Thank you for your interest in working with me in the Department of Geography at the University of Tennessee. Please read the following information if you are considering contacting me as a potential graduate advisor.

Please consult the program web pages for an overview of the program as well as for information about the degree requirements and application process. I encourage you to communicate directly with the graduate director about program and application matters.

###Prerequisites and Training Most of my previous students have begun with little knowledge of data science programming. It is rarely included in undergraduate geography programs here in the United States. But programming using a computer language such as R or Python, and a basic understanding of the concepts of calculus are essentials of modern data science. I am eager to work with students to develop these skills if I see a clear motivation and passion to learn spatial data science. I recognize that the American education system does not value all students equally, especially in teaching computer technology, and I would like to be part of the solution not the problem; thus I especially welcome applications from students who wish that they knew these skills but were not given the right opportunities in their educational preparation. It’s never too late to learn! I think that you will find me a very helpful advisor as you are coming up to speed on the prerequisites of modern data science, but just know that this is part of what you will have to learn. (It’s not as hard as you’ve been led to believe. Really.) For those with a curiosity in everything, you will find that data science in geography is a great way to interact with experts who need help studying a wide variety of geographic processes.

###International Applicants I regularly have funding opportunities for students once they are proficient in R or python, but most students will receive a large portion of their support through teaching assistantships offered through the Geography Department. These teaching assistantship awards are highly competitive. You can find out more about these requirements through the Graduate School. In particular, English speaking skills are given more scrutiny at the University of Tennessee than they are at some other US schools.

###Contacting me When contacting me, please include the following in your email or letter:

• A statement (2 to 3 paragraphs) of your research and professional interests, your research experience, and why you want to study with me.
• your undergraduate major, university, GPA and GRE scores (percentile), and TOEFL (if appropriate).

Thank you for your interest. I look forward to hearing from you!