Alexander Tedeschi

Expertise

Data engineering • Python • spatial databases • SQL • GIS • R

I help develop BirdCast software, a remote-sensing-based tool that applies weather radar data to the study of bird migration. I initially became interested in the project because I enjoy working with spatial data and because this application has the potential to indirectly reveal valuable information about the environmental consequences of climate change across the globe. Migratory birds are considered a bioindicator species as their migratory patterns and population dynamics can provide insights into the health of the ecosystems they traverse.

I originally became interested in geographic information systems (GIS) by examining the spatial distributions of geopolitical events in my first master’s degree program. I went on to pursue a degree in geoinformatics and gained experience in urban planning and the transportation industry, enhancing my technical skillset in spatial data science through coursework and on-the-job training. Subsequently, I worked in the energy sector in Norway where I primarily built applications that used maritime data (AIS signals) to infer various types of vessel activity and movement.

Education

M.Sc. Geospatial Technologies, IfGI (Institute for Geoinformatics), University of Münster
M.A. Regional Studies of Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, Harvard University
B.A. History, Global Studies

Outside the Cornell Lab

Beyond the Lab. I like to study foreign languages, their structures, and their historical development. Etymology is especially interesting as it delves into the history and development of words, tracing their roots through various languages and uncovering how they have evolved over time.