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Derek Van Berkel

Assistant Professor
Geospatial Data Sciences
Conservation + Restoration
dbvanber@umich.edu
(734) 647-1208
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4036 Dana
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About

Derek Van Berkel is Assistant Professor of Data Science, Geovisualization and Design. His research examines the human dimensions of land-cover/land-use change and ecosystem services at diverse scales. It aims to use spatial analysis and geovisualizations of social and environmental data and spatial thinking to develop solutions for today’s most pressing environmental challenges. Within this growing body of interdisciplinary work, he leverages social theory, big data, machine learning, spatial-temporal computer modeling (e.g. agent-based and cellular automata) and spatial statistics. This work addresses critical domains including (i) landscape management (e.g. weighing tradeoffs between ecosystem services); (ii) conservation and recreation planning (e.g. identifying special and valued places); and (iii) development of sustainable and resilient communities (e.g. health and well-being of communities).

Publications

Jennifer Koch, Monica A Dorning,Van Berkel, Derek B, Scott M Beck, Georgina M Sanchez, Ashwin Shashidharan, Lindsey S Smart, Qiang Zhang, Jordan W Smith, and Ross K Meentemeyer. Modeling landowner interactions and development patterns at the urban fringe.Landscape andUrban Planning, 182:101–113, 2019

Johannes Hermes,Derek Van Berkel, Benjamin Burkhard, Tobias Plieninger, Nora Fagerholm,Christina von Haaren, and Christian Albert. Assessment and valuation of recreational ecosystemservices of landscapes, 2018

Derek B Van Berkel, Payam Tabrizian, Monica A Dorning, Lindsey Smart, Doug Newcomb, Megan Mehaffey, Anne Neale, and Ross K Meentemeyer. Quantifying the visual-sensory landscape qualities that contribute to cultural ecosystem services using social media and lidar. Ecosystem Services, 2018

Boris T van Zanten, Derek B Van Berkel, Ross K Meentemeyer, Jordan W Smith, Koen F Tieskens,and Peter H Verburg. Continental-scale quantification of landscape values using social media data. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, page 201614158, 2016

Derek B Van Berkel and Peter H Verburg. Spatial quantification and valuation of cultural ecosystem services in an agricultural landscape.Ecological indicators, 37:163–174, 2014

Derek B Van Berkel and Peter H Verburg. Sensitising rural policy: Assessing spatial variation in rural development options for europe. Land Use Policy, 28(3):447–459, 2011

Research

My research examines the human dimensions of land-cover/land-use change and ecosystem services at diverse scales. It aims to use spatial analysis and geovisualizations of social and environmental data and spatial thinking to develop solutions for today’s most pressing environmental challenges. Within this growing body of interdisciplinary work, I leverage social theory, big data, machine learning, spatial-temporal computer modeling (e.g. agent-based and cellular automata) and spatial statistics.

Education

Ph.D. Spatial Analysis and Decision Support, VU University Amsterdam, 2012.
M.S. Human Geography and Urban Planning, Utrecht University, 2007.B.A. Human Geography, University of Calgary, 2004.

In the News
An AI-identified animal: Nathan Fox trained an AI model to detect animals in photographs. The red bounding box highlights where the animal is detected, and the percentage shows how confident the AI model is in its accuracy.
News date
November 27, 2023

Using AI to Accelerate Wildlife Conservation Efforts

Although artificial intelligence (AI) programs were first developed decades ago, they made an undeniable splash in 2023. Now, researchers at SEAS, alongside collaborators in the U-M School of Information, are focused on laying the groundwork for using AI to accelerate wildlife conservation efforts using social media.

Future of Big Data
News date
May 22, 2023

Meet the Future: Big Data and Sustainability Solutions

Thanks to the digital revolution, a burgeoning amount of big data is available in real-time on a mass scale. Big data offers scientists unparalleled access to vast amounts of raw information that can be harvested, analyzed and translated into new solutions to the world’s most challenging problems—including sustainability and climate change. We spoke to four SEAS professors about how they are using big data to reimagine sustainability solutions to agriculture, landscape conservation, biological systems and cities.

New study shows social media content opens new frontiers for sustainability science researchers
March 17, 2023

New study shows social media content opens new frontiers for sustainability science researchers

ANN ARBOR—With more than half of the world’s population active on social media networks, user-generated data has proved to be fertile ground for social scientists who...

SEAS hosts first "Hackathon" focused on using data science in sustainability work
December 7, 2022

SEAS hosts first "Hackathon" focused on using data science to address sustainability issues

The first University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Hackathon , “Social Media and Visualization for Hacking Sustainability,” was held in...

Faculty Accolades
News date
November 1, 2022

Faculty Accolades

News and updates about SEAS faculty.

Map of Social & Natural Risk: Great Lakes Region
October 6, 2022

Study: Web-based tools can help Great Lakes region plan for potential influx of climate-change migrants

Contact: Jim Erickson Communities in the Great Lakes region need to start planning now for a future that may include “climate migrants” who leave behind increasingly...

Detroit climate
April 20, 2022

Is the Great Lakes region ready for an influx of climate migrants?

SEAS assistant professor Derek Van Berkel was interviewed by NBC in a story about the Great Lakes region as a potential haven for climate migrants . The Great Lakes is...

Landinfo demo video

Game ON: Designing high-performing novel landscapes to tackle climate change

What if designing sustainable greenspace in your own neighborhood was a game—with points won for carbon sequestration, stormwater management, and heat relief? What if you could see your ideas take shape—and know how much they would likely cost—in a friendly competition with people in your community? Turning those “what ifs” into reality is the vision of SEAS Assistant Professors Mark Lindquist and Derek Van Berkel.

In the Media
05/12/2023
Derek Van Berkel
Preparing for climate migration: Watch MLive, Council of the Great Lakes webinar (MLive)
12/13/2022
Derek Van Berkel
Michigan is a climate haven in a warming world. Will everyone move here? (MLive)
12/06/2022
Derek Van Berkel
Twitter’s totter must prompt research rethink (Nature)
10/10/2022
Derek Van Berkel
Climate migrants could come to Great Lakes region as extreme weather grows in coming years (WEMU 89.1)
10/07/2022
Derek Van Berkel
Researchers developing tools to help region plan for potential climate change-related population growth (Michigan Radio)
03/29/2022
Derek Van Berkel
Mark Lindquist
Climate haven: Will Michigan be a future refuge? (Downtown Newsmagazine)
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