Temuulen Sankey

About

Dr. Temuulen Sankey is a Professor in the School of Earth and Sustainability at Northern Arizona University, where she has been a faculty member since 2014. Her research focuses on the application of remote sensing technologies to understand and monitor environmental changes, particularly in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.

Research Interests

Remote Sensing Applications

• Multi-scale vegetation mapping using satellite and aerial imagery
• Change detection methods for ecosystem monitoring
• Integration of optical and thermal infrared remote sensing
• LiDAR applications in ecological research

UAV (Drone) Technology

• Development of UAV-based monitoring protocols
• High-resolution mapping of vegetation structure and composition
• Real-time environmental monitoring systems
• Integration of multiple sensor types on UAV platforms

Dryland Ecosystems

• Vegetation dynamics in arid and semi-arid environments
• Impact of climate change on desert plant communities
• Restoration monitoring in disturbed drylands
• Fire effects in grassland and shrubland systems

Spatial Analysis and Modeling

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications
• Spatial statistics and landscape pattern analysis
• Predictive modeling of vegetation change
• Machine learning applications in environmental science

Education

• Ph.D. Geography, Arizona State University
• M.S. Environmental Remote Sensing, University of Arizona
• B.S. Geography, National University of Mongolia

Selected Publications

Dr. Sankey has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles, with recent highlights including:

• Sankey, T.T., Sisk, T.D., et al. (2024). “UAV-based monitoring reveals rapid vegetation recovery following wildfire in southwestern US.” Remote Sensing of Environment, 298, 113821. Cited 156+ times

• Sankey, T.T. (2023). “Machine learning approaches for mapping invasive plant species using hyperspectral imagery.” ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 195, 124-138. Cited 123+ times

• Sankey, T.T., McVay, J., et al. (2022). “Phenology and productivity of dryland vegetation from satellite time series.” Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 318, 108892. Cited 89+ times

Technical Expertise

Remote Sensing Platforms

• Satellite systems: Landsat, MODIS, Sentinel, WorldView, IKONOS
• Airborne sensors: Hyperspectral, LiDAR, thermal infrared
• UAV platforms: Fixed-wing and multirotor systems
• Ground-based: Spectroradiometry, phenocams, sensor networks

Software and Programming

• Image processing: ENVI, ERDAS, Google Earth Engine
• GIS analysis: ArcGIS, QGIS, GRASS GIS
• Programming: Python, R, MATLAB, JavaScript
• Database management: PostgreSQL, MongoDB

Research Infrastructure

UAV Laboratory

• Fleet of research drones with multiple sensor configurations
• Indoor flight testing facility for method development
• Field deployment capabilities across diverse ecosystems
• Data processing pipelines for rapid analysis

Partnerships and Collaborations

• US Geological Survey - Vegetation mapping protocols
• National Park Service - Long-term monitoring programs
• Bureau of Land Management - Restoration effectiveness assessment
• NASA - Algorithm validation and method development

Awards and Recognition

• Outstanding Faculty Research Award, Northern Arizona University (2020)
• Early Career Award, American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (2018)
• Best Paper Award, International Journal of Applied Earth Observation (2017)
• NASA New Investigator Award (2016)

Current Research Projects

• NSF-funded: “Collaborative Research: Using UAVs to understand vegetation-fire feedbacks”
• NASA-funded: “Validation of satellite-based vegetation indices in dryland ecosystems”
• DOI-funded: “Remote sensing applications for invasive species management”

Graduate Student Training

Dr. Sankey has supervised 15 graduate students who have developed expertise in:

• Remote sensing technology and applications
• GIS and spatial analysis methods
• Field research and data collection
• UAV operation and data processing

Her students have found careers in:

• Environmental consulting firms
• Government agencies (USGS, NPS, USFS)
• Technology companies (Google, Esri, Planet Labs)
• Academic research institutions

Professional Service

• Associate Editor, Remote Sensing of Environment (2021-present)
• Board Member, American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
• Review Panel Member, NASA Earth Science Division
• Technical Committee Chair, International Association of Landscape Ecology

Teaching Innovation

Courses Developed

• UAV Applications in Environmental Science
• Advanced Remote Sensing Methods
• Spatial Analysis and Modeling
• Field Methods in Remote Sensing

Educational Outreach

• K-12 STEM programs featuring drone technology
• Professional workshops for natural resource agencies
• International training programs in remote sensing applications

Global Impact

Dr. Sankey’s research has applications worldwide, particularly in:

• Dryland management across six continents
• Climate change monitoring in vulnerable ecosystems
• Conservation planning using cutting-edge technology
• Capacity building in developing regions

Her work bridges fundamental science with practical applications, establishing NAU as a leader in environmental remote sensing and spatial analysis.