1. MELVIN SHUSTER
Contact Information Mailing Address
E-mail: melvinshuster@gmail.com 30771 Tinkerbell Ln
Phone: (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 University
B.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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2. 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 instructor
Simpson University, Redding, California
Duties: taught Environmental Science and Differential Equations
Assistant Professor of Science and Mathematics
Simpson 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 Science
Humboldt State University, Arcata, California
Duties: taught computer programming and critical reasoning
Part-time instructor, Mathematics
College of the Redwoods, Eureka, California
Duties: taught algebra courses
Accomplishments: 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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3. GIS skills covered in my certificate program
- Basic ArcMap/geographic concepts (Geog. 9)
o Coordinate system, Scale, Projections, Grid Coordinates
o Qualitative/Quantitative Thematic maps
o Map accuracy and uncertainty
o Image maps
o Direction and distance finding with computers/GPS
- Geodatabase design (Geog. 12)
o Geodatabase design/Topology/Joins and relates
o Loading geodatabase data from multiple formats
o Subtypes and attribute domains for data normalization
o Editing spatial data
o Mapping grade GPS
o Designing a geodatabase for mobile GIS field data capture
o Digitizing for creating GIS data
- Principles of Spatial Analysis (Geog. 13)
o Vector and Raster data analysis
o GIS data models
o Georeferencing and metadata
o Attribute tables, query and selecting features
o Spatial queries and classification
o Geocoding addresses
o Overlay and Network analysis
- Principles of Remote Sensing (Geog. 15)
o Electromagnetic spectrum and energy pathways
o Surface Reflectance Properties
o Photogrammetry
o Image properties
o Image processing
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4. o Image display and enhancement
o Image interpretation and analysis
o Data sources, products, and processing
o Field validation
- Cartographic principles (Geog. 14)
o Cartographic principles and map layout
o Symbolize, Label, Annotate
- Mobil applications (Geog. 25)
o ESRI’s ArcGIS online
o ArcPad
o Cloud GIS
Remote Sensing Poster
Completed for my Remote Sensing Course
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5. Shasta College Bikeability Study: Power Point Presentation
Completed for my Map and Geospatial Principals course
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6. 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 two
Methodology
• 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.
ESRI Certificates
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7. Basics of Raster
Data.pdf
Deriving Rasters for
Terrain Analysis Using ArcGIS.pdf
Getting Started with
Geodatabase Topology.pdf
Solving Spatial
Problems using ArcGIS.pdf
Working with
Geodatabase Domains and Subtypes_MS.pdf
Network Analysis
Using ArcGIS.pdf
3D Analysis of
Surfaces and Features Using ArcGIS.pdf
Building Models for
GIS Analysis Using ArcGIS.pdf
Distance Analysis
Using ArcGIS.pdf
Introduction to
Surface Modeling using ArcGIS.pdf
Performing Spatial
Interpolation using ArcGIS.pdf
Using Raster Data
For Site Selection.pdf
Writing Sample
Twenty years of progress: GIScience in 2010
By 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.
Northern California Map
Constructed for my cartography course
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8. First constructed in ArcGIS 10.3 and then completed in Adobe Illustrator
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10. Poster constructed for my Spatial Analysis Course using ArcMap 10.3
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12. ESRI Story Map constructed for my Worksite Learning Course
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13. Poster constructed for my cartography and Worksite Learning courses
The map was first constructed in ArcMap 10.3 and then completed in Adobe Illustrator
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15. Map constructed for my BLM Worksite Learning course
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