Position:	Lecturer
Qualifications:	BA Geography MSc (UKZN) PhD (UKZN)
Office Block:	Block F Environmental Sciences
Telephone:	+27 (0) 31 260 8267
Email:	gebreslasie@ukzn.ac.za

QUALIFICATIONS – Summary

Dr Michael Gebreslasie obtained a BA Geography degree (space and health specialization) from the University of Asmara, Eritrea. This was followed by MSc Applied Environmental Science degree with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote sensing specialization from university of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Michael then completed PhD Geography degree at University of KwaZulu Natal. This degree focused on testing, improving tools and methods for prediction of biophysical, biochemical, and canopy structural characteristics such as Leaf Area Index (LAI), Tree height, Basal area, Tree density, and Biomass using multi-spectral and multi-angle optical and active remote sensing. Better prediction of these characteristics is a key to sustainable management of forest ecosystem.

I teach Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing subjects at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

ENVS 250 Introduction to Remote Sensing

ENVS 316 Introduction to GIS

ENVS 712 Analytical GIS and Advanced Spatial Modeling

ENVS 720 Advanced Remote Sensing

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

• Forestry Society of South Africa

• Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

RESEARCH PROJECTS

• Project leader for MALAREO.
  • Focused on investigating potential application of Earth Observation for malaria surveillance to combat malaria epidemics. The project started in February 2011 funded by the European Commission (FP7).
• Principal investigator for EO application in Health (Malaria).
  • The principal aim of the project is to develop malaria early warning system using remote sensing data. 

CURRENT POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS:

1. Noluthando Ndlovu (MSc) 2012
2. Aphelele Magabisa (MSc) 2012

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

• GIS and database development training (Human capacity building) in malaria control programs of KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. 

MAIN RESEARCH FIELDS:

As a geographer with emphasis in Geospatial methods I pursue a multidisciplinary research agenda that focus on the following fields:

• Spatio-temporal remote sensing for environmental change detection and monitoring,
• Bio-geosciences,
  • Forestry (vegetation) inventory and assessment using remote sensing
  • Species diversity
  • Spatial epidemiology
    • Modelling the Spatio-temporal patterns of malaria transmission
    • Forecasting malaria outbreak

Publications

Click here to view Dr Gebreslasie's publications