Atef Amriche
aaamrich@syr.edu

• Degree Sought: PHD
• Graduate Advisor(s): Mountrakis
• Area of Study: Geospatial Information Science & Engineering
• Undergraduate Institution: National Higher School of Agro (Agronomy / Soil scie)
• Previous Graduate Study: Mediterranean Agronomic Instit (Geoinformation in En)

Personal Statement
The journey of my higher education began with agronomic studies and specialization in soil science at the "Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Agronomie" (Algeria). My interest in GIS and remote sensing applications started growing after a first exposure to precision farming concepts. My passion for technology and innovations in computer science pushed me to further explore these two disciplines. My first Master thesis focused on using SAR data to map surface soil moisture in a semiarid area in Algeria. After that, I got a full scholarship from the international center for higher agronomic studies in the Mediterranean (CIHEAM) and enrolled in the Master of Science program "Geoinformation in environmental management" at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute in Chania (Greece). My thesis work was focused on land cover mapping in the Mitidja plain - North Algeria. My goal here at SUNY ESF is to develop essential programming skills and a strong numeric and statistical background, necessary to address key environmental issues using remote sensing data.

Favorite Quote
" Any knowledge that doesn't lead to new questions quickly dies out: it fails to maintain the temperature required for sustaining life " ... Wislawa Szymborska

Research interests
Remote sensing / GIS / data mining / land cover & land use mapping / decision support systems / soil science.

Presentations
Soil resources and sustainable soil management in Algeria (representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) - FAO Near East & North Africa - Global Soil Partnership. http://www.slideshare.net/FAOoftheUN/soil-resources-and-sustainable-soil-management-in-algeria-ministry-of-agriculture-and-rural-development-atef-amriche

Rabia Khan
rkhan06@syr.edu

• Degree Sought: PHD
• Graduate Advisor(s): Mountrakis
• Area of Study: Geospatial Information Science & Engineering

Madusha Maha Gamage
mmahagam@syr.edu

• Degree Sought: MS
• Graduate Advisor(s): Mountrakis
• Area of Study: Geospatial Information Science & Engineering

Timothy Pede
tjpede@syr.edu

• Degree Sought: PHD
• Graduate Advisor(s): Mountrakis
• Area of Study: Geospatial Information Science & Engineering
• Undergraduate Institution: SUNY-ESF (Environmental Science)
• Previous Graduate Study: University of Vermont (Natural Sciences — O)

Personal Statement
I grew up in the Syracuse Area and completed my undergraduate studies at SUNY ESF. After being exposed to the unprecedented environmental challenges facing this generation, I soon realized the need for a global transition to renewable sources of energy. I’m mainly interested in quantifying urban energy flows and applying ecological principals to human networks.

Graduate Research Topic
Effects of land use/land change on residential energy demand

Favorite Quote
“I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.” former President George W. Bush

Shahriar Shah Heydari
sshahhey@syr.edu

• Degree Sought: PHD in Environmental Resources Engineering
• Graduate Advisor(s): Mountrakis
• Undergraduate Institution: Sharif University of Technolog (Electrical Eng.)
• Previous Graduate Study: University of Southern Denmark (Environmental Management)

Graduate Research Topic
Map analysis using big data ideas

Home Page
Web Link

Yunrui Si
ysi103@syr.edu

• Degree Sought: MS
• Graduate Advisor(s): Mountrakis
• Area of Study: Geospatial Information Science & Engineering

Zhixin Wang
zwang127@syr.edu

• Degree Sought: PHD
• Graduate Advisor(s): Mountrakis
• Area of Study: Geospatial Information Science & Engineering
• Undergraduate Institution: Xi'an University of Science an (Geographic Informati)
• Previous Graduate Study: University of Chinese Academy (Signal and Informati)