Research

Research emphases (Publication link)

Modeling methods: data-driven decision support tools; spatial optimization; systems analysis; stochastic programming; machine learning.

Problem domains: forest planning, biomass supply chain and inventory optimization, landscape image processing, hazard fuel management, watershed erosion and sediment control, large fire suppression strategies.

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Some past projects in developing decision support systems

Forest-Prism Software Development project: PRISM stands for Plan-level foRest actIvity Scheduling Model. It is a landscape level forest planning software including 1) a forest inventory, growth and yield database management module, 2) a hybrid Model I and Model II Linear Programming (LP) based optimization module, 3) a Graphic User Interface to facilitate goal-based multiple management objectives, and 4) a reporting and visualization module. PRISM is open-source software developed by using Java, SQLite, and lpsolve. It is a product through collaborations between the US Forest Service Northern Region and Colorado State University. The source code of this software can be downloaded here.

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Forested Watershed Research and Decision Support (FORWARD): a systems approach to enhance forest stewardship for fire resilient watersheds and communities. FORWARD is a research and decision support center at Colorado State University bringing together faculty and research staff with expertise in forestry, wildland fire, watershed science, economics, spatial analysis, and systems modeling.

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StarFire project (2004-2020). Primarily designed to provide strategic-level fire risk and benefits information used in long-term fire management and planning. It includes five components: