Minhe Ji, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography
P.O. Box 305279
University of North Texas
Denton, TX 76203-5279
(940) 565-2377 (Office)
Email: jminhe@unt.edu

EDUCATION

Dr. Ji received a Master of Science degree in Geography from Northern Illinois University in 1989 and his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of South Carolina in 1996.  After that he continued to work for a year as a post-doctoral research fellow in the Remote Sensing Lab at USC under the advisement of Professor John Jensen.  Dr. Ji was originally majored in Cartography in his undergraduate education at Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping in China.  He expanded his professional training into the geospatial technology blending GIS, Remote Sensing, and Computer Cartography in his Master’s program and Geographic Information Processing in his doctoral pursuit.  

RESEARCH AREAS

Dr. Ji has strong interests in applying fuzzy logic and fuzzy set theory in GIS and remote sensing and using artificial intelligence (AI) in spatial analysis and spatial problem solving.  His major work in these areas includes algorithmic design of fuzzy training for supervised partitioning of mixed pixels, subpixel analysis for detecting and quantifying urban imperviousness and wildlife habitats, and fuzzy representation of and second-order mapping for ecosystems and ecotones.  His experience with artificial neural networks (ANN) involved collaborated work to model biophysical variables for forests. He is currently working on temporal fuzzy sets in an attempt to detect hidden processes from time-series remotely sensed data.  He also worked on fractal theory and applied it to evaluating the effects of algorithm-based cartographic generalization on spatial complexity.  Other technical issues of his interest include accuracy assessment of thematic maps, derivation of high-resolution DEM using softcopy photogrammetry, and georectification of aerial scanner imagery.  Apart from his specialty in methodological development, Dr. Ji has extensive interests in various GIS and Remote Sensing applications in both environmental and socioeconomic aspects. His recent work includes using GIS to assist the studies of spatiotemporal dynamics of aging population, environmental equity, geography of disease, landscape and human ecology, and biodiversity and biocomplexity.

EXPERIENCE

Presently an Assistant Professor in Geography at University of North Texas, Dr. Ji is engaged in teaching and research in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing that have both academic and industrial values.  He has been involved in a number of projects in which GIS plays an important role for data integration, analysis, and visualization.  Before joining the faculty at UNT, Dr. Ji worked as a Project Manager in the Remote Sensing Lab at USC and managed and/or participated in a half dozen NASA VIP-X remote sensing and GIS projects, including wetland mapping using NASA CAMS imagery, biophysical modeling of loblolly pine forests using TM imagery, and mangrove characterization using AVIRIS hyperspectral imagery. During his academic pursuit in different institutions earlier, Dr. Ji was involved in numerous projects related to GIS and Remote Sensing. Major milestones of Dr. Ji’s professional career are listed below in a chronological order:

 Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, University of North Texas
 Post Doctoral Researcher, Remote Sensing Lab, USC
 Remote Sensing/GIS Project Manager, Department of Geography, USC
 Research Assistant, Hazards Research Lab, Dept. of Geography, USC
 GIS Analyst, Andean Geophysical Lab, Dept. of Geological Science, USC
 GIS Analyst, Institute of Public Affairs, Univ. of South Carolina
 GIS Research Associate, Center for Governmental Studies, NIU
 Research Assistant, Department of Geography, Northern Illinois University
 Certified Engineer in Cartography, Guangxi Surveying & Mapping Bureau