Congratulations to Adam Tjoelker

In mid-June, Adam Tjoelker presented his research at the 12th International Conference on Permafrost in Yukon, where he earned second place for best oral presentations among students and early career researchers. His work, "Drone-Based Ground-Penetrating Radar with Manual Transects for Improved Field Surveys of Buried Ice," was published in Remote Sensing in July. This study, a direct result of his master's thesis, demonstrated the innovative use of drone-based radar to study debris-covered glaciers in southwest Yukon, Canada.  

Adam is pursuing his Ph.D. under the mentorship of Geography Professor Bryan Mark in the Glacier Environmental Change Group at the Byrd Center.

In addition to his research, Adam is serving as the Sharpe Field Library Manager in the Department of Geography. The library's equipment, including drones and Geodetics LiDAR, supports hands-on learning and provides training opportunities for students in various fields, from atmospheric science to physical and human geography, urban geography, GIS, and aviation studies.

Congratulations to Harrison Frenken

Harrison Frenken is a fourth year undergraduate member of the Glacier Environmental Change Group, double majoring in Aviation Air Transportation, and Geographic Information Science. This past summer, he participated in both, the annual Great Basin Research Expedition and the Peru Expedition. An independent part of his research in Cordillera Blanca was surveying the Llaca Glacier using drone photogrammetry and differential GPS technology as part of a project for the Center for Aviation Studies (CAS), funded through a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The resulting footage from this expedition was used in a team project to create Glacier Drone Mapping Tutorial - YouTube, a valuable resource for CAS, enhancing the Part 107 (drone license) curriculum materials aimed at high school students and class teachers, providing practical insights into the real-life applications of drones. Others involved in the FAA grant project included Paul Walker, a fourth-year engineering student; Jane Roach, who has since transferred to Clemson; Brian Strzempkowski, lecturer at the College of Engineering and CAS assistant director; and Mark Bolin, CAS lecturer.

Adam and Harrison's work underscores the broader impact of drone technology in both aviation and environmental research, showcasing how these tools can be applied in diverse fields and how drones can revolutionize data collection in remote environments.