Jennifer Gebelein

Jennifer Gebelein, Ph.D., is a Visiting Professor in the Earth and Environment Department at Florida International University's School of Environment, Arts and Society. She holds a Master's in Marine Affairs from the University of Miami's RSMAS (1996) and a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara (2001). Her research focuses on Caribbean land-use dynamics, particularly Cuba's environmental changes through GIS and remote sensing. She has conducted fieldwork in Cuba to validate land cover maps of vegetation, coastal zones, and urbanization.

Dr. Gebelein's work explores anthropogenic impacts on landscapes, integrating historical data with satellite imagery. She is affiliated with the South Florida Geographers Association, American Association of Geographers, and the Latin American and Caribbean Center Faculty Board. Her courses include GIS 5620 (Surveillance & International Relations) and ISS 6926 (Capstone Project).

Key research themes include Cuba's protected areas, agricultural transitions, and coastal ecosystem vulnerability. Recent work (2022) emphasizes linking policy frameworks to environmental outcomes, while earlier studies (2001-2014) pioneered validation methods for land cover mapping using astronaut photography and satellite data.