An ambitious and driven individual with knowledge and project experience in computer networks and security (BEng (Hons)), along with a masters degree at a top 10 UK university in the domain of IT, management and organizational change with a distinction, and is currently working as a Ph.D. Research fellow in Denmark.

Current Ph.D. Project - Work Improvisation, looking into more flexible and plastic management through cognition.

Dr. Lilian Alessa, University of Idaho President’s Professor of Resilient Landscapes in the Landscape Architecture program, is also Co-Director of the University of Idaho Center for Resilient Communities. She conducts extensive research on human adaptation to environmental change through resilient design at landscape scales. Much of her work is funded by the National Science Foundation, including projects awarded the Arctic Observing Network, Intersections of Food, Energy and Water Systems (INFEWS) and the Dynamics of Coupled Natural Human Systems programs. Canadian-born and raised, Alessa received her degrees from the University of British Columbia. She also uses her expertise in social-ecological and technological systems science to develop ways to improve domestic resource security for community well-being, particularly through the incorporation of place-based knowledge. Her work through the Department of Homeland Security’s Center of Excellence, the Arctic Domain Awareness Center, involves developing social-technological methods to monitor and respond to critical environmental changes. Lil is a member of the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education and is on the Science, Technology and Education Advisory Committee for the National Ecological Observing Network (NEON). Professor Alessa also teaches a university landscape architecture capstone course: Resilient Landscapes with Professor Andrew Kliskey. Professor Alessa’s collaborative grant activity with Professor Andrew Kliskey, since coming to the university in 2013, exceeds 7 million USD to date. She has authored over a 100 publications and reports and has led the development of 2 federal climate resilience toolbox assessments, the Arctic Water Resources Vulnerability Index (AWRVI) and the Arctic Adaptation Exchange Portal (AAEP).

I have a strong background in building and incorporating agent-based simulations for learning. Throughout my graduate career, I have worked at the Center for Connected Learning and Computer Based Modeling (CCL), developing modeling and simulation tools for learning. In particular, we develop NetLogo, the gold standard agent-based modeling environment for learners around the world. In my dissertation work, I marry biology and computer science to teach the emergent principles of ant colonies foraging for food and expanding. The work builds on more than a decade of experience in ABM. I now work at the Center for the Science and the Schools as an Assistant Professor. We delivered a curriculum to teach about COVID-19, where I incorporated ABMs into the curriculum.

You can keep up with my work at my webpage: https://kitcmartin.com

• GIS Analyst / GIS Specialist: Experienced in applying GIS tools and spatial analysis techniques to
support decision-making in urban planning, environmental management, transportation, and infrastructure
projects. Skilled in producing high-quality maps, conducting spatial analysis, and delivering actionable
geospatial insights for operational and policy use.
• Geospatial Data Scientist: Specialized in developing spatial predictive models by integrating machine
learning and geospatial data to perform risk assessment, suitability analysis, and forecasting using large-
scale datasets such as satellite imagery, climate variables, and land-use data.
• Spatial Data Engineering & Processing: Strong ability to manage and preprocess complex geospatial
datasets, including raster and vector data, DEMs, remote sensing products, and climate projections, with
rigorous attention to spatial reference systems, accuracy, and data quality control.
• GIS Workflow Automation & Optimization: Proven experience in automating geospatial workflows
using ArcGIS Pro, ArcPy, ModelBuilder, FME (ETL), and Python to improve efficiency in spatial analysis,
data processing, and large-scale mapping tasks.
• Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analysis: Proficient in satellite imagery processing and analysis,
including cloud masking, spectral analysis, vegetation indices, land cover classification, and temporal
change detection using Google Earth Engine and Python.
• Geospatial Visualization & Cartography: Skilled in producing professional-grade thematic maps, spa-
tial dashboards, and web-based geovisualizations to communicate complex geospatial patterns to both
technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Experienced working with multidisciplinary teams across academia,
government, and industry to deliver geospatial solutions for planning, environmental risk assessment, and
policy-driven decision-making.

Scott Heckbert (PhD 2010) is the Principal Environmental Scientist at the Alberta Energy Regulator, and an Adjunct Professor at University of Alberta and University of Lethbridge, Canada. Scott’s area of specialization is combining agent-based models, GIS, and 3D visualization. These technologies are used as digital laboratories where scientists, decision makers, and stakeholders can interact for improved understanding of complex social-environmental systems.

I am a Postdoctoral Associate in the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior department at the University of Minnesota. My research involves using agent-based models combined with lab and field research to test a broad range of hypotheses in biology. I am currently developing an agent-based model of animal cell systems to investigate the epigenetic mechanisms that influence cell behavior. For my PhD work, I created a model, B3GET, which simulates the evolution of virtual primates to better understand the relationships between growth and development, life history and reproductive strategies, mating strategies, foraging strategies, and how ecological factors drive these relationships. I have also conducted fieldwork to inform the modeled behavior of these virtual organisms. Here I am pictured with an adult male gelada in Ethiopia!