Understanding the nexus between people, space and natural resources While Exploring The World
Understanding the nexus between people, space and natural resources While Exploring The World
Greetings, I am Md Zakaria Salim. I am currently doing Ph.D. in Geography, Environmental Science, and Policy at the University of South Florida, with a keen research interest in spatial modeling, geostatistics, and machine learning applications in environmental and health-related fields. My work involves the development of advanced GIS techniques, including programming in Python, C, and R, to analyze complex datasets and create meaningful spatial insights. I hold an M.A. in Geography from USF and a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology.
Throughout my academic career, I’ve been involved in a variety of research projects, including the assessment of natural disaster impacts and urban vegetation dynamics. My work has been published in high-impact journals such as Remote Sensing and Groundwater for Sustainable Development. Additionally, I bring practical experience from my role as an Associate GIS Analyst in Dhaka, where I led survey teams and developed GIS databases for urban planning projects.
I am passionate about leveraging geospatial technologies to solve pressing environmental challenges, and I actively contribute to the academic community as a graduate research associate and financial officer of the USF GIS Club.
Let’s talk with me.
As a sophomore student, I first learned about the basics of spatial relationships, GIS, and geospatial technologies through a theoretical course titled "GIS and Remote Sensing," which I believe to be a stepping stone in my passion for being a GIS researcher. In that course, I learned about the elements of GIS: data structures, data acquisition, data management, and spatial modeling. I implemented the tools I learned in GIS and Remote Sensing Studio by finding out the deficiencies in public services in Jogipole Union, Khulna, Bangladesh, with spatial analysis. After completing the research methodology course in my undergraduate study at Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET), I felt that research with empirical applicability could allow me to investigate a problem that we do not usually think of as a problem. My interest led me to do my thesis on "Conservation of Urban Ponds in Khulna City." I analyzed ponds using the Habitat Suitability Index to find out the suitability of the pond for fishing. Furthermore, I investigated the existing and previous condition of the ponds through satellite image analysis from 2009 and 2017. I was highly motivated to research water bodies as Bangladesh faces a severe problem with water bodies because of illegal encroachment, expansion of the urban built-up area, and so on. I researched the assessment of the service area of existing parks in terms of road connectivity with GIS. Later, with one of my classmates, I submitted the research paper titled "Assessment on Spatial Distribution of Parks in Khulna City Corporation'' to the "International Conference on Planning, Architecture, and Civil Engineering." During my fourth year of undergrad study, I joined a project as Field Investigator conducted by a local NGO, CODEC. At that time, I had opportunities to visit flood-prone areas alongside the Sundarbans. The delay in response during floods lets them suffer to such an extent beyond description. This experience made me feel the insights of studying geography to see how risks and the vulnerability of people are evident in my own country, which can then allow us to develop strategies to reduce people's exposure in high-risk areas. I created an appreciation of the big picture. I made up my mind to gather extensive knowledge about flood mapping and detection of flood areas with high precision to make the right move for aiding flood-prone communities at the right time. That's why I have conducted research and submitted a paper titled "Delineation of Flooded Areas using Remote Sensing Technology- A Case Study on Subarnarekha River Basin, Odisha, India" in "International Conference on Urban and Regional Planning" recently. The objective of this research was to delineate the flooded areas. The main reason for conducting this research is to make a map for serving the local community, which could deduce the extent of the damage. Local correspondents could easily find out the most flooded areas and where the aid is mainly needed. The analysis was conducted with Sentinel-2 Images, for which it provided the results with high accuracy. Recently, I have started working on watershed analysis using "ArcSWAT" GIS tool. This analysis would come out with the output of watershed delineation and climate-induced nature-based solutions for watershed management. To explore the real-world experience, I worked on a project titled "Slum-based Citizen Action Network (SCAN) of Dhaka North City Corporation & Dhaka South City Corporation" as a Research Assistant in a Research and Consultancy organization "Image Research & Consultancy Ltd., Dhaka" immediately after graduation. I worked on to assess the socio-economic impact on different slums of Dhaka city and propose possible areas and ways for ameliorating existing conditions of slums in this project. Later, I joined a planning and design organization, "Tiller" as an Associate GIS Analyst, which turned my career to a peak where I have realized that GIS has more versatile uses than I thought before. I assisted the Project coordinator to help integrate geospatial analysis into project planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting in a project titled "Feasibility for Implementing IT & GIS-Based Smart Solid Waste & Faecal Sludge Management Systems In 53 District Level Municipalities & 8 City Corporations". I have versatile field experiences in sanitation facilities and Solid Waste & Faecal Sludge management practices in many flood-prone communities of Bangladesh.
Email: plannersalim@gmail.com
Contact: (+1) 813 768 3491