Biography
Dr. Timothy Nyerges is Professor Emeritus of Geography at the Department of Geography, University of Washington. He was the founding Director of the Master of GIS for Sustainability Management Program 2010-2018, and retired from teaching within the in-residence Geography Program in 2020. Tim earned his Ph.D. degree in geography from The Ohio State University in 1980 and worked in the geographic information systems industry as a software architect for 5 years before joining the faculty at the University of Washington in 1985. His research and teaching specialties include geographic information systems and science, spatial decision support systems and group decision making, geodesign, water, land use/cover, transportation, coastal sustainability management, sustainability modeling using GIS, and sustainability information science.
In regards to research and teaching, Tim has authored/co-authored five books, 45 refereed articles, 21 book chapters, and other publications. His co-edited book on Cognitive Aspects of Human-computer Interaction for Geographic Information Systems, published in 1995, is a significant document in the field of human-computer interactions. His two subsequent books (co-authored with P. Jankowski) on Geographic Information Systems for Group Decision Making: Toward a Participatory Geographic Information Science (2001) and Regional and Urban GIS: A Decision Support Approach (2010) are classics in the field. Working with colleagues at the National Research Council, Tim also contributed to the book on GIS for Housing and Urban Development. His most recent book, Handbook of GIS & Society, co-edited with Robert McMaster and Helen Couclelis (2011), contributes to a deeper understanding of how GIS is impacting society and vice versa. Tim’s research has been funded by agencies such as NSF, NOAA, EPA, Energy, and others to support his research with online decision support, CyberGIS, vulnerability mapping, and sustainability information science. Tim’s contributions to geographic information science education include developing and teaching courses in GIS and developing a Master of GIS for Sustainability Management program degree. Tim advises PhD, MA, MGIS, and undergraduate students from across the University of Washington campus.
In regards to national service, Tim has served on Editorial Boards of several journals, NSF panels, NRC committees, as Association of American Geographers (AAG) GISS Specialty Group Chair 2004-2005, and as a member of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee. He served the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) as Chair of the Research committee in 2005-2007, President-elect in 2008, President in 2009-2010, Past President 2011-2012, and Treasurer 2013-2016. Tim was awarded a UCGIS Fellow 2015, an AAG GIS Specialty Group’s 2015 Aageenbrug Distinguished Career Award, and a UCGIS 2014 National Service Award.