Yazan Hasan, EST/Geospatial Data Science '24
Alumni Q&A: Yazan Hasan, EST/Geospatial Data Science '24
Yazan Hasan, on the verge of graduating in May 2024 with dual degrees in Environmental Science and Technology, alongside Geospatial Data Science and a minor in Sustainability Studies, is poised for a career in conservation and climate resilience.
His upbringing in Annapolis, Maryland, set him on the course to address environmental challenges through geography.
What inspired your interest in geography?
I think many of the world's problems stem from a disconnect between people and their environments. Understanding geography, and our place in it, gives us a perspective that is crucial to understanding how we impact, and are impacted by our environments. The fact that most people don't know where their waste goes, or where their food comes from, is a very alarming issue to me. Geography gives me a sense of place in an increasingly globalized and homogenous world. Growing up in Annapolis, Maryland on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay deeply influenced this awareness. Nutrient runoff from hundreds of miles away impacted how I could interact with my environment on a day-to-day basis. It made me realize how interconnected and vast our problems are.
How has your interest in geography evolved during your studies at our department?
While studying at the University of Maryland, I've become increasingly interested in green infrastructure solutions to climate change predicaments. This can include researching urban tree-canopy coverage as a means to combat urban heat islands, or how stormwater infrastructure impacts flooding during major weather events. GIS has given me new tools to understand and visualize these topics both spatially and temporally. I hope to come back to to UMD for a master's where I can further develop green-infrastructure to make cities more resilient and equitable in the face of climate change.
Can you share an example of a research project or fieldwork experience that had an impact on your understanding of geography?
While doing research for Maryland Sea Grant, I produced a documentary on the impacts of saltwater intrusion on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In brief, due to the particularly flat topography of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the region is quite vulnerable to sea-level rise, which has left large tracts of land inundated with saltwater during high-tide events and major storms. This increases the salinity of the soil to the point where forests die off and croplands are no longer viable. This has resulted in the population decline of many once-thriving communities in rural Maryland, and forecasts an increasing migration to lands less vulnerable to sea-level rise. This research was done less than two hours away from UMD and proves to be a vital example of how climate change is already impacting us, much closer and much sooner than we think.
Geography encompasses diverse subfields, from human geography to physical geography. What area attracts you the most?
I am particularly interested in the intersection of climate-change, diplomacy and conservation in the context of water-politics in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Vital sources of livelihood such as the Tigris, Euphrates and the Nile are all witnessing rapid change as populations expand and damming projects increase. This has widespread geopolitical and ecological consequences, and I hope to use GIS to gain a better understanding of this and become an expert in the field. ;
What would be your dream job when you graduate?
My dream job would be to identify and protect valuable conservation areas in the Middle-East through GIS, mitigating potential climate disasters while also serving the youth through environmental education. I am graduating this May so if you have an opportunity that can get me to this, please reach out!
Image courtesy of Yazan Hasan
