Post-Doctoral Researchers

Pablo Arroyo

I define myself as a multidisciplinary scientist with roots in forest ecology and diversity assessment, and experience in GIS, remote sensing and landscape ecology. My M.Sc. work at the University of Alberta focused on the synergy between ecology and remote sensing to determine patterns of forest fragmentation. I also assessed the integration of Landsat and IKONOS satellite imagery for defining successional stages in the tropical dry forest of Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica. During my PhD at the University of Connecticut I began developing a Forestry GIS for Costa Rica (integrating forest management data), and assessed species richness (trees) at the alpha, beta and gamma levels. Currently as a postdoctoral fellow I am collaborating with two projects involving remote sensing and GIS. Please visit my website.

Alexandre Diniz

I am a scholar from the Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, presently researching the multi-level determinants of intra-regional migration within the Brazilian Amazon, based on survey and census data. I am also concerned about the rise in crime rates across Brazilian cities, especially the ones located in Minas Gerais State.

Ben Heumann

I am a biogeographer / ecosystem scientist with research interests in ecosystem processes and services. I use GIS, remote sensing, and field data to quantify and map ecosystem patterns and processes, primarily focusing on wetland and forest ecosystems. I have a Ph.D from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2011) where I did my doctoral research on the remote sensing of mangrove forests in the Galapagos Islands. I also collaborate with social scientists to address issues of human-environment interactions such as land use land cover change using agent-based modelling. My postdoctoral research is on using hyperspectral remote sensing to characterize boreal ecosystems including functional plant groups, foliar nitrogen, and gross primary productivity for vascular and non-vascular plants.

Peter Johnson

I earned my PhD from McGill in 2009. In my research, I develop and 
evaluate several geospatial technologies, including agent-based models 
(ABM), geographic information systems (GIS), and the Geospatial web 
(Geoweb), determining how they can be used to make better 
environmental and economic development decisions. I apply these 
technologies within areas such as tourism planning, rural development, 
citizen participation in governance, and environmental monitoring. You 
can find out more about research by visiting my website: www.geog.mcgill.ca/grad/johnson

Young-Il Kim

My research interests lie in biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial ecosystems (for example, forests, grasslands, and wetlands) based on ecosystem modelling and small scale experiments in the field and lab. My research currently focuses on understanding the changes in greenhouse gas exchange due to the natural and anthropogenic disturbances including climate and land cover changes. I have also researched carbon cycling in the temperature forest ecosystems to pursue my Master’s degree (Environmental Sciences at Seoul National University, South Korea). I earned my PhD from the Geography Department at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Nigel Roulet. Major tasks for my PhD were developing an ecosystem model for carbon cycling of reservoirs and simulating carbon dioxide flux from a hydroelectric reservoir in northern Québec. I continue working here in the Geography Department from October 2011 to improve the developed reservoir model for greenhouse gas exchange as a postdoctoral fellow. Please visit my webpage for more information (http://www.geog.mcgill.ca/grad/youngil/)  

Federico Martellozzo

My research interests focus on the interrelations between human activities and environment from several perspectives. I investigate the dynamic patterns of urban sprawl and land cover transitions over time. One main interest is the investigation of urban sprawl and its theoretical framework; I suggest that sprawl should be seen more as a dynamic transition towards more dispersed patterns rather than an instant picture of diffusion per se. GIS, remote sensing and modeling are of direct relevance to understand drivers and consequences of urban growth, representing meaningful tools for better regional planning and sustainable resources management. Please visit my website for more information.

Meaghan Murphy

I completed my PhD here in the Geography Department at McGill University in 2009 and finished a post-doctoral appointment at L'Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in August 2010.  My research focuses on the link between above- and belowground plant processes in wetland ecosystems, particularly in response to global change phenomena.   More specifically, I have looked at patterns of and controls on root biomass and production within and among wetland systems and the contributions of these components to ecosystem carbon cycling.   My post-doctoral work here in the Geography Department involves using minirhizotron technology to quantify fine root dynamics in peatland ecosystems in response to long-term nitrogen deposition.

Pham Thi Thanh Hiên

I received my PhD from Université de Sherbrooke in 2009 and recently finished a post-doc at INRS Urbanisation-Culture-Société (Montréal). In my research, I use remote sensing, GIS and spatial analysis to monitor land use/land cover (LUCC) dynamics in different natural and social conditions. I apply these technologies to the study of patterns and driving forces of LUCC over space and time. I am especially interested in populations prone to disparities in access to natural resources and amenities/services. My study areas include both cities, like Montréal and Hanoi, and rural areas, like coastal zones of northern Vietnam and the upland Sino-Vietnamese borderlands.