معرفی
Kristen Kurland is a full-time faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) with appointments in the H. John Heinz III College of Information Systems and Public Policy, School of Architecture, and a courtesy role in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She combines expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), 3D visualization, and health equity through interdisciplinary collaborations with institutions like the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Her work addresses smart cities, sustainability, and social justice in healthcare and urban design.
With a BA from the University of Pittsburgh, Kurland has pioneered technology-enhanced learning since 1999, teaching courses in Building Information Modeling (BIM), CAD, and GIS to students and executive physicians. Her research explores climate resilience, community health disparities, and spatial epidemiology, often using GIS to map pediatric health outcomes and urban infrastructure.
Her publications span pediatric mental health GIS analysis, healthcare referral regions, and food desert impacts, with keywords like Public Health, Urban Design, and Spatial Statistics. Awards include the 2020 Carlow University Women of Spirit Award and multiple Esri GIS honors. She chairs the National Academies' Geographical and Geospatial Sciences Committee and has led 20+ funded projects, including the 2024 Downtown Pittsburgh Quality of Life Study.
- Key Collaborations: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC, National Academies
- Teaching: Online GIS since 1999, BIM/CAD instruction, Health Analytics for physicians
- Leadership: National geospatial committee chair, CMU strategic planning roles
