Biography
Academic Experience
Prior to 2005, Kim Lowell spent 20+ years as a professor at universities in the United States, and (French) Canada where he accumulated extensive experience in teaching, research, and leadership of fundamental and applied research projects in quantitative analysis and modeling, and geospatial technologies. His research accomplishments include some 65 refereed scientific articles, 60 conference papers, 30+ graduate students that have completed their M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees, and approximately $5 million in grants won. From 1998-2000 he served as the Director for the Centre for Research in Geomatics (CRG) at Laval University – an organization of some 20 senior academics, 100 graduate students, plus associated technical and support staff.
Other Experience
Kim Lowell has undertaken a number of international consultancies. These have included a United States-based business whose core business is obtaining and analysing multi-spectral, high resolution airborne data, a South American forestry company that required a critical review of their proposed GIS expansion, a Canadian company developing visual simulation techniques for forested landscapes, and (through the Canadian International Development Agency) a Latin American government organisation interested in the design of a nationwide spatial natural resource data base. He has also used his expertise in geospatial sciences and statistics to design and operationally implement at a national scale methods for assessing the quality of cartographic products produced from remotely sensed data for two Australian governmental organizations – the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) and the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO).
From 2000 to 2003, he worked four months a year as an employee of the Geospatial Science Initiative of RMIT University. During this time, he helped to win contracts and tenders for targeted, application-driven research, and to oversee and execute the work related to those contracts. Most of the work involved developing and refining innovative analytical and modelling techniques to provide solutions to real-world problems that required advanced spatial quantitative analysis.
Academic Training and Experience
Kim Lowell has a B.Sc. in Forest Management (University of Vermont, United States), M.Sc. in Forest Biometrics (University of Vermont), and Ph.D. in Forest Biometrics (Canterbury University, New Zealand).
Research Expertise
Since completing his Ph.D. in Forest Biometrics, Kim Lowell’s research has been focused on quantitative and statistical analysis and modeling using geospatial technologies with emphasis on spatial statistics, geographic information systems (GISs), and remote sensing as applied to natural resources. Within these areas, his primary interest is the uncertainty inherent in spatial and aspatial databases – particularly those related to natural resources; he has published extensively on these topics.
International Profile
Kim Lowell has been active on the international research scene. He is sought after internationally as a reviewer of research programs, grant proposals, doctoral theses, and scientific articles. He is a Founding Member and Treasurer of the Executive Committee of the International Spatial Accuracy Research Association. He has undertaken a number of international consultancies for private companies, international aid organisations, and government agencies. His international profile helped by his having dual citizenship (United States and Canada) and speaking three languages (English, French, and Spanish). He currently resides in Australia where he is a Permanent Resident.
Research Expertise and International Linkages
Research Expertise
| Research Interest | Country of Expertise |
|---|---|
| Spatial data quality, spatial statistics, model uncertainty | Australia |
Languages
Languages
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Speak, Read & Write |
| French | Speak, Read & Write |
Qualifications, Honours, Fellowships and Other Awards
Qualifications
| Title | Institution | Date Awarded | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctorate of Philosophy in Forest Biometrics | University of Canterbury | 15-Mar-1985 | |
| Masters of Science in Forest Biometrics | University of Vermont | 15-May-1981 | |
| Bachelors of Science in Forestry | University of Vermont | 15-May-1979 |
Government Research Classifications
Research Fields, Courses and Discipline Classifications
- Stochastic Analysis and Modelling (STATISTICS) (230202)
- Applied Statistics (STATISTICS) (230204)
- Risk theory (OTHER MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES) (239903)
- Hydrology not elsewhere classified (HYDROLOGY) (260599)
- Landscape Ecology (ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION) (270704)
- Decision Support and Group Support Systems (INFORMATION SYSTEMS) (280109)
- Water and Sanitary Engineering (CIVIL ENGINEERING) (290802)
- Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (GEOMATIC ENGINEERING) (291003)
- Spatial Information Systems (GEOMATIC ENGINEERING) (291004)
- Cartography (GEOMATIC ENGINEERING) (291006)
- Geomatic Engineering not elsewhere classified (GEOMATIC ENGINEERING) (291099)
- Environmental Engineering Modelling (ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING) (291101)
- Applied Hydrology (Drainage, Flooding, Irrigation, etc.) (SOIL AND WATER SCIENCES) (300105)
- Crop and Pasture Production not elsewhere classified (CROP AND PASTURE PRODUCTION) (300299)
- Management and Environment (FORESTRY SCIENCES) (300604)
- Fire Management (FORESTRY SCIENCES) (300605)
- Natural Resource Management (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES) (300803)
- Environmental Impact Assessment (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES) (300804)
- Farm Management, Rural Management and Agribusiness (LAND, PARKS AND AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT) (300901)
- Land, Parks and Agriculture Management not elsewhere classified (LAND, PARKS AND AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT) (300999)
- Environment and Resource Economics (APPLIED ECONOMICS) (340202)
- Public Policy (POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION) (360201)
Socio-Economic Objective Classifications
- Application packages (COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND SERVICES) (700101)
- Computer software and services not elsewhere classified (COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND SERVICES) (700199)
- Environmental & resource evaluation not elsewhere classified (ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE EVALUATION) (760299)
- Other Environmental aspects (OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS) (769999)
- Land and water management (COASTAL AND ESTUARINE ENVIRONMENT) (770402)
- Land and water management (URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT) (770502)
- Land and water management (FARMLAND INCL. ARABLE LAND AND PERMANENT CROP LAND) (770802)
- Land and water management (OTHER INCL. ISLANDS) (779902)
- Integrated (ecosystem) (OTHER INCL. ISLANDS) (779905)
- Housing (PLANNING) (680101)
Publications
Publications produced at the University of Melbourne and reported in the Annual Publications Collection and 'Research Report' since 2001. The Themis Publications module, released in November 2006, allows additional publications from previous institutions and publications from past years to be entered.