MELVIN SHUSTER

Contact Information Mailing AddressE-mail: melvinshuster@gmail.com 30771 Tinkerbell LnPhone: (530) 474-4618 Shingletown, CA, 96088

Education

Shasta College GIS certificate Accomplishments: See attached portfolio

Walden University Ph.D. in Education

Accomplishments: Dissertation published by German publisher. Book available on Amazon Title: The Impact of the University Experience on Student’s Educational Aspirations

California Community College Teaching Credential, Mathematics

Utah State University M.S. in Environmental Engineering Accomplishments: Thesis published in the Proceedings of Utah Water Pollution Control Association

Title: A Study of the Performance of A Small Oxidation Ditch Paper given at the Utah Water Pollution Control Association

Humboldt State UniversityB.S. in Environmental Engineering

Accomplishments: Senior project: Completed a study of selected physical and chemical parameters associated with three pilot fish ponds containing different mixtures of sea and waste water. The purpose of the study was to better understand the chemical and biological processes involved in establishing a pond conducive to rearing fish that could thrive in brackish water.

Point Loma Nazarene University B.A. / B.A. in Chemistry/Biology Accomplishments: Senior project (Biology): Completed a study of the passage of the pesticide Sevin from the

mother rat to her off-spring using p-nitrobenzenediazonium fluorborate and a U.V. spectrometer in conjunction with a Beer's Law plot.

Paid summer research (Chemistry): Completed a study of the by-products resulting from the Bromination of Cyclopentadiene in Carbon Tetrachloride.

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Employment

Worksite Learning Experience Bureau of Land Management, Redding Field Office, Reading, CA Accomplishment: Mineral Resource Map

Worksite Learning Experience California Fish and Wildlife, Redding, CA

Accomplishment: Poster of Bear Creek Watershed sampling program

Worksite Learning Experience Shasta College, Redding, California Accomplishment: ESRI story map for Shasta College

Adjunct instructorSimpson University, Redding, CaliforniaDuties: taught Environmental Science and Differential Equations

Assistant Professor of Science and MathematicsSimpson University, Redding, California Duties: taught a wide range of mathematics and science courses in multiple disciplines Accomplishments: Developed the institution’s first mathematics major

Developed the institution’s first Department of Institutional Assessment Published two articles dealing with college students Presented two papers at national conventions dealing with college students

Part-time Instructor, Computer ScienceHumboldt State University, Arcata, California Duties: taught computer programming and critical reasoning

Part-time instructor, MathematicsCollege of the Redwoods, Eureka, California Duties: taught algebra coursesAccomplishments: Developed and managed a computer lab for a learning disabilities program.

Associate W.R.C. Engineer Sacramento, California Duties: inspected the operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants Accomplishments: presented a paper at Southern California Water Pollution Control Association

Title: “Performance and Operation of Small Wastewater Treatment Plants in California”

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GIS skills covered in my certificate program

- Basic ArcMap/geographic concepts (Geog. 9)o Coordinate system, Scale, Projections, Grid Coordinateso Qualitative/Quantitative Thematic mapso Map accuracy and uncertaintyo Image mapso Direction and distance finding with computers/GPS

- Geodatabase design (Geog. 12)o Geodatabase design/Topology/Joins and relateso Loading geodatabase data from multiple formatso Subtypes and attribute domains for data normalizationo Editing spatial datao Mapping grade GPSo Designing a geodatabase for mobile GIS field data captureo Digitizing for creating GIS data

- Principles of Spatial Analysis (Geog. 13)o Vector and Raster data analysiso GIS data modelso Georeferencing and metadatao Attribute tables, query and selecting featureso Spatial queries and classificationo Geocoding addresseso Overlay and Network analysis

- Principles of Remote Sensing (Geog. 15)o Electromagnetic spectrum and energy pathwayso Surface Reflectance Propertieso Photogrammetryo Image propertieso Image processingo Image display and enhancemento Image interpretation and analysiso Data sources, products, and processingo Field validation

- Cartographic principles (Geog. 14)o Cartographic principles and map layout o Symbolize, Label, Annotate

- Mobil applications (Geog. 25)o ESRI’s ArcGIS onlineo ArcPado Cloud GIS

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Remote Sensing PosterCompleted for my Remote Sensing Course

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Shasta College Bikeability Study: Power Point PresentationCompleted for my Map and Geospatial Principals course

Study Background: Bikeability workshop• Held on the Shasta College campus • Focus: development of a bicycling plan for Shasta College• Outcome: three proposed bike routes for the Shasta College campus

Focus of the present study: Investigating the bikeability of two of the proposed routes.Bikeability: beauty (trees make a more beautiful route than buildings), traffic (pedestrian and vehicular), and convenience (proximity to destination). Hypothesis: There are important differences in the Bikeability between bike routes one and twoMethodology

• Route one – 21 waypoints• Route two – 15 waypoints• GPS - Garmin Etrex GPS unit (An error range of 1-15 ft.) • The Garmin map datum - WGS 84 • Position format in degrees, minutes, and seconds• Elevation was recorded in feet.

