Cynthia Wallace
Cynthia Wallace is a Research Geographer with the U. S. Geological Survey’s Southwest Geographic Science Team.
Her current research uses satellite imagery, spatial analysis and GIS to inform natural resource management, map natural phenomena, and characterize the spatial and temporal variability of the landscape. She earned a Ph. D. in Geography and Regional Development from the University of Arizona. Her doctoral research used Fourier transforms and geostatistics to extract temporal and spatial information from remotely sensed data for mapping wildlife habitat. Prior to her position with the USGS, Cynthia worked at the Arizona Remote Sensing Center on the University of Arizona campus, where she contributed to several interdisciplinary projects. Cynthia also has a background in geology: she earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and geology from the University of Minnesota at Duluth, a Masters degree in geology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and she worked as a minerals exploration geologist for over 12 years.
Professional Experience
11/04 to present: Research Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey
2/02 to 11/04: Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey
6/95 to 11/02: Research Assistant, Arizona Remote Sensing Center, U. of Arizona Raster and vector data processing and analysis, primarily for land use and land cover mapping change detection, and landscape trend analysis; generation, interpretation and analysis of data using a variety of image processing, GIS, and statistical software packages; grant, proposal, and report writing
9/95 to 2/02: Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, Department of Geography and Regional Development, U. of Arizona
Investigate and apply geostatistics and signal processing techniques to remote sensing data to extract measures of landscape structure and temporal dynamics. Interpret and apply research results to characterize habitat and environments. Instructor: Introduction to Remote Sensing
1/93 to 7/93: Owner/Instructor of an after-school mathematics program
Established an after school math class using a Kumon franchise.
1985 to 1993: District Geologist (9/91-1/93), Advanced Geologist (1-85 to 3-90), Pennzoil Sulphur Company, Houston, Texas
Responsible for domestic frontier exploration program as District Geologist.
1981 to 1985: Exploration Geologist, Duval Corporation, Tucson, Arizona
Exploration for sulfur and potash, phosphate and borates.
9/78 to 6/80: Research Assistant, Geology and Geophys. Dept., U. of Wi.-Madison,
Structure determinations and identification of crystalline solids using x-ray diffraction and electron microprobe techniques.
Education and Certifications
PhD in Geography University of Arizona-Tucson 2002
MA in Geography University of Arizona-Tucson 1987
MS in Geology University of Wisconsin-Madison 1980
BS in Math and Geology University of Minnesota-Duluth 1978, Magna cum Laude
Science and Products
Quantifying soil surface change in degraded drylands: shrub encroachment and effects of fire and vegetation removal in a desert grassland
Examining wildlife responses to phenology and wildfire using a landscape-scale camera trap network
Development of a high-resolution binational vegetation map of the Santa Cruz River riparian corridor and surrounding watershed, southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico
Mapping perennial vegetation cover in the Mojave Desert
A high-resolution land-use map; Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Modeling habitat of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the Mojave and parts of the Sonoran Deserts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona
Elevation Derivatives for Mojave Desert Tortoise Habitat
Mapping Land Use/Land Cover in the Ambos Nogales Study Area
An annual plant growth proxy in the Mojave Desert using MODIS-EVI data
Estimation of perennial vegetation cover distribution in the Mojave Desert using MODIS-EVI data
Channel response to low-elevation desert fire: The King Valley Fire of 2005
Mapping moderate-scale land-cover over very large geographic areas within a collaborative framework: A case study of the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP)
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Quantifying soil surface change in degraded drylands: shrub encroachment and effects of fire and vegetation removal in a desert grassland
Examining wildlife responses to phenology and wildfire using a landscape-scale camera trap network
Development of a high-resolution binational vegetation map of the Santa Cruz River riparian corridor and surrounding watershed, southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico
Mapping perennial vegetation cover in the Mojave Desert
A high-resolution land-use map; Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Modeling habitat of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the Mojave and parts of the Sonoran Deserts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona
Elevation Derivatives for Mojave Desert Tortoise Habitat
Mapping Land Use/Land Cover in the Ambos Nogales Study Area
An annual plant growth proxy in the Mojave Desert using MODIS-EVI data
Estimation of perennial vegetation cover distribution in the Mojave Desert using MODIS-EVI data
Channel response to low-elevation desert fire: The King Valley Fire of 2005
Mapping moderate-scale land-cover over very large geographic areas within a collaborative framework: A case study of the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP)
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.