Department of Geography professor Douglas Stow, an internationally recognized leader in remote-sensing analysis of terrestrial environments, has been named one of the recipients of The President’s Leadership Fund Awards for Faculty and Staff Excellence.

Remote-sensing devices, such as aircraft and satellites, provide the big-picture data that are making this an exciting time for geographers.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Homeland Security have funded some of Stow’s work, which uses remotely sensed data for detection and modeling of environmental change caused both by natural processes and human activities.

Stow says geographers are able to contribute important information needed by other scientists.

“We know the science and application information needs, and can use geospatial technology to help people advance knowledge, solve problems and do their jobs," Stow said. "If through this technology we can better understand processes—that would be a major success.”  

Stow says Google Earth has increased public awareness of technologies that can give continuous and contiguous spatial information about the Earth’s surface. This data becomes more powerful when paired with information collected on the ground.  

Future research plans

Each of the five recipients of the second annual PLF Award for Faculty and Staff Excellence is given $5,000 to be reinvested into their important work for the university.

Stow says he’ll use his award to seed or augment projects. For example, he plans to process and analyze 10 years of satellite data from the North Slope of Alaska to assess whether snow is melting earlier and shrubs are expanding within Arctic tundra lands.   

“I really enjoy working with students and trying to solve real problems," Stow said. "The graduate students are doing a lot of the work and honing their skills. Some of them are very savvy with technology and system integration.”  

Border security and environmental impact

Stow and his students are researching small unmanned autonomous vehicles (UAVs), which can fly between 50 to 2,000 feet above the ground to capture multispectral images. One use would be to document the effects of human migrations in border areas. Trails, tunnels, roads, and fences are significant for both border security and environmental impact.

The SDSU joint-doctoral program in geography, in conjunction with the University of California Santa Barbara, is ranked number seven among more than 60 doctoral programs in Geography in the U.S.

About the President’s Leadership Fund

Learn how to become a PLF partner or apply for a PLF investment here.