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Dave Kramar

Staff
Center for Environment & Society
  • Director, River and Field Campus

Dave Kramar

Education

  • Bachelors of Science in Geography (Concentration in GIS): Appalachian State University (1999)
  • Master of Science in Geography (Concentration in GIS): Virginia Tech (2004)

  • Doctorate in Geospatial and Environmental Analysis: Virginia Tech (2014)

About

I have been involved in natural resource management and geospatial technologies since I was first introduced to geographic information systems in 1996. I am an avid outdoorsman and have rock climbed and whitewater kayaked throughout the country. Those passions led me into natural resources and environmental based research. In 2023 I marked 20 years of banding and working with bald eagles. Over the course of my career I have worked in local government, private sector as a GIS Analyst and Senior Project Manager, in non-profit as a research director, and in academia as an associate professor. I have extensive experience in spatial modeling, non-linear statistics, machine learning, and AI. More recently, my focus has been on helping farmers improve their operations, and subsequently downstream water quality, through implementing practices that better retain water, sediment, and nutrients in their fields. 

In my spare time, you will likely find me outside, or in my workshop. I am an avid woodworker and build everything from cabinetry to guitars, to sculpture. I absolutely love working with birds of prey and have spent years trying to better understand toxicological risks from contaminants such as lead and mercury. I still enjoy kayaking, paddleboarding, rock climbing, and hiking, and you will often find me out engaged in one of those activities. 

Research Interests

Landscape Ecology, Precision Agriculture, Environmental Toxicology; Non-Linear and Non-Parametric Modeling in GIS; Biogeography; Cartography, Physical Geography; Species Distribution Modeling, Machine Learning and GIS, Social and Environmental Justice.

Teaching Interests

sUAS and Geospatial Analysis; Digital Image Processing, Introduction to GIS; Spatial Thinking; Environmental Geography and Conservation; Web Mapping and the ArcGIS Javascript API, Introduction to Remote Sensing, Spatial Ecology, Introduction to Remote Sensing; Environmental Data Analysis; Introduction to Earth Science, Advanced GIS Analysis, Data Science for Environmental Modeling.

Publications

  • Kramar, D., Phoenix, T., Siman, K. (2024). A Spatial Perspective on Environmental Justice: The Link Between Gerrymandering, Toxic Waste Facilities, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Environmental Justice. Accepted June 2024. In Press.
  • Tobin, C., Bailey, D., Wade,C.,  Trieu, L.L., Nelson, K., Oltjen, C., Cao, H., Son, T.C., Flores, V., Castro, B., Gifford, J.H., Trotter, M., Kramar, D. (2024) Evaluation of experimental error in accelerometer monitoring: variation among individual animals versus variation among devices. Smart Agricultural Technology. 100432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2024.100432.
  • Chang, C., Ivanov, S. Tourtellotte, P., Spengler, R., Mir-Makhamad, B., and Kramar, D. (2022) Ancient agricultural and pastoral landscapes on the south side of Lake Issyk-kul: Preliminary surveys of the Juuku Valley and Lower Kizil Suu Valley, archaeobotanical results of three strat-igraphic profiles, and ArcGis GIS modeling of Iron Age and Medieval sites in lower Kizil Suu. Land. June 2022.
  • Siman K.E., Kramar D (2021). Social-Ecological Coastal Risk and Vulnerability Assessment for the Ohio Lake Erie Shoreline. Journal of Coastal Research. January 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/02723646.2020.1762982
  • Larson, J., Kramar, D., Leonard, K. (2020) A Geostatistical Analysis of Seismicity in Oklahoma Using Regression Trees and Neural Networks. Physical Geography. April 2020. 
  • Kramar, D.E., Carstensen, B., Prisley, S., and Campbell, J. Mercury Concentrations in Blood and Feathers of Nestling Bald Eagles in Coastal and Inland Virginia. Avian Research. 10(3). 2019.
  • Kramar, D.E., Anderson, A., Branden, K., Hilfer, H., and Gutrich, J. A Spatially Informed Analysis of Environmental Justice: Analyzing the Effects of Gerrymandering and the Proximity of Minority Populations to U.S. Superfund Sites. Environmental Justice: Vol 11. 1. 2018
  • Katzner et al. Status, Biology, and Conservation Priorities for North America's Eastern Golden Eagle. The Auk, 129(1). 2012
  • Desorbo, Christopher R., Taylor, K., Kramar, D., K.M., Fair, J., Atwood, J.L., Evers, D.C., Hanson, W., Vogel, H.S. 2007. Reproductive Advantages for Common Loons Using Rafts on Lakes With Stable and Fluctuating Water Levels. Journal of Wildlife Management. 71(4). 2007. 
  • Kramar, David E., Goodale, W., Kennedy, L., Carstensen, L., Kaur, T. Relating Land Cover and Mercury Levels in Common Loons Using Geographic Information Systems, Ecotoxicology, Vol. 14, 2005
  • Kaur, Taranjit, Singh, J., Goodale, W., Kramar, D., Nelson, P. Development of a Cyber-Infrastructure for Integrated Assessments of Environmental Contaminants, Ecotoxicology, Vol. 14, 2005
  • Kramar, D.E. 2021. Expanded Applications of GIS for CREC Field Management. Carrington Research Extension Center. Annual Report. pp. 16-18. 