Data collected at each waypoint• Number of trees within 50ft.• Number of people within 50ft. in a two minute period. • Number of buildings within 50 ft.• Number of buildings in sight• Number of vehicles within 50 ft. in a two minute period.

Results – bike route two Focus on the Traffic Map and Quantitative data Waypoints collected: Dec. 6th, 2:30 – 4:00 P.M.

Results – bike route two Focus on the trees Map and Quantitative data Waypoints collected: Dec. 5th, 2:30 – 4:00 P.M.

Results – bike route one Focus on the traffic and trees Map and Quantitative data Waypoints collected: Nov. 25th, 10:00 – 11:30 Discussion: Findings

Beauty• Both routes had trees along the entire path

Traffic• Both routes encountered vehicular traffic at Shasta College Dr.• Route two had vehicular traffic over a longer stretch than route one• Route one had more pedestrian traffic , especially in front of two buildings

Convenience• Route one - more convenient for: Humanities• Route two - more convenient for: Learning Resource Center, student/staff parking• Both routes protect from the elements but route one provides more tree canopy than route two

Methodology Issues• Problems with the GPS on route 2• Differences in traffic – due to different days and time of day.• Differences in tree count – different researcher estimates of 50 ft.

Recommendations for future work• Include path three in the study• Standardize procedure for measuring distance• Take the waypoints at the same time; day and time of day (i.e.) employ multiple teams.

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ESRI Certificates

Writing Sample

Twenty years of progress: GIScience in 2010By Michael F. Goodchild

The year 2010 marked the 20th anniversary of the coining of the term Geographic Information Science (GIS). Goodchild (2010) observed this milestone by reflecting on the advancements in the field and suggesting possible future accomplishments within the next ten years. The intent of the present review is to first summarize Goodchild’s perspective on GIS and then provide a critique of his work.

Goodchild (2010) observes that the concept of geographic information arose without much controversy from a variety of fields including Geodesy, Cartography, Photogrammetry, and Geography. Controversy developed though concerning the notion that there might be a science of geographic information. The fundamental issue was that in order for a field of study to be considered a science that field must be undergirded with a basic theory which practitioners can use to propose verifiable hypotheses. The ensuing debate ultimately led to the establishment of GIS as a research oriented discipline seeking underlying truths and not simply a repository of facts about the earth.

Goodchild (2010) based his assessment of the major accomplishments in GIS on insights from three participants at a 2008 GIS symposium, a review of the literature, personal reflection, and a review of significant milestones in the past twenty years. This assessment led him to believe that major accomplishments include a wide assortment of technological advancements, more sophisticated analysis techniques, increased understanding of geospatial processes, and changes in the overall approach to studying the earth.

Goodchild (2010) addresses the future by discussing the types of analysis that seem possible, the role of technology, the role of the citizen, and the place of education. He believes that, although many technological changes must be overcome, eventually it will be possible to determine the location of everything, all the time. A major component of this capability is the growing contribution that the general public is playing in voluntarily supplying real time information about the state of the planet and specific occurrences in society. He argues that two critical components for facilitating this source of information is an educational process that offers a basic understanding of GIS to the general public and advances that provide more user friendly interfaces with the technology.

Goodchild (2010) provides a well-developed summation of past progress in the field of GIS and a convincing assessment of future achievements. The reader is left with a sense of breathlessness when attempting to grasp the scope of Goodchild’s proposed future technological possibilities; monitor everything, all the time?

The article also raises a number of important social questions that arise as a result of these technical achievements. Central to these questions is the issue of individual privacy. His paper creates an impression that humanities’ increasing ability to understand the workings of the planet and its inhabitants is far outstripping our ability to deal with important social issues such as the privacy of the individual. The broader question raised is, what possible moral framework could guide a society whose inhabitants, or more disturbingly only certain subgroups of that society, had access to any desired information, about anything, anytime? It was not the intent of Goodchild’s article to address these social issues, but one hopes that these subjects are increasingly addressed in public forums in the not too distance future.

Goodchild, Michael F. (2010): Twenty years of progress; GIScience in 2010. Journal of Spatial Information Science. Number 1 (2010), pp. 3-20.

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Northern California MapConstructed for my cartography course

First constructed in ArcGIS 10.3 and then completed in Adobe Illustrator

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Poster constructed for my Spatial Analysis Course using ArcMap 10.3

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ESRI Story Map constructed for my Worksite Learning Course

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Poster constructed for my cartography and Worksite Learning coursesThe map was first constructed in ArcMap 10.3 and then completed in Adobe Illustrator

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Map constructed for my BLM Worksite Learning course

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