Jay Samek

Jay Samek is a Research Assistant and Senior Scientist at Michigan State University's Department of Forestry, working in the Global Observatory for Ecosystems Services (GOES) laboratory under Dr. David L Skole. He holds a B.A. in Geography from Dartmouth College (1987) and M.A. in Geography from Michigan State University (1998). With over 20 years of expertise in geospatial analysis (GIS and Remote Sensing), his research focuses on human-environment interactions, forest carbon dynamics, climate change adaptation, and international development.

Education:

• B.A. Geography, Dartmouth College (1987)
• M.A. Geography, Michigan State University (1998)

His international research spans projects in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America funded by NASA, USAID, World Bank, and UNDP GEF. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on land-use change, forest carbon measurement, and climate adaptation strategies in tropical regions, with emerging work in e-learning applications for environmental education. His research transforms scientific insights into practical conservation applications.

Key projects include:

• NASA-funded industrial forest monitoring in tropical Asia (2014-2018)
• USAID peatland restoration curriculum development in Indonesia (2016-2020)
• REDD+ capacity building initiatives in Malawi and India

As senior scientist at GOES laboratory, he bridges scientific research with applied environmental solutions.