Bill
Laurence W. Carstensen Jr. (Bill), Professor and Head, carstens@vt.edu
Office:115A Major Williams Hall
Phone:540-231-2600
At Virginia Tech Since: 1983
Education: Ph.D., UNC-Chapel Hill, 1981

 

 

 


Research Interests:

  • Geographic Information Systems and wireless telecommunications - wave propagation modeling, ray tracing, and signal characterization. Software development for propagation modeling.
  • Unmanned vehicle navigation using GIS and GPS
  • Use of the computer to manipulate, store, and provide data on demand; also data collection and application of large databases to mapping software.
  • GIS algorithm design
  • Decision Support and Uncertainty
  • GIS as applied to teaching and learning of both basic and complex Geographic Principles.
  • Geographic Education through experiential learning and technology. Geographic Simulation, self-paced and hands-on learning.

Classes Recently Taught:

  • Geog 2314 - Maps and Mapping
  • Geog 3314 - Cartography
  • Geog 4084 - Introduction to GIS
  • Geog 4314 - Spatial Analysis in GIS
  • Geog 4324 - Algorithms in GIS
  • Geog 4384 - Arc/Info GIS
  • Geog 5314 - Advanced Spatial Analysis in GIS

Recent Publications:

  • Schiebe, Kevin, L. W. Carstensen, T.R. Rakes & L.P. Rees, 2005. "Going the Last Mile: A Spatial Decision Support System for Wireless Broadband Communications." Decision Support Systems
  • Lineback, N. and L.W. Carstensen. 2004. “The World Geography Bowl” in The Role of the South in the Making of American Geography: Centenial of the AAG. Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers, pp. 383-386
  • Kramar, D., W. Goodale, L.M. Kennedy, L.W. Carstensen, and T. Kaur, 2005 "Relating Land Cover Characteristics and Common Loon Mercury Levels Using Geographic Information Systems," Ecotoxicology 14: 253-262
  • 2004 (with Peter Sforza) "National Elevation Data for Slope and Aspect Calculations in ArcGIS." The Virginia Geospatial Newsletter, 2, 2, 10-11.
  • 2003 An Atlas of Virginia. (with R.W. Morrill and J.D. Enedy) Blacksburg, VA,: Virginia Geographic Alliance,
  • 2003 C.W. Bostian, W. M. Kurgan, Bill Carstensen, D.G. Sweeney, and T. Gallagher.“Broadband Communications for Disaster Response,” Space Communications, Vol.18, No. 3-4, 167-177.
  • 2001 L.W. Carstensen, C.W. Bostian, and G.E. Morgan, "CombiningElectromagnetic Propagation, Geographic Information Systems, and Financial Modeling in a Software Package for Broadband Wireless Wide Area Network Design." Proceedings of the International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications (ICEAA 01), pp. 799-810, Torino, Italy, September 10-14, 2001.
  • 2001 Carstensen, L.W. & R.W. Morrill, Geography for Life Explorers 2000: Exercise Book: The field study Guide for the US and Canada 47 pp.
  • 2000 Carstensen, L.W. & R.W. Morrill, Geography for Life Explorers 2000: Trip Atlas: The full color atlas of the 2000 Cross-continent exploration, 45pp.
  • 1999 Carstensen, L.W. & R.W. Morrill, Geography for Life Explorers: AMTRAK Across America '99 Data Book, The field study guide for Geography 5984,
    AMTRAK Across America '99, 103 pp.
  • 1999 Carstensen, L.W. & R.W. Morrill, Geography for Life Explorers: AMTRAK Across America '99 Exercise Book, The field study guide for Geography 5984, AMTRAK Across America '99, 80 pp.
  • 1998 Carstensen, L.W. & R.W. Morrill, Geography for Life Explorers: AMTRAK
    Across America '98 Field Book, The field study guide for Geography 5984, AMTRAK Across America '98, 405 pp.

Grants and Awards:

  • 2005 “A GIS Evaluation of Geographic Effects on Signal Propagation at 150 – 900Mhz. Frequencies”, funded by Lockheed Martin Corporation, $45,000. PI. James Campbell (GEOG) and Dennis Sweeney (ECE), co-PIs.
  • 2005 National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) "Ultra High Resolution Interactive Information Visualization," $497,933, co-PI (20%). Chris North, Department of Computer Science, PI.
  • 2004 Joint Unmanned Systems Test, Experimentation, and Research (JOUSTER) site; three-year contract funded by US Army, $12,200,000, co-PI (led by Mechanical Engineering)
  • 2004 "A GIS Evaluation of Geographic Effects on Signal Propagation at 150 - 900 Mhz. Frequencies" funded by Lockheed Martin Corporation, $80,000, PI (CWT)
  • 2003 "Spatial Variability of Commercial Off-the-Shelf Signal Strength Prediction Models" funded by Lockheed Martin Corporation, $35,000, PI (CWT)
  • 2003 National Council for Geographic Education Distinguished Teaching Achievement Award
  • 2003 Alumni Award for Outreach Excellence
  • 2001 Commