Duncanson, Laura

I am a remote sensing scientist interested in forest structure mapping, monitoring, and forest ecology. I use novel remote sensing technologies and methods to further our understanding of forest carbon stock and flux, their drivers and spatio-temporal dynamics. I have worked primarily with LiDAR remote sensing, although also have experience with Landsat, Landsat disturbance products, SAR, and high-resolution optical datasets. I focus on developing and applying techniques that are non-site specific or ecosystem-specific, and am currently engaged on the GEDI science team to help lead the development of empirical biomass equations for GEDI. I am also on NASA's ICESat-2 and ABoVE Science teams working to develop algorithms for mapping boreal forest structure toward global forest carbon accounting. I also serve on NASA’s Carbon Monitoring System’s Science team and as a co-lead of CEOS’s Land Product Validation Biomass sub-group to work toward a consistent international protocol for global biomass product calibration and validation. Beyond forest structure mapping, I am interested in testing ecological theory with remote sensing data, and our group is working toward understanding linkages between forest structure and biodiversity in global protected areas.