techniques (e.g. genetic algorithms, neural networks) addressing a wide range of environmental and engineering problems. Spatiotemporal analyses and modeling are of particular emphasis, for example animal movement, land use/land cover change detection, and socioeconomic changes. The GIScE program is unique in that it offers not only core knowledge within the discipline but also supports interdisciplinary interactions with other environmental study areas within our department (e.g. hydrology, ecological engineering), within our school (e.g. biology, forest management) and within the adjacent Syracuse University (e.g. social studies, geography, computer and electrical engineering).

Participating faculty

• Jungho Im—Assistant Professor since 2007
  Dr. Im’s research interests include environmental remote sensing focusing on urban and vegetation, GIS-based modeling, and algorithm development.
• Giorgos Mountrakis—Assistant Professor since 2005
  Dr. Mountrakis’ expertise includes image analysis (satellite imagery, aerial photography). spatiotemporal geographic modeling using machine learning methods (e.g. neural networks) and spatial statistics.
• Lindi Quackenbush—Assistant Professor since 2004
  Dr Quackenbush’s research interests are in the fields of remote sensing and image processing, particularly focused on spatial techniques for both urban and forest classification.