Congratulations to Juan Camilo Rojas Lucero, Computing PhD Data Science emphasis, who has been selected to receive a NASA FINESST (Future Investigator in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology) award.
We spoke to Lucero about the award and their research.
Q: Can you share a little about the NASA FINESST award and how it relates to your research?Â
Lucero: The NASA FINESST (Future Investigator in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology) award is a prestigious research grant that supports cutting-edge investigations aligned with NASA’s Earth Science priorities. My funded project “ Leveraging the Landsat Archive and DESIS Hyperspectral Imagery to Measure Trends and Resilience of Water and Mesic Ecosystems in Semi-Arid Regions, bridges decades of satellite data with modern AI tools to understand how fragile ecosystems respond to climate variation. This award empowers me to use advanced earth observation technologies to inform conservation and land management in water-scarce regions.
Q: Speaking of your research, can you provide a summary of what you are researching and why?
Lucero: My research harnesses the power of AI to understand how water-dependent ecosystems known as mesic ecosystems are changing in response to drought, land use, and climate variability in semi-arid regions. These ecosystems may be small in area, but they are critical for biodiversity, forage, and water regulation. By combining decades of earth observation data and machine learning, and AI techniques can detect subtle shifts in vegetation and reveal hidden patterns in ecosystem change. Ultimately, my goal is to turn complex remote sensing data into actionable insights that help land managers and scientists monitor and protect these fragile ecosystems in a rapidly changing climate.
Q: What does receiving this award mean to you personally and professionally?
Lucero: Receiving the FINESST award is a significant professional recognition that highlights the relevance and scientific value of my research. It strengthens opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, facilitates engagement with the broader Earth science community, and supports the dissemination of findings that can inform environmental monitoring and management. I’m especially grateful to my advisor, Dr. Jodi Brandt, and my co-advisor, Dr. Trevor Caughlin, for their mentorship throughout this process.