Dr. G’s personal Bio for DL students…

Since we will only ‘see’ each other over the internet, and since I am going to ask you to to tell me about yourselves, your goals and WHY you are interested in learning GIS…. Its only fair that I tell you a little about me…

(feel free to skip these pages!) ;-)

I am really a geographer, its part of who I am. I love to travel, to explore (to get ‘lost’). I have been to Europe, Africa and Asia. Although I enjoy Western North America most of all.

I have done GIS and Remote sensing professionally since leaving the ranks of high school science teachers (I only lasted 4 years). As you can see from my publication record, I feel like I can say “been there, done that”… and in most cases I have the T-shirt to show for it.

Along with being a real ‘honest to gosh’ physical geographer who actually studies landscapes for fun! am a photographer, fisherman, occasional computer geek, mechanic (when I have to be) and carpenter.

• I’ve been known to chase the occasional storm...

Hurricane Dennis... Outer storm bands

12 October 2004 Tornado (cows were added later ;-)

• I love exploring new country....

Why geography?• Very few people ever desire to grow up and be ‘a geographer’• Until forced to by genetics to give it up I always wanted to be a fighter pilot like

my uncle... Oh well....• My introduction to geography came in graduate school when I found that this was

the place where I could explore satellite images and aerial photographs!• Professionally, Remote Sensing is what I prefer to do...

BUT GISPAYS THE BILLS!

Everyone NEEDS a GIS person....

Not too many opportunities exist for ‘geographers’Who do not ‘do’ GIS

I am very fortunate to be in the position of Associate Professor at UNA…. It a good school, with really good students and colleagues.

Although, to be here, I had to leave Oregon State and Corvallis OR where we spent the last 15 years! Most of the time it’s a good trade, but I really miss the cliffs soaring above the pounding surf, the silence of the desert at night and the smell of a wind with nothing behind it but 3000 miles of ocean and 70 miles of fir clad mountains!

But this is where I could play ‘professor’ and its good.