Jackson David Cothren

Dr. Jackson David Cothren is a Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Arkansas, where he also serves as the Leica Geosystems Chair in Geospatial Imaging. He holds dual leadership roles as Director of the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) and the Arkansas High Performance Computing Center (HPCC). His academic affiliations are deeply rooted in geospatial science, computer vision, and high-performance computing, bridging engineering and environmental applications.

• Ph.D. in Geodetic Science and Surveying, The Ohio State University
• M.S. in Geodetic Science and Surveying, The Ohio State University
• B.S. in Applied Mathematics, United States Air Force Academy

Dr. Cothren's research spans digital photogrammetry, computer vision, UAV-based geospatial monitoring, and spatial archaeometry. He investigates non-traditional sensor modeling, feature extraction, surface generation, and integration with enterprise geospatial systems. His work increasingly incorporates deep learning, transformer models, and AI-driven analytics for applications in renewable energy, autonomous systems, and environmental sustainability. His recent publications highlight innovations in solar PV profiling, aerial image segmentation, and fairness-aware domain adaptation.

The trends in his recent scholarly output reflect a strong shift toward machine learning and AI in geospatial analysis, particularly using transformer architectures for high-resolution imaging and cross-domain adaptation. His work integrates Lidar, GPS, and InSAR for deformation monitoring and leverages HPC for large-scale data processing. Applications span archaeology, agriculture, transportation, and energy infrastructure.

Dr. Cothren has received numerous competitive grants from NSF, NEH, and USDA, supporting interdisciplinary research in geospatial analytics, smart transportation, and cultural heritage. His projects emphasize data-driven decision-making, community engagement, and workforce development in geospatial technologies.

• Principal Investigator, NSF E-RISE Rll: Arkansas Smart Transportation Research Incubator (2025–2029)
• Lead, RII Track-1: DART – Data Analytics that are Robust and Trusted (NSF, 2020–2025)
• Director, OPEN-GATE: Expanding Geospatial Education (NSF, 2016–2020)

He mentors a broad interdisciplinary team and leads collaborative research initiatives involving computer vision, environmental science, and archaeology. His labs and research centers—CAST and HPCC—serve as hubs for innovation in spatial technologies, high-performance computing, and data-intensive research across the university and beyond. These centers support large-scale projects in archaeo-geophysics, UAV monitoring, and enterprise GIS integration.