Research Interests

Remote sensing is an incredible tool that can be used to study the natural world, from landscape changes on enormous scales to estimating populations of different animals, including polar bears, penguin colonies, and seals. My main research interest is in using satellite data to study natural phenomena on different spatial and temporal scales, from individual glacier fjords in Alaska to all of the world's glaciers over a 50+ year time span. My main research focus has been on glacier change, and how glaciers impact not only the physical world, but terrestrial and marine ecosystems. At present, I am working on projects to study glacier changes in Alaska since the Little Ice Age, re-processing historic aerial and satellite images to study landscape and glacier changes, and mapping glaciers and landscape features using tools such as Google Earth Engine.

Teaching

In the past, I have taught modules on glaciology, remote sensing, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), physical geography, and programming. At Ulster, I teach remote sensing, physical geography, and programming modules for the BSc Hons Geography and Environmental Science degrees, as well as for the PgDip/MSc courses in GIS, and Remote Sensing and GIS. I also supervise final year MSc and BSc research projects in a variety of subjects.

Modules taught

• EGM105 - The Lithosphere
• EGM310 - Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems
• EGM702 - Photogrammetry and Advanced Image Analysis
• EGM703 - Advanced Active and Passive Remote Sensing (from Fall 2021)
• EGM722 - Programming for GIS and Remote Sensing

GitHub and software links

• https://github.com/iamdonovan
• https://pyddem.readthedocs.io/
• https://mmaster-workflows.readthedocs.io/
• https://spymicmac.readthedocs.io/