Principal Investigator
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Dr. Nicholas R. Magliocca
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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Anna Holland-Levine Geography M.S. Student (joined the lab in Fall 2018) I use mixed methods approaches to model and quantify the relationships between human and ecological systems, viewing them as complex and adaptive. I integrate analysis across systems and scales with social-ecological and coupled human and natural systems frameworks. I'm invested in working with communities to create more sustainable human-nature relationships through stakeholder stewardship and adaptive scientific management. My thesis research focuses on documenting and discovering patterns of interaction between livestock herding, ecosystems, and social processes in the intermountain west. My hobbies include hiking, traveling, cooking, knitting, and anything that gets me exploring outdoors. Lydia Stanley Geography M.S. Student (joined the lab in Fall 2019) My research interests are inspired by a previous project I led for the NASA DEVELOP program over the summer of 2019. With a passion for earth science and interest in urban development, I decided to study the dynamics of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect for the purposes of mitigation. With a centralized focus in the field of geography, I would like to discover an effective scale in which to communicate land surface temperature to community organizations and stakeholders in Alabama. This research is very important to our area due to the increased risk of heat-related illnesses. Therefore, I hope as my thesis develops I will be able to communicate how specific land-use classification will improve UHI mitigation plans. When I am not behind my desk, I am usually playing/coaching volleyball, running, cooking or hanging out with my friends. Konrad Piepke Criminology & Criminal Justice M.S. Student (joined the lab in Summer 2019) My research interests are organized crime, white collar crime, and predictive modeling. Currently, I assist with providing a criminological perspective to geographical research. I use GIS to provide a spatial analysis of narcotrafficking in Central American countries. I am interested in applying the methodologies of geography to the field of criminology in order to improve the understanding of the spatial relationship of crime. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling to new places, eating new foods, and enjoying new drinks, all in the company of my good friends. When I’m stuck at home, I enjoy playing board games with those same friends. |
Undergraduate Research Assistants
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Garrett Cooper B.S. Student (joined the lab in Spring 2019) I am a junior majoring in environmental science with a minor in GIS. My goal for the future is to pursue research in a field related to geography or ecology. I have not decided exactly what field I want to go into, though. I hope my future field of study allows me to contribute to a working knowledge of ecosystems and other aspects of the environment so that we can better understand and protect them. In my free time, I am an avid photographer and lover of the outdoors. I frequently hike, kayak, and go mountain biking as well as travel whenever I can. Alaina Makowski B.S. Student (joined the lab in Summer 2019) I am an undergraduate student at The University of Alabama studying Environmental Science with a concentration in Natural Resources Management and Ecosystem Conservation. My research interests include sustainable agriculture and human-resource interactions. This passion grew during my time in Costa Rica studying the Water Energy Food nexus in Guanacaste. I like to focus on how we can lessen environmental degradation in these fields and make them more efficient and sustainable as global climate change and other environmental crises set in. In my free time I enjoy hiking, backpacking, live music, and anything I can do with my friends in the outdoors.
Kate Pitts B.S. Student (joined the lab in Summer 2019) I am a junior majoring in anthropology and ecology. I am specifically interested in political ecology research, such as how marine reserves in Belize affect fishermen’s economic and social stability and the subsequent consequences on conch piracy in the Caribbean. My interests also include sustainable agriculture, and how indigenous land rights change in the face of development and conservation efforts. In my free time, I enjoy camping, kayaking, and going to concerts. |
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. 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 |
