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He/Him
Social Sciences Division
Environmental Studies Department
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Director, GISTAR M.A. Program
Faculty
Regular Faculty
Interdisciplinary Sciences Building
425
Environmental Studies
Dr. Bo Yang is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at UC, Santa Cruz. He is director of GIS Spatial Technologies, Applications, and Research (GISTAR), Affiliated Faculty of Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (WIRC), and Faculty Director for Center for Integrated Spatial Research (CISR)
Dr. Yang's interdisciplinary educational background includes a BS in Applied Mathematics, an MS in Computer Science, and a PhD in GIS and Geography. His expertise in mathematics and programming facilitate his research focus on cutting-edge technologies in GIS and remote sensing, including machine learning and AI in GIS, UAV remote sensing, coastal ecosystem monitoring, wildfire mapping, and spatio-temporal modeling for environmental and societal process.
Dr. Yang is actively involved in student mentoring and cultivating the next generation of STEM scientists. He is leading on multiple student participatory and community engagement projects, such as NSF Build and Broaden, NASA FireSage, NSF START, REU, RET, and K-12 outreach. Additionally, he has been involved in GeoBus project, a mobile geospatial technology learning lab for K-12 and higher education.
Dr. Bo Yang's teaching interests focus on GIS, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis, emphasizing hands-on training and applied research. ENVS/GIST 115/215A (Introduction to GIS) in fall covers spatial data types, coordinate systems, and cartographic principles, with extensive lab-based instruction using ArcGIS Pro. ENVS/GIST 115/215B (Intermediate GIS) in winter builds on foundational GIS concepts, introducing advanced spatial analysis, remote sensing, and geospatial modeling techniques. ENVS/GIST 115/215C (Advanced GIS) in spring explores geospatial AI, Google Earth Engine, and drone-based fieldwork for data collection and analysis. Also ENVS 196G (Senior Seminar in GIS) as a capstone course for students concentrating in GIS, guiding them through a comprehensive research project that integrates geospatial methodologies to address real-world environmental challenges.
PI: 2023-2026, "Building a STEM Research and Education Network of GIS and Drone Mapping for Coastal Seagrass Monitoring", NSF Build and Broaden
PI: 2023-2025, "FireSage: The SJSU-NASA ARC Bridge Program", NASA Science Mission Directorate
PI: 2023 "AI and Machine Learning Technologies for Enhancing Transportation Station Area Safety in San Jose", University Transportation Centers and MTI
PI: 2023 "Supplement training for NSF Industry University Research Center", NSF Skills Training in Advanced Research & Technology (START)
PI: 2024 "Post-Wildfire Fuels Management using a Multi-source Remote Sensing Approach", NSF-IUCUC (IAB)
Co-PI: 2024 "Enhancing Community Fire Resilience Decision-Making: Drone Inspection for Home Ignition Zone", NSF-IUCUC (IAB)
Yang, B., Hawthorne, T.L., Aoki, L.R., Beatty, et al., (2023). Low-Altitude UAV Imaging Accurately Quantifies Eelgrass Wasting Disease from Alaska to California. Geophysical Research LettersDOI: 10.1029/2022GL101985
Yang, B., Liu, H., Kang, E., Hawthorne, T. L., Tong, S., Shu, S., Xu, M., (2022). Traffic restrictions during the 2008 Olympic Games reduced urban heat intensity and extent in Beijing, Communications Earth & Environment, DOI:10.1038/s43247-022-00427-4
Yang, B., Liu, H., Kang, E., Shu, S., Xu, M., Wu, B., Beck, R., Hinkel, K., & Yu, B., (2021) Spatio-temporal Cokriging method for blending and downscaling multi-scale remote sensing data. Remote Sensing of Environment. 112190. DOI:10.1016/j.rse.2020.112190
Hawthorne, T. L., Toohy, K. R., Yang, B., Graham, L., Lorenzo, E.M., Torres, H., et al., (2022). Mapping Emotional Attachment as a Measure of Sense of Place to Identify Coastal Restoration Priority Areas. Applied Geography, 138, 102608. DOI:10.1016/J.APGEOG.2021.102608
Aoki, L.R., Yang, B., O.J. Graham, C. Gomes, B. Rappazzo, T.L. Hawthorne, J.E. Duffy, and D. Harvell. (2023). UAV high-resolution imaging and disease surveys combine to quantify climate-related decline in seagrass meadows. In Frontiers in Ocean Observing: Emerging Technologies for Understanding and Managing a Changing Ocean., Oceanography. DOI:10.5670/oceanog.2023.s1.12.
Beatty D.S., Aoki L.R., Graham O.J., Yang B. (2021). The future is big—and small: remote sensing enables cross-scale comparisons of microbiome dynamics and ecological consequences. mSystems 6:e01106-21. DOI:10.1128/mSystems.01106-21
Yang, B., Hawthorne, T.L., Hessing-Lewis, M., Duffy, E.J.; Reshitnyk, L.Y., Feinman, M., Searson, H. (2020) Developing an Introductory UAV/Drone Mapping Training Program for Seagrass Monitoring and Research. Drones , 4, 70. DOI:10.3390/drones4040070
Yang, B., Liu, L., Lan, M., Wang, Z., Zhou, H., Yu, H., Wang, Z. (2020). A spatio-temporal method for crime prediction using historical crime data and transitional zones identified from nightlight imagery. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 1-25. DOI:10.1080/13658816.2020.1737701
Yang, B., Hawthorne, T., Torres, H., Feinman M. (2019). Using Object-Oriented Classification for Coastal Management in the East Central Coast of Florida: A Quantitative Comparison between UAV, Satellite, and Aerial Data. Drones, 3(3), 60.
DOI:10.3390/drones3030060
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