Thao Nguyen PhD – Geospatial Scientist

Dr. Thao Nguyen is a geospatial scientist with a strong background in GIS and Remote Sensing. Ms. Nguyen hold a BSc degree in GIS from Curtin University and a PhD degree in Geography from University of Southern California. She had 15 years of experience working in both private and public sectors. Her research ranges from geospatial visualization to spatial data and numerical modelling in ecosystem conservation projects, geomorphological modelling, and riverbed studies. Before starting on her social health network startup project, she worked at Leicester University as a post-doctoral researcher where she conducted research on evolution of riverbed structure.

 

Education

Bsc (Hons) – Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia – 2002

PhD – University of Southern California – 2011

 

Research Interest:

Geographic Information Science

Spatial Analysis

Numerical Modelling

Data Mining

Public Health and GIS

 

Research Projects

 

Environmental Research Project, Leicester University, UK

This research designed and conducted fluvial experiments to capture the evolution of riverbed surface under different flow conditions through microscale laser scanning instruments. The aim is to understand the inter-relationship between evolution of riverbed structure, bed material, flow, sediment transport in fluvial rivers.

 

Uncertainties in Geomorphology

This research quantified uncertainties in terrain attributes and extracted objects propagated from grid-based terrain model errors. It studied spatial and statistical characteristics of primary and secondary terrain attributes and land surface parameters generated from different local surfaces approximation methods for catchment management.

 

Ecosystem Conservation

The Green Visions Plan for 21st Century Southern California provided a guide to habitat conservation, watershed health and recreational open space for the Los Angeles metropolitan region, and to design planning and decision-support tools to nurture a living green matrix for southern California. The goals are to protect and restore natural areas, restore natural hydrological function, promote equitable access to open space, and maximize support via multiple-use facilities.

 

 

Publications

 

Powell M., Ockelford, A., Rice, S., Hillier, J. Nguyen, T., Reid, I., Tate, N. and Ackerley, D. Structural properties of mobile armours formed at different flow strengths in gravel bed rivers, 2016, Earth Surface, Vol. 121, No. 8, pp. 1494–1515

 

Nguyen, T., Model Uncertainty in Geomorphology, 2011, PhD Dissertation, Department of Geography, University of Southern California.

 

Nguyen, T., Wilson, J. P., Sensitivity of Quasi-Dynamic Topographic Wetness Index to the Choice of DEM Resolution, Flow Routing Algorithm, and Soil Variability, 2010, Proceedings of the Ninth International Symposium on Spatial Accuracy Assessment In Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Leicester, UK.

 

Nguyen, T., An Investigation on the Use of Maximum Likelihoods Neural Networks and Decision Trees in Mapping Continuous Soil Properties Using Digital Multispectral Imagery, 2002, Bachelor of Science (Honours) Thesis, Department of Spatial Sciences, Curtin University of Technology.