GEOG 571
Intelligence Analysis, Cultural Geography, and Homeland Security

Instructor Information

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Cristopher Livecchi - Spring 1 2024 (Jan - Mar)
Leanne Sulewski - Spring 2 2024 (Feb - May)
Brandi Gaertner - Summer 2024 (May - Jul)

Cristopher Livecchi photograph
Cristopher Livecchi
© Penn State University
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Cristopher Livecchi, Ph.D.

  • Spring 1 2024 (Jan - Mar)

Contact Information:

Cristopher Livecchi
22 Janet St
Kingston, NY 12401

Mail:

Please use the course e-mail system (see the Inbox in Canvas) - however, if you are unable to contact me through Canvas, you may contact me directly via the following e-mail address: cml296@psu.edu. If you require immediate assistance, contact me by cell phone @ 518.334.1667 (text preferred).

Availability:

E-mail is the best method to contact me. I am usually able to respond within 24 hours. In urgent situations, feel free to contact me via cell phone. I am also happy to meet via Zoom by request.

Born and raised in an Army family, Dr. Livecchi spent his youth in the United States and Germany. His academic background is as peripatetic as his residential history, winding through historical archaeology and criminal theory, with detours through philosophy and psychology, before finally settling on geography. This landed him with a BA in anthropology (Rutgers), a MS in criminal justice (Northeastern), a MA in geography (SUNY Albany), and a PhD in geography (Penn State). His dissertation research focused on how military youth construct ideas of home in the context of militarized mobility. His current scholarly interests include the landscapes of the Cold War, terrorism and historic preservation, and uncanny spaces. His curiosity has a mind of its own, however, and refuses to be hemmed in by his academic pursuits; consequently he has worked as an archaeologist, bartender, a GIS analyst, a cobbler’s assistant, a letter carrier, and a bookbinder among other things. He is learning Turkish and likes to go kayaking when he can. He has finally set down some roots in Kingston, New York, where he lives with his family, and where he co-owns a comic book shop.

ABOUT THE COURSE:

Leanne and I have designed this course to provide you with both theoretical knowledge and practical applications in order to inform your work in intelligence or human security. To that end, we've done our best to prioritize information that we think is most helpful. I hope, above everything else, that you find the material interesting.

Sincerely,

Cristopher Livecchi

Meet Cris Livecchi, instructor of GEOG 486 (1 min 18 secs).

Click here for a transcript of the meet the instructor video.

My name is Christopher Livecchi and I teach in the Geospatial Intelligence program. I've always been someone with eclectic interests and it kind of shows when you look at my educational history. I earned a Bachelor's in anthropology from Rutgers a Master in criminal justice from Northeastern, a Master in geography from SUNY Albany and a Doctorate in geography from Penn State where I specialized in cultural and political geography. And the thing about geography is that it's everywhere. You're always some place and that place is always connected to countless other places, sometimes in ways that are obvious and sometimes in ways that aren't. And the ways that people and ideas move through those places and ways that they sort of settle and congeal and morph into lived expressions of culture are things that really fascinate me. I still have that same intellectual curiosity and I've channeled that into popular culture. A couple years ago, a friend of mine and I opened a shop here in Kingston New York where we sell comics, games, and graphic novels. So, when I'm not teaching, you'll find me there. Anyway that's me. Thanks for listening and I hope you find what you're looking for.

Credit: Cristopher Livecchi © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Leanne Sulewski photograph
Leanne Sulewski
Sitting on the Belgium/
Netherlands border
© Penn State University
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Leanne Sulewski

  • Spring 2 2024 (Feb - May)

Contact Information:
 

Mail:

Please use the course e-mail system (see the Inbox in Canvas) - however, if you are unable to contact me through Canvas, you may contact me directly via the following e-mail address: lms7484@psu.edu. If you require immediate assistance, contact me by cell phone @ (571) 623-1875 (c).

