about
Esra Ozdenerol, MLA, MRP, PhD ozdenerole@gmail.com
I am an educator, scholar, and an innovator. My educational journey has resulted in a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering (1993), an M.L.A. in Landscape Architecture (1996), and a Ph.D. in Geography: GIS and Remote Sensing (2000). I have over twenty years of experience in higher education. I specialize in geographic information systems and have served as a technical consultant to various public, government, and international agencies. My current research interests entail use of the geospatial technologies (including geographic information, remote sensing, cartographic and geostatistical analyses) in a diverse range of public and environmental health issues and gender inequalities.
My latest publications involve studies about the spatial health and gender inequalities : Social determinants of health, infectious diseases, COVID-19, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, birth health outcomes, opium epidemic, children’s lead poisoning. I apply the newest mapping and GIS applications in contemporary issues regarding gender inequalities and study how institutional global, every day, and intimate spaces are inherently gendered, classed, raced, and sexualized. I also research racial and gender equity in STEM and higher education.
I have lectured nationally and internationally on GIS and Remote Sensing and issues of health disparities. With my key note speech, I opened the Refugee week at Refugee Therapy Center in London in 2013. I have developed GIS workshop series for professionals and campus communities that address and support different aspects of the data life cycle and data used with different GIS software and tools.
Currently, I serve as a Professor of Earth Sciences and Director of GIS certificate program at the University of Memphis (UofM). A full list of GIS courses I have taught can be found in my CV.
On a personal note, the alluring nature of the Mediterranean Turkey and its people captivates my heart. Aside from its breathtaking views, distinctive cuisine and authentic lifestyle, spending my summers in Turkey brings joy and optimism to my spirit. I have visited 50 countries, lived in three continents, and bring my travels into my World Geography and GIS courses. In my spare time, I write self-help and children books, and travel. I enjoy cooking, and spending time with my sons, Derin and Deniz and dog Ingi. I also love to play soccer, pickle ball, be active, salsa dance and work out.
““The minute I heard my first love story,
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.
Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along.”
― The Illuminated Rumi.”
Esra Ozdenerol