RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Temporal GIS-modeling short-lived geographic phenomena
- GIS for education
- Volunteered geographic information
Personal Statement
My background is in Geographic Information Systems & Science and I received my Master’s in Geography from the University of Iowa in May 2011. My area of research centered around modeling short-lived phenomena in geographic information systems and I also assisted in a research study to improve the efficiency of air quality monitoring efforts. I began volunteering at the Desert Botanical Garden in spring of 2012 and joined the Research Department as GIS-Database Technician in June 2012. I am in charge of collecting, organizing, and disseminating maps and other spatial data to staff and to the community. I am presently working with a group of volunteers to map the locations of all saguaros at the Garden. This information, and much more, will be published on a web map, accessible to the community, in February 2013. In addition to mapping plants and other features in the Garden, I am currently assisting the Research Department with the collection of survey-grade GPS data in Las Cienegas National Conservation Area and in the near future I will begin collaborating with the Education Department to create maps for learning activities. Having recently moved to the Phoenix area from Iowa, I have spent a good deal of time exploring the spectacular landscapes of the Southwest and learning how to keep my vegetable and herb garden thriving.
Selected Publications
Nixon, V. and Stewart, K., 2010. Using Geolifespans to Model Dynamic Geographic Domains. International Journal of Geographical Information Science. 24(9), 1289-1308.
Kumar, N., Nixon, V., Sinha, K., Jiang, X, Zeigenhorn, S., and Peters, T., 2009. An Optimal Spatial Configuration of Sample Sites for Air Pollution Monitoring. Journal of Air and Waste Management. 59(11), 1308-1316.
Stewart, K. and Nixon, V., 2009. Ontology for the National Map: Supporting Dynamics in a Topographic Feature Ontology. University Consortium for Geographic Information Systems Specialist Meeting, Washington, D.C.
Conference & Workshop Presentations
"Modeling the Persistence of Geographic Objects". 2010. Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers in Washington D.C.
"The Emerging Technology of Geographic Information Systems: Introduction and Applications". 2006. EGranary Workshops at Meenakshi Mission Hospital/Research Center & NGO convocation in the governor’s mansion, Tamil Nadu, India.
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