Kathleen Baker

Kathleen Baker is a Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Tourism at Western Michigan University's School of Environment, Geography, and Sustainability. She is based in Wood Hall and has been actively contributing to research and teaching in geographic information science, physical geography, and biogeography.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Geography, Michigan State University, 2002
• M.A. in Geography, Western Michigan University, 1998
• B.S. in Earth Science, Central Michigan University, 1995

Her research integrates spatial and temporal analysis with field-based studies in geology, soil science, meteorology, climatology, and plant pathology. She specializes in developing GIS-based models for agricultural and environmental applications, particularly in disease forecasting and geocognitive mapping processes.

Her work, supported by USDA and NSF funding, focuses on creating multi-scale, multi-crop disease forecasting systems and understanding expert problem-solving in geologic mapping. These efforts contribute to sustainable agriculture and improved geoscience education.

Professional Affiliations:

• Association of American Geographers
• International Network for Information Technology in Agriculture

As a principal investigator on major federally funded projects, she mentors students and contributes to advancing geospatial methodologies. Her certification as a Geographic Information Systems Professional underscores her technical expertise.

She is involved in labs and research teams focusing on geocognitive modeling and agricultural informatics, particularly through the GeoBRAENS project and crop disease forecasting initiatives.