Vanessa Machuca

Vanessa Machuca is an interdisciplinary scientist with a background in math, ecology, applied remote sensing, and geographic information systems. She holds a BS in Mathematics from Pomona College, an MS in Ecology and Environmental Biology from the University of California, Irvine, and a GIS Certificate of Achievement from Pasadena City College. In graduate school, she investigated carbon termite-mediated wood decomposition in the forests and savannahs of Northern Australia. Prior to joining SIG, she participated in the NASA DEVELOP program where she worked with stakeholders on applied remote sensing projects in air pollutant tracking, urban heat assessment tool development, wetland inundation mapping, and offshore methane plume identification. Vanessa is broadly interested in highly collaborative, interdisciplinary science toward addressing pressing environmental issues.