IGISc affiliates conduct a range of geospatial research, and maintain software and lab resources for the Department of Geography and Environment and the broader San Francisco State University and California State University (CSU) GIS community.
Kevin is a first year graduate student working with Sara Baguskas and Jerry Davis on meadow restoration monitoring in the Sierra Nevada. He is the Geography & Environment department map librarian and equipment manager and has developed proficiencies in 2D and 3D mapping with drones as well as GPS and surveying techniques which he uses in his meadow work. Kevin is on track to finish his masters coursework in the Spring of 2020.
Quentin Clark is the California State University GIS Specialty Center Site Administrator and is responsible for administering GIS software licenses for the CSU system. Quentin’s thesis modeled the spatial distribution of non-native plant species on Southeast Farallon Island, CA. Other interests include GIS, GNSS data collection, cartography, riverine environments and salmon fisheries restoration/rehabilitation.
Anna Studwell is the Associate Director for the Institute for Geographic Information Science, and is responsible for administering the GIS laboratory, the SFSU GIS Certificate Program, and research projects associated with the IGISc. Her interests include marine geospatial planning, conservation, recycling, and hiking/backpacking to see California's wilderness and wildlife.
Jerry Davis is a Professor of Geography in the Department of Geography and Environment as well as the Director of the California State University GIS Specialty Center. He specializes in geomorphology, soils, field methods, and geographic information systems. Jerry developed the GIS curriculum at SFSU and his current research interests focus on karst geomorphic processes and the use of computers and GIS for field data collection and processing.
Leonhard Blesius's research interests can be broadly divided into environmental systems analysis, in particular fluvial geomorphology and natural hazards, as well as remote sensing and its application to regions where few ancillary data are available. His focus in geomorphology is primarily related to fluvial systems in high-energy environments, specifically landslide susceptibility mapping. He approaches this problem from several angles, but an important component is the combination of engineering methods and remote sensing technology. Currently he is employing the infinite slope method, but other techniques may provide a potentially fruitful pursuit of further research. Due to his work in Southern California, he has become interested in fire dynamics, and how this affects the initiation of debris flows as well as the question of changes in friction angle and cohesion in soils due to fire.
Andrew Oliphant is a Professor in the Department of Geography and Environment. His research interests are in bioclimatology and micrometeorology. His geospatial interests include surface radiation budget modeling, ecosystem canopy radiation modeling, cloud, aerosol and fog mapping and microclimate variability of San Francisco.
Ellen Hines teaches environmental, marine, and coastal GIS at San Francisco State University. Her research on marine mammals includes studies on dugongs in southern Thailand, coastal marine mammals in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, gray whales in British Columbia, and harbor seals in San Francisco Bay. Her research interests include the integrated use of GIS and remote sensing in delineation of marine mammal habitat, issues of conservation in small-scale fisheries, and the development of research protocols for marine mammals in developing countries.