Laboratory for Human-Environment Interactions Modeling and Analysis
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Laboratory for Human-Environment Interactions Modeling and Analysis
  • Home
  • People
  • Research Projects
    • Narco-Trafficking and Land-Use Change
    • Disrupting Illicit Supply Networks
    • Large-Scale Land Acquisitions
    • Food-Energy-Water Nexus
  • Publications
  • Teaching
  • Resources
  • Join the Lab
  • News
  • Data
  • Home
  • People
  • Research Projects
    • Narco-Trafficking and Land-Use Change
    • Disrupting Illicit Supply Networks
    • Large-Scale Land Acquisitions
    • Food-Energy-Water Nexus
  • Publications
  • Teaching
  • Resources
  • Join the Lab
  • News
  • Data

Principal Investigator

Dr. Nicholas R. Magliocca
​Dr. Nicholas R. Magliocca
Leadership Board Fellow, College of Arts & Sciences
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography
​My broad research interests are in human-environmental interactions and land-use change. Specifically, I am interested in how people make land-use decisions, how those decisions modify the functioning of natural systems, and how those modifications feedback on human well-being, livelihoods, and subsequent land-use decisions.  All of my research begins with a complex systems background with the aim of understanding the dynamics of human-environment interactions and their consequences for environmental and economic sustainability. Agent-based modeling is my primary tool of choice to understand human-environment interactions, but I also frequently use other land change modeling approaches (e.g., cellular automata, system dynamics, econometrics), spatial statistics, and GIS. I also have expertise in synthesis methods (e.g., meta-analysis) for bringing together leveraging disparate forms of social and environmental data to understand how specific cases (i.e., local) of land-use change contribute to and/or differ from broader-scale (i.e. regional or global) patterns of human-environment interactions and land change outcomes.

In my (infinite) spare time, I hangout with my wife and young son, am an avid fisherman, love to cook, and will play (or watch) just about any sport.


Here is my CV.

PostDoctoral Associates

Graduate Students

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Ashleigh Price
Geography Ph.D. Student (affiliated researcher with the lab since Fall 2018)
​My broad research interests are in human-environment interactions and operations research. Specifically, I am interested in hazard vulnerability and resilience, facilities location science, and the geography of crime. My research focuses on examining how the socioecological nature of spaces differentially influences societal outcomes and modeling the spatial and social implications of changes to the environment. I primarily use quantitative methods (e.g., spatial optimization, spatial statistics) and GIS, but I also have experience in qualitative survey research. Prior to joining the University of Alabama, I completed my BS in Geosciences at Virginia Tech and my MS in Geography at the University of Southern Mississippi. My research to date has centered on applications in community corrections, counterdrug interdiction, and emergency management operations. For my dissertation research, I am modeling the spatiotemporal impacts of extreme events to crime, victimization, and protective resource allocation.​
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​Ruchie Pathak
Geography Ph.D. Student (joined the lab in Spring 2021)
​Broadly my research interests are in the field of environmental social sciences; specifically, I’m interested in studying human-environmental interactions. I would like my research work to contribute towards our understanding of what a more sustainable world can look like and how to ACTUALLY get there. Moreover, my research interests include understanding adoption of conservation practices, evaluation of sustainable practices, participatory natural resource management, social impact assessment, among others. I have good experience with projects involving qualitative and/or mixed-mode methodologies. I have designed both survey questionnaires and interview transcripts for my projects and have conducted online surveys, personal interviews and focus group discussions as well. I also have basic knowledge of softwares like R (statistical tool) and ArcGIS. For my dissertation research here at UA, I plan to focus on understanding farmers’ decision-making processes related to crop choice and adoption of irrigation in Alabama. 

If not working, I like to spend my free time reading books (~love fiction), knitting or binge-watching some tv series. I’m also into photography and spend most of the time exploring different photo editing apps on my phone/laptop.

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​Carter Sink
Geography Ph.D. Student (joined the lab in Fall 2021)
My research interests are primarily in the fields of practical GIS and environmental protection and conservation. Specifically, I am interested in exploring the many new ways that GIS technology give geographers to create broadly applicable conservation strategies that can be implemented by local and national governments. My current research is focused on tracking and projection deforestation in preserved lands in Honduras as related to the extension of narco-trafficking illicit agriculture in the region, as well as creating counterfactual models of the region to show how much of an impact said illicit agriculture has had on the nature preserve.
 
In my spare time I enjoy reading, writing (almost done with my first novel), hiking with my dog, and losing games of Dota2
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Hashir Tanveer
Geography Ph.D. Student (joined the lab in Soring 2022)
My research interests are particularly in the field of GIS and urban traffic dynamics. I’m interested in exploring the dynamics of human-environment interactions to understand and model the spatial and environmental changes. My primary focus is to examine the implications of illicit supply network response to interdictions. I completed my MS in Geographic Information Engineering at Wuhan University, China. I worked at LIESMARS, Wuhan University for 2 years on analyzing urban dynamics using microwave remote sensing. 
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In my free time, I play Cricket, Baseball, cook sub-continental food, watch movies(sci-fi), travel, meet new people and learn new culture.


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Andrew Meador
Geography M.S. Student (joined the lab in Spring 2020)
​My broad interests lie in human and cultural geography.  More specifically, I enjoy all topics related to globalization, trade, crime, wildlife, fossil fuels, and human migration patterns.  My research focuses on illicit trade networks in Central America, particularly in the nation of Belize.  By integrating migration patterns and the associated demographic shifts throughout the history of this country with land-use change data, I aim to form a more complete picture of the ethno-linguistic ties shaping the narcotrafficking network structures in the “Drug Transit Zone”.  

In my spare time, I enjoy fishing, running, playing guitar, cooking, reading trivia, watching sports and comedy, and bike riding. 





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​​Pratik Dhungana
Geography M.S. Student (joined the lab in Fall 2021)
My research interests are in urban land change and natural disasters particularly landslide and flood. I like working mostly with optical remote sensing data to find out land change trends. I am also interested in cartography, machine learning, spatial data science and web GIS, basically just about anything that makes handling or understanding spatial data easier. I also love teaching concepts or just practical techniques on these subjects.

Whenever time permits, I like playing soccer or watching movies or edit some data on OSM.



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Kaitlyn Whitney

M.P.A. Student (joined the lab in Fall 2021)
I am a graduate student in Public Administration interested in nonprofit and humanitarian work. Currently I work mapping cocaine supply chain routes in GIS. More broadly, I enjoy studying how policy affects people and how we can implement stronger legislation to help develop communities domestically and internationally.
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In my free time I enjoy finding new hobbies from sewing and painting to hiking and playing spike ball. Really, I just like hanging out with people!

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Alumni

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​Dr. Quy Van Khuc
Postdoctoral Research Associate (2018-2019)
Current position: Faculty in Economics and Finance, Phenikaa University, Yen Nghia, Ha Dong, Hanoi, Hanoi, Hanoi, VIET NAM.







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Kory Pilet
M.S. Geography  (2017-2019)
Thesis title:  "Land-Use Land-Cover Change and the Effects on Hydrology of the North River Basin, Alabama"
Current position: GIS Analyst, City of Tuscaloosa





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Anna Holland-Levine
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M.S. Geography  (2018-2020)
Thesis title:  "Social-ecological systems of sheep ranching, recreation, and large carnivores on multiple-use U.S. public lands"
Current position: Social Scientist with United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado







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Garrett Cooper
B.S. Student (2019-2021)

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Alaina Makowski
B.S. Student (2019-2021)










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​Kate Pitts
B.S. Student (2019-2021)
Current position: Backbone farm, Western Maryland


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