Availability:

My office hours (via Zoom or phone call) are Thursdays, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, and other times by appointment. Email is the best way to reach me, and I will typically respond within 24 hrs. If it is an emergency, you can call my cell phone after 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

 

Leanne Sulewski is currently an Analytic Methodologist for the Department of Defense, where she has worked since 2013. She is also an adjunct faculty member of the National Intelligence University, where she has taught since 2017. She received her Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Geography from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2008 and 2010, respectively. In 2013, she received her PhD in Geography from the University of South Carolina. During her doctoral degree, she was a Higher Education Research Experience fellow at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where her research focused on building and testing a geographic framework for assessing critical infrastructure vulnerability. Her current research interests include migration, spatial visualizations, and GIScience. In her spare time, she enjoys crocheting and baking. She is also an avid hiker and traveler, and loves anything that gets her outside.

Meet Leanne Sulewski, instructor of GEOG 486 (1 min 4 secs).

Click here for a transcript of the meet the instructor video.

Hello, my name is Leanne Sulewski and I'm an adjunct instructor here at Penn State. I'm a geographer through and through, receiving all three of my degrees in geography, specializing in GIS. I channel my love for the discipline of geography as an analytic methodologist for the Department of Defense. The best part about geography and GEOINT is that it is everywhere. Whatever you're interested in, there's almost always a geographic aspect to it. You will never be bored because with every course you take, every book you read, every place you visit, you become a citizen of the world. Everywhere you look, there's an opportunity to learn, grow, and research. My current research interests lie in studying internal migration trends in Bhutan. When I'm not working, teaching, or researching, you can find me hiking or traveling. Whether it's enjoying some fresh air or learning about a new place, there's never a dull moment as a geographer.

Credit: Leanne Sulewski © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Brandi Gaertner
Brandi Gaertner
© Penn State University
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Brandi Gaertner

  • Summer 2024 (May - Jul)

Contact Information:
 

Mail:

Please use the course email system (it ensures your emails don't get caught up in any spam filters). I check email regularly and will do my best to respond to questions at least once per weekday and once on weekends unless I notify you otherwise. If Canvas is down you can try bah6009@psu.edu.

Availability:

E-mail is the best method to contact me. I am usually able to respond within 24 hours. In urgent situations, feel free to contact me via cell phone. I am also happy to meet via Zoom by request.
 
 

I am Dr. Brandi Gaertner, Assistant Teaching Professor of Spatial Data Science in the online Geospatial Education program. I joined the Penn State faculty in 2021. I am a climate change hydrologist and GIS analyst. My research focus is on evaluating the historical and future impacts of climate change on surface streamflow and climate variables such as precipitation and temperature. I also use remote sensing techniques, such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), to study the impact of climate change on lengthened growing seasons, evapotranspiration, and hydrology

Prior to joining Penn State, I was an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, W.V. I earned my doctorate in Forestry and Natural Resources with a focus on Climate Change Hydrology from West Virginia University in 2019. Prior to pursuing my doctorate degree, I completed an M.S. in Environmental Biology with a focus on Aquatic Ecology.

I have extensive experience and education in online teaching. I graduated in 2022 with an M.S. in Instructional Design and Online Technology. I also have a graduate certificate in University Teaching, have received several Quality Matters certificates for Online Education, and have taught and designed over 10 online courses at previous institutions.

Meet Brandi Gaertner, instructor of GEOG 486 (52 seconds).

Click here for a transcript of the meet the instructor video.

I’m Dr. Brandi Gaertner. I am a climate change hydrologist and I study the impact of climate change on growing season length, which is the amount of time that trees stay green. I have a Master of Science in Online Technology and Instructional Design and I'm also working on a Master of Education and Lifelong Learning and Adult Education. Both of these degrees have taught me the value of an open communication learning environment. With that in mind, feel free to contact me, even if it's just to say hi. I have a lot of hobbies outside of academia including running, walking, hiking and reading. I also have a daughter, Anna Marie. She was born July of 2021 and she keeps life very fun and interesting. I look forward to meeting you in the future and have a great day.

Credit: Brandi Gaertner © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0