Dr. Di Yang received her Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Florida in 2019. She is a geographer and geospatial data scientist with expertise in geospatial informatics, applied remote sensing, volunteered geographic information (VGI), and macrosystem ecology. Her research interest lies in the development of advanced remote sensing techniques through digital image processing and geovisualization applications, specifically in coupled human-environment interactions and citizen sciences. She is also committed to developing and sharing expertise in processing and analyzing large ecological and remote sensing databases by using cutting-edge tools (e.g., Google Earth Engine, Microsoft Azure, and Web-GIS) to benefit conservation, resource management, landowners, and policymakers.
ResearchGate | Google Scholar | Twitter
Contact: yangdi1031@ufl.edu
Dr. Yichan Li is a Post-Doctoral Associate at the GeoDI Lab. She has a PhD in Geosciences from the University of Arkansas, where she focused on understanding rapid transitions between drought and flood conditions, an increasingly important topic as climate patterns become more volatile. Yichan’s technical expertise spans climate data analysis, GIS applications, and machine learning approaches for environmental prediction. In her free time, Yichan enjoys running, hiking, swimming, and rock climbing, all activities that Florida’s year-round outdoor weather supports well.
Contact: yli18@ufl.edu
Wei Liu is a PhD student in the Department of Geography at the University of Florida, and has previously completed her Master’s Degree in Geographic Information Science with Dr. Di Yang, where she leveraged deep learning models for land use classification from historical remote sensing imagery. Her research interests focus on historical land use classification and the application of complex network analysis in landscape ecology.
UF Geography Department Profile
Contact: wliu4@ufl.edu
Shuai Li is a PhD student in the geography program at the University of Florida, specializing in land cover and climate change. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in geography. He is a geographer with expertise in geospatial informatics, applied remote sensing, geology, and macrosystem ecology. He is particularly interested in using geographic information technology to study human-environmental interactions, especially in areas with complex ecology and geology.
UF Geography Department Profile
Contact: shuaili@ufl.edu
Di Fan is a Research Assistant at the University of Florida, focusing on wildfire prediction and analysis. Di's research involves 3D forest reconstruction, explainable AI (XAI), and remote sensing data analysis, leveraging advanced computer vision and machine learning techniques to enhance the accuracy and reliability of wildfire forecasting.
Contact: di.fan@ufl.edu
Olivia Zhang is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida studying Geography and Data Science. Having grown up in coastal cities, she is passionate about leveraging geospatial data to better understand human-environment interactions in a changing climate. She first became interested in geospatial analysis through citizen science projects in high school, and since then, she has loved to explore the world through data.
Contact: oliviazhang@ufl.edu
Ashley Hays is a Geomatics student at the University of Florida, specializing in Geospatial Analysis and minoring in Medical Geography, with a certificate in Geospatial Information Analysis. She is deeply passionate about harnessing geospatial data to address global challenges across disciplines such as public health, climate change and environmental science.
Contact: ashleyhays@ufl.edu
Reeha Kasem is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida majoring in Geography and pursuing the Meteorology & Climatology certificate, as well as the Geographic Artificial Intelligence and Big Data certificate. She also minors in Innovation. She is intrigued by climate change, weather, and natural disasters’ effects on the world, from person to animal to land or sea. She hopes to make an impact on vulnerable communities and environments’ decision-making plans related to climate adaptation and mitigation. She aims to grow in her research with geospatial analysis and remote sensing skills.
Contact: r.kasem@ufl.edu
Cecelia Beringer is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida majoring in Geography. Her research involves using remote sensing techniques to solve ecological problems.
Contact: ceceliaberinger@ufl.edu
Thomas Barbato is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida studying Geography and Data Science. His early fascination with maps sparked a passion for geospatial analysis, which he discovered as an academic path while applying to college. He believes that geospatial analysis is a key tool in combatting the myriad of environmental issues contributing to the climate crisis we face today.
Contact: t.barbato@ufl.edu
William Bramley is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida going for a dual degree in Computer Science in Engineering and Geomatics. He is highly interested in the algorithmic processing and analysis of geospatial data into novel solutions and seeks to create quality work wherever he goes. He believes that geospatial analysis will become an increasingly important field within the future, and wants to get ahead of the curve.
Contact: wl.bramley@ufl.edu
Alumni
Kaitlyn Anderson graduated with a Master's Degree from the Department of Geography at the University of Florida. She completed her bachelor's degrees in Geography and Anthropology from the University of Richmond. Her research interests are geospatial analysis, conservation, socio-environmental systems, and road ecology.
UF Geography Department Profile
Contact: kaitlyn.anderson@ufl.edu