Research Labs and Initiatives
Biogeography Research Lab
The preeminent theme in the Biogeography Research Lab is the conservation of species, communities, and genetic diversity in the face of unprecedented natural system alteration, especially in freshwater systems disturbed by damming, channelization, levees, and other flow changes and obstructions. Website: http://www.biogeographylab.com
About
Dr. Scott Markwith
Coastal Studies Lab
The Coastal Studies Lab at FAU supports field and laboratory research focusing on coastal geology, geomorphology, and sedimentology. The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art surveying equipment, including a high-accuracy (sub-centimeter) Real-Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS) and a rugged electronic total station, as well as sediment analyses equipment for textural and compositional assessments.
Environmental Geophysics Lab
The Department of Geosciences Environmental Geophysics Labat FAU focuses on near-surface hydrogeophysical methods to investigate a wide array of environmental issues at both the laboratory and field scales, particularly in the Everglades. Projects range from limestone and peat studies in the Everglades and northern peatlands abroad to stratigraphic and archaeological applications.
Environmental Change Laboratory
The Environmental Change Lab at FAU studies human-environment interaction and environmental change across the Holocene. The lab uses fieldwork and laboratory methods to reconstruct environmental and climate histories that serve to inform the present. The lab also has projects that model future and past environments.
About
Dr. Erik Johanson
Paleontology and Stratigraphy Lab
The Paleotology and Stratigraphy Research Lab at FAU Department of Geosciences is dedicated to studies of paleobiology, and ancient depositional environments, based on the sedimentary record and fossil archives. Our main goal is to understand biotic changes in Earth’s past, the evolution of life, and biodiversity in order to be able to predict and model future changes.
About
Dr. Anton Oleinik
Ethnobotany and Conservation Lab
The Ethnobotany and conservation lab at FAU focus on how cultures throughout the globe use plants and how these customs translate into conservation strategies. Emphasis is on understanding cultural ecological knowledge. Research ecosystems include rainforests, savannas, and mountain regions throughout the world.
About
Dr. Maria Fadiman
Center for GIS
The Center for GIS (CGIS) at FAU focuses on the application of state-of-art geospatial technologies in the coastal and urban environment to understand the modification of coastal landscape from long-term climate change, sea level rise, and short-term storms. We use multiple GIS and remote sensing data collected from lidar, drone, aerial photography, and satellites to investigate vegetation composition, abundance, and change in the Everglades. We develop novel machine learning algorithms and data fusion techniques to improve wetland vegetation classification, water quality modeling, storm evolution, biomass modeling, etc. We maintain GIS and RS software licenses including ArcGIS, ENVI, Erdas Imagine, eCognition, and MATLAB. We also offer consultation service to GIS and RS projects.
About
Dr. Caiyun Zhang