Rhett Mohler
Professor of Geography
Department of Geography
Arts & Behavioral Sciences
Academic and Student Affairs
SVSU Main Campus
Gilbertson Hall-North Wing 149A
989-964-4654
rmohler@svsu.edu
Biography
Dr. Mohler is an Associate Professor of Geography at SVSU. He is originally from Kansas, and prior to coming to SVSU in 2012 he received his Ph.D. in Geography from Kansas State University (Go Cats!). He teaches GEOG 201 World Regional/Cultural Geography, GEOG 101! Introduction to Physical Geography, GEOG 341 Remote Sensing, GEOG 441 Advanced Remote Sensing, and GEOG 302 Climatology and Climate Change. He is always willing to speak with students about these classes, as well as the major, minor, and certificate programs in the Geography Department, so feel free to contact him.
Education
Kansas State Univ
Teaching Interests
Dr. Mohler's primary area of expertise is Remote Sensing, which is using satellite and aerial imagery, including by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to study the human and natural features on the surface of the Earth. He is interested tracking environmental changes (e.g., changes in land use and land cover) within the watershed of Saginaw Bay. He is particularly interested using object-based image classification techniques to analyze imagery. He is also interested in the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to the issues mentioned above, since aerial/satellite imagery data and GIS go hand in hand.
Research
Dr. Mohler's research interests closely align with his areas of expertise. Current research topics include the identification of burned areas with satellite imagery, monitoring stream flow in several Saginaw Bay watersheds, and examining the change in agricultural field size between the 1930s and present due to the increasing scale of agriculture. He is currently looking forward to using the Geography Department's recently-acquired UAV. It will be used both for student research and in his remote sensing classes. In almost all cases, his research is primarily geared toward providing opportunities for students to actively participate in the research process, from experiment design through presentation of the results at regional and national conferences.
Community Engagement
Dr. Mohler serves on the board of the Friends of the Bay City State Recreation Area group. This group supports the recreation area by fundraising and by applying for grant money that is used for projects that enhance the park.
Additionally, Dr. Mohler works with many community partners to provide students research opportunities and to provide students internships while supporting community initiatives.
Affiliations
Dr. Mohler is a member of both the Association of American Geographers (AAG), and the Michigan Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters.