GEOG 596i
Independent Study in Geospatial Intelligence

Instructor Information

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Instructors

Greg Thomas

Greg Thomas

  • Phone: (814) 867-1471
  • Email: please use the course email system in Canvas or gat5@psu.edu
  • FAX: (814) 863-1564 (The country code for the United States is 1)
  • Availability: My office hours (in person or phone calls) are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.

Greg Thomas was in the law enforcement intelligence analysis field for the 26 years before coming to Penn State. Greg received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Public Administration from the Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in Administration and Leadership Studies Ph.D. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His dissertation work focused on the role of state and local law enforcement in homeland security.

Greg is a lifetime Certified Criminal Analyst through the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts. He has published articles relating to organized crime, criminal intelligence analysis, and terrorism. In addition to teaching at Penn State, Greg has provided instruction for law enforcement intelligence analysts and was an adjunct instructor at Central Pennsylvania College, teaching criminal intelligence analysis courses.

Greg's framework for teaching this course is from an analytical perspective. He intends to show how geospatial intelligence can be used as a technique for analyzing data.

Use the following link to see some additional information about me.

Todd Bacastow

Todd Bacastow

  • Phone: (814) 863-0049 (The country code for the United States is 1)
  • Mobile: (814) 883-7358 (The country code for the United States is 1)
  • FAX: (814) 865-3191 (The country code for the United States is 1)
  • Email: Please use the course email system (see the Inbox link in Canvas)
  • Availability: My office hours (in person or phone calls) are Monday through Friday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.

I am a Professor of Practice for Geospatial Intelligence in Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the founder and lead faculty of Penn State’s Geospatial Intelligence program. Penn State’s Geospatial Intelligence program is accredited by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation and part of Penn State’s award-winning portfolio of Online Geospatial Education programs (link is external) that has served over 5000 students since 1999.

My current research focuses on determining the optimal training and educational means to improve the sensemaking of the geospatial analyst working as part of an intelligence team. Sensemaking refers to the process by which humans are able to generate explanations for data that are otherwise sparse, noisy, and uncertain.

Before joining Penn State in 1994, I retired from the United States Army where he served in a variety of infantry, engineer, and geospatial intelligence assignments and positions. I was previously an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Computer Science and an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at the US Military Academy. I hold a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy, and an MS and Ph.D. in Geography from Penn State University.

Cheers,

Todd