Ph.D. - University of Idaho – Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
M.S. – The Pennsylvania State University - Forest Biometrics
B.S.F. – Purdue University – Forest Management
B.S. – Purdue University – Business Management

Daniel R. Unger is an Associate Professor of Remote Sensing and GIS. His current responsibilities at SFA involve teaching, research and service involving the quantification, qualification, mapping, monitoring and management of natural resources via the spatial analysis fields of aerial photo interpretation, digital image processing, GIS and GPS. Prior to coming to SFA he was an Assistant Professor of Natural Resource Measurements within the Department of Forestry at Southern Illinois University where he was involved in teaching, research and service relative to the inventorying, mapping, monitoring and management of natural resources via the fields of mensuration, aerial photo interpretation, digital image processing and GIS.

Research

1. Use of Remotely Sensed Imagery in Mapping, Monitoring and Managing the Natural Resources of East Texas
2. Developing an Historical Geographic Database
3. Use of Remotely Sensed Data to Model Vegetation Dynamics
4. Use of Remotely Sensed Data in Ascertaining Forest Stand Structure and Age in Southern Pine Stands
5. Increased Classification Accuracy of Forest Cover Types using High Spatial Resolution Multispectral Data
6. Geospatial Habitat Analyses of Bald Eagle Nests in Southeast Texas
7. Assessing the Geometric Accuracy of QuickBird Panchromatic and Multispectral Data
8. Assessment of High Soil Test Phosphorus of Pasture Fields Amended with Poultry Litter using Remote Sensing
9. Effects of a Project-Based Geospatial Curriculum on Students in a Secondary Education Environment
10. Using Landscape Change Assessment to Identify Loss of Rural Habitat in East Texas
11. Analyzing the Relationship Between Rural Economic Development and Highway Classification
12. East Texas Forest Inventory and Analysis Project
13. GPS Accuracy Assessment
14. Change Detection Methods for Analyzing Landscape Change Over Time
15. Digital Image Processing Techniques in Natural Resource Applications
16. Site Selection for a Proposed Scenic Lookout in Chitou Recreation Area
17. Visual Land Cover Change Assessment on the Angelina National Forest Between 1984 and 1992
18. Thermal Analysis of Two East Texas Lakes
19. GIS Database Development
20. Seasonal Comparison of Relative Forest Ecosystem Temperature Zones with Forest Biomass, Cover Type and Topography within the Clear Springs Wilderness Area of the Shawnee National Forest
21. Using Historical Survey Data to Quantify Forest Landscape Change within Southern Illinois
22. Economic Benefits of Urban Forests in Southern Illinois

Teaching

ENV/FOR 224 – Introduction to Spatial Science
FOR 552 - Remote Sensing of Natural Resources
FOR 564 - Aerial Photo Interpretation Workshop
FOR 649 - Digital Image Processing

Selected Publications

Scott, K., Oswald, B., Farrish, K., and Unger, D. 2002. Fuel loading prediction models developed from aerial photographs of the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, U.S.A. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 11:85-90.

Kulhavy, D.L., Smith, L.A., Unger, D.R., and Kulhavy, A.L. 2002. Hazard Rating of Parks Trees and Establishment of Adopt-a-Tree Program, Nacogdoches, Texas. Society of American Foresters Convention, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, October 5-9, pp. 84-86.

Unger, D.R., and Ulliman, J.J. 2000. Delineating Relative Temperature Zones in Forest Ecosystems: An Adaptation and Evaluation of Current Methodologies. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 26:30-37.

Scott, K., Oswald, B., Farrish, K., and Unger, D. 2000. The Use of Aerial Photography for Development of Fuel Loading Prediction Models within Three Cover Types in the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico. Joint Fire Science Conference and Workshop, Boise, Idaho, June 15-17, 1999, pp. 41-48.

Unger, D.R. 2000. Seasonal comparison of remotely sensed relative forest ecosystem temperature zones with topography and forest biomass in the Clear Springs Wilderness Area of the Shawnee National Forest. Eighth Biennial Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 10-14, ASPRS, CD-ROM.

Brown, B.J., Unger, D.R., and Rogers, J. 2000. Analysis of change in central Texas using image differencing and unsupervised classification. Eighth Biennial Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 10-14, ASPRS, CD-ROM.

Park, C., Unger, D., and Carver, A. 1999. Quantifying the Economic Benefit of Urban Shade Trees using a Geographic Information System. Society of American Foresters Convention, Portland, Oregon, September 11-15, pp. 164-168.

Phelps, T.R., Unger, D.R., and Fralish, J.S. 1998. Comparison of Presettlement and Present Vegetation Cover of Marion County, Illinois using a Geographic Information System. 2nd Southern Forestry GIS Conference, Athens, Georgia, October 28-29, pp. 175-180.

Unger, D. R., and Ulliman, J.J. 1997. Use of Landsat Thematic Mapper Thermal Infrared Data to Map Relative Temperature Zones within the University of Idaho Experimental Forest. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 23:60-62.

Unger, D.R., and Ulliman, J.J. 1996. Using Landsat Thematic Mapper Thermal Infrared Data to Map Relative Temperature Zones within the University of Idaho Experimental Forest. Southern Forestry GIS Conference 1996, Athens, Georgia, December 11-13, pp. 373-380.

Unger, D.R., and Ulliman, J.J. 1996. Evaluation of GIS Methods for Mapping Relative Temperature Zones in Forest Ecosystems. 26th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, Vancouver, British Columbia, March 25-29, pp. 157-160.