Associate Professor, Geography
bonsaldb@jmu.edu
Contact Info
Education
- Ph.D. Geography, University of Minnesota
- M.A. Geography, The Ohio State University
- B.A. English, Tufts University
Scholarly Interests/Research Topics
- Geographic information science
- Cartography
- Land use and human-environment interactions
- Biogeography
- Agent-based modeling
Experience
Professor Bonsal's experience in geographic information science dates back to the early 2000s, when he worked as an environmental scientist for the Charles River Watershed Association in Massachusetts. At JMU, he has a particular interest in GIS methods that capture change over time, both for visualization and analysis, focusing especially on the study of atmospheric phenomena, land use, and biodiversity. For both research and teaching, he draws from his knowledge of and interest in biogeography, transportation, and the built environment.
Courses Taught
- GEOG 215 Introduction to Geographic Information Science and Cartography
- GEOG 365 Cartography and Geospatial Visualization
- GEOG 366 Intermediate Geographic Information Science
- GEOG 464 Cartographic Design
- GEOG 465 GIS and Land Use
- GEOG 469 GIS Programming with Python
- ISAT 675 Biodiversity Conservation I
College of Integrated Science and Engineering