Extension Reports and Literature

  • Kramar, D.E. 2021. Digital Application for In-Field Scouting of Weeds and Pests. Carrington Research Extension Center. Annual Report. pp. 12-13.
  • Kramar, D.E. 2021, Extending Mobile-Mapping Beyond Field-Level Collection. Carrington Research Extension Center. Center Points.
  • Kramar, D.E.2021 Using Web-Based Mapping to Manage CREC Field Trials. Carrington Research Extension Center. Center Points. 
  • Kramar, D.E. 2020. A Mobile Web-mapping Application for Real-time Monitoring of Palmer Amaranth in North Dakota. Carrington Research Extension Center. Annual Report. pp.11-12.
  • Kramar, D.E. 2020. Assessment of a New Scalable Non-Near Infrared Vegetation Index for Crop Assessment. Carrington Research Extension Center. Annual Report. pp. 35-36.
  • Kramar, D.E. and John Nowatzki. 2020. Extending the Useful of Harvest Data for Mapping In-Field Variability of Profits. Carrington Research Extension Center. Center Points. 

Selected Reports & Grey Literature

  • Siman, K., Scudder, M., Niewiarowski, P., Kramar, D., George, B. 2020. Ohio Lake Erie Shoreline Social-Ecological Risk and Vulnerability Asessment to Erosion and Flooding. Submitted to Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management (ODNR OCM). 
     
  • Kramar D.E. 2019. Summary Report: Data Analysis Results for West Central Minnesota Continuum of Care. Prepared for West Central Minnesota Continuum of Care. Submitted Sept 6, 2019. 18 pgs.
  • Kramar D.E., Emrick, V., and Fields, M. 2013. Bald eagle surveying and monitoring of the Nottoway Macro basin and Fort Pickett – Final Results. Prepared for ARNG-MTC Fort Pickett.
  • Klopfer, S.D., Kramar,D.E. and St.Germain, M. 2013. Analysis of Fox Activity and Survival in Foxhound Training Enclosures. Prepared for: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, March 2013.
  • Klopfer, S.D., Kramar, D.E., and St. Germaine, M. 2013. Climate change impacts on species of greatest conservation concern in Virginia. Prepared for: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, February 2013.
  • Kramar D.E., Emrick V., and St.Germaine M. 2012. Bald eagle surveying and monitoring of the Nottoway Macro basin and Fort Pickett – Final Results. Prepared for ARNG-MTC Fort Pickett. 
  • Nelson, S.J., P. Vaux, A. Grygo, R. Hallsworth, D. Kramar , January 31, 2006. Final Project Report: Searchable Park Access to Research Catchments (SPARC). National Park Service report.
  • Martin, C., Normandin, J., and D. Kramar. 2006 “Distribution and Productivity of Ospreys and Bald Eagles in the Umbagog Lake Ecosystem in 2005: Findings from the 2005 field season” Prepared for: Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. Submitted January 2, 2006.
  • DeSorbo, C R., D. C. Evers and D. Kramar.  2005.  Characterizing food habits and time budgets of Ospreys within the Lake Umbagog ecosystem. Report BRI 2005-14. BioDiversity Research Institute, Gorham, Maine. 21pp.
  • DeSorbo C, Taylor K, Daigle T, Kramar D, Evers D (2006) 2005 Aziscohos Lake Common Loon Population Survey and Management Report. Biodiversity Research Institute report (BRI ID # 2006-16) submitted to: FPL Energy Maine Hydro, Lewiston, Maine, pp 37
  • DeSorbo C, Daigle T, Kramar D, Evers D (2007) 2004 Aziscohos Lake Common Loon Population Survey and Management Report. Biodiversity Research Institute report (BRI ID # 2005-16) submitted to: FPL Energy Maine Hydro, Lewiston, Maine, pp 43
  • Walker, Gary, Parisher, E., Smith, P., Whitlock, D., Kramar, D. Matthes, U., Morefield, L., 2004. Characterization of Plant Community Structure and Abiotic Conditions on Climbed and Unclimbed Cliff Faces in the Obed River Gorge , Report submitted to the National Park Service, Obed River Gorge.

Published Datasets

Completed Projects

  • Improving Estimates of Crop Acreage and Type Using Sentinel 2 Data and Deep Learning. Red River Joint Water Resource District. PI: David Kramar. Co-PI’s: Grit May and Dave Kirkpatrick. Funded November 8, 2023. $18,750.00.
  • Stewardship Program: Improving Watershed Health in the Mustinka, Bois-de-Sioux, and Upper Red River of the North watersheds. Cargill Global Water Challenge. PI: David Kramar. Funded October 2023. $125,000.00.
  • Site-specific weed management in corn – improving weed mapping accuracy and an economic study of such approach. PI's: Paulo Flores, David Kramar, and Erik Hanson. Funded Sept 2021. $90,548.00.
  • Using Data-Driven Knowledge for Profitable Soybean Management Systems. North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP). PI's: Shawn Conley and Paul Esker. Collaborators: Laura Lindsey, Maninderpal Singh, Scott Nelson, Laura Thompson, Laila Puntel, David Kramar, and Seth Naeve. Funded August 2021. $1,435,533 ($120,000).