CENS Technical Seminar Series

Tropical Ecology Assessment and Management

Invited Speaker: Dr. Talmur Hassan, CENS
Date: March 7, 2008
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Venue: 4760 Boelter Hall, UCLA

Abstract

I am the lead developer for the EcoPDA project for TEAM (Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring), a network brings together biological field stations and affiliated scientists and technicians with the goal of quantifying and forecasting changes in biodiversity in tropical forests at multiple spatial scales, and understanding the intrinsic dynamics of biodiversity and its responses to anthropogenic drivers of change. The network approaches this goal by implementing standard biodiversity monitoring protocols for data collection at all of the associated field sites, of which there are currently five and ultimately will be some 50 worldwide.

Achieving this goal requires comparing high-quality data among different sites, which, in turn, requires strict adherence to
standard practices and protocols by those collecting data. Therefore, tools that help technicians follow standards and
have built-in quality control functions can help improve data quality. Furthermore given the distributed nature of the
network, tools that facilitate rapid and robust reporting of data to shared databases can be an important management device for ensuring compliance with network protocols and making data available in the most timely fashion. To date data are recorded first on paper, then transcribed to spreadsheets before being uploaded to a data store. This practice, in addition to being time consuming, has resulted in transcription errors, incompatibilities in data formats, and data loss. EcoPDA aims at providing a handheld data collection solution for the scientists by helping them follow procedures and protocols developed by TEAM, reduce data errors, and increase data collection rate. The software, currently in prototype stage, is being developed here at CENS.

Biography

I received my B.S in Computer Science from Tristate University, Indiana. After graduation, I worked with various companies as a software developer, writing applications in C, C++, Java, Visual Basic PL/SQL. I wrote applications for XML/EDI and XML/XML translation, call accounting software for PBX boxes, database management software for a documentation management company, as well as for a large Southern California utility company. While working, I also acquired a MBA degree from University of Dayton. I recently graduated with a Ph.D in Information Systems and Technology degree from Claremont Graduate University, where for my dissertation, I developed and evaluated a mobile context aware application that uses GPS and accelerometer data to send customized and contextual messages to motivate individuals to increase physical activity.