Rodney Jackson received his degree in Geography from East Carolina University (ECU) in 1992 and worked in the GIS field for local government agencies prior to initiating a career in higher education in 1998. He began his efforts by developing the first Geographic Information Systems program in the North Carolina Community College System. Subsequently, Rodney has held various academic positions with East Carolina University, Central Piedmont Community College, and Edgecombe Community College, implementing Geospatial Technology initiatives along the way. In addition, he is a Co-Principal Investigator of the National Geospatial Technology Center, serves on the GISCI Examination Oversight Committee, and is a member of the UCGIS Body of Knowledge Task Force Steering Committee. Rodney is currently the Dean for the School of Business, Engineering & Technical Studies at Davidson County Community College, and in his free time is an Engineer Officer (Geospatial Identifier) in the US Army Reserves. Rodney is responsible for Goal 5 of the GeoTech Center.
Contact: rodney_jackson@davidsonccc.edu
Associate Directors / Co-Principal Investigoators
Ann Johnson’s received her Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Geology. While teaching Earth Sciences, she became interested in how Geographic Information Systems can be used as a tool in geology and education. After attending an NSF-funded workshop to help college faculty learn GIS, she developed a GIS Certificate Program at San Bernardino Valley College. In 1997 she joined ESRI as Higher Education Manager helping colleges and universities develop GIS programs. She has been Co-PI on several NSF Grants related to GIS and two-year colleges and is a co-editor for the UCGIS Body of Knowledge and a lead on the development of the Geospatial Technology Competency Model curriculum outlines for Model Courses. Currently, she is Associate Director of the GeoTech Center NSF grant to support community college geospatial programs and Co-PI on the iGETT NSF grant to provide faculty education in remote sensing. She lives in Salmon, Idaho with husband, Robert, a dog, Siv and 4 chickens – a great place for fishing, geology and GIS. Ann is responsible for Goal 2 of the GeoTech Center.
Contact: ajohnson0847@kctcs.edu or ann@baremt.com
Rich Schultz is the Associate of Distributed Learning at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois. Rick holds a PhD. in environmental geochemistry from the University of Cincinnati (1991), an M.S. in geology from Wichita State University (1988), and a B.S. in geology from Illinois State University (1985). Dr. Schultz is the sole author of more than eighty publications, book chapters, and abstracts. His major research are: geospatial technologies, geoscience education, online/distant learning, Web 2.0 applications, geospatial thinking, global climate change, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the use of technology in teaching geographic literacy. He has previously chaired the Geography Education Specialty Group for the Association of American Geographers (AAG), and has served on the AAG Membership Committee as well as chairing the National Council for Geographic Education's Awards Committee and serving on the NCGE Nominating Committee. In the past, he has served as the Vice President for Products & Publications for the NCGE Administrative Committee. Currently, Dr. Schultz is currently a member of the USGIF Certification Governance Board (CGB) and currently sits on a committee chaired by the Association of American Geographers to propose an AP course in GIS for secondary institutions.
Dr. Schultz was the recipient of the 2008 Distinguished Teaching Award from the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) and also received the “GIS Service Award” for geospatial education service to the Illinois GIS Association (ILGISA) in October 2009. He was the inaugural recipient of the Richard Hilton Collaboration Award for the GIS Community in Illinois from ILGISA in 2010. He serves on the Editorial Boards for the Journal of Geography for the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE), Editorial Board, the Review of International Geographical Education Online (RIGEO), and the Research in Geographic Education at the Gilbert M.Grovenor Center for Geographic Education.
Contact: rbschultz@northpark.edu
Ken Yanow is a Professor of Geographical Sciences, has been at Southwestern College for the past 12 years, where he teaches Physical Geography, Earth Science, GIScience, and Remote Sensing. He received his Bachelorette degree from UC Santa Barbara in Physics and two Master degrees (Astronomy and Geography) from San Diego State University. Professor Yanow is co-PI for the NSF-funded National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence (the GeoTech Center), where his primary research focus has been the recruitment and retention of underserved and underrepresented populations into geospatial technology courses and programs. Ken is responsible for Goal 1 of the GeoTech Center.
Contact: 619-300-5954 or kyanow@swccd.edu
