Walter Jaslanek

PhD Student, Human Dimensions

Contact:

Advisor: Charles Schweik

Developing a GIS based Decision Support Framework for Siting Offshore Wind Turbines

Research interests include the use geospatial technologies and how they can help make better decisions. His current research entails looking at the combined use of geographic information systems (GIS) and geospatial visualizations; and their involvement and impact in wind energy planning.Developing a GIS based Decision Support Framework for Siting Offshore Wind Turbines

Experiences

Walt has a B.A, in Geography and a M.S in Geosciences from Montclair University, New Jersey. Walt has over 10 years of working experience in environmental engineering industries, specializing for the latter years in applied information management services. He specializes in developing and administering project databases and systems working specifically with GIS. His developed skills include GIS analysis and data management with desktop and enterprise systems. Other work experiences include: modeling and visualization design, CAD and GIS integration techniques, and Web GIS site creation and management. Since starting his PhD program, Walt has been involved with the UMass IGERT Wind Offshore Program and researching how the improved use of GIS and modeling technology could help infer better decision making in large scale energy projects with environmental concerns.

Grant Summary

Walt Jaslanek received generous first year funding of $30,662 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on September 10th 2014 to initiate development of a Geographical Information System (GIS) based Decision Support framework that will look at bird foraging patterns and nest success around habitats in areas that could be impacted by wind turbine placement and siting. Walt wrote the proposal with his adviser Dr. Charles Schweik and Dr. Curt Griffin. The funding will cover the development of a collaborative enterprise GIS framework and data model based on movement signals from tagged birds and radio transmitters in the Gulf of Maine area, specifically working with USFWS biologist Linda Welch and the Maine Coastal Islands Refuge. Walt is hoping this framework will help inform future wind siting decisions and further both his and his co-fellow’s research as a tool for extending the network and placement of NanoTag receivers in the Northeast US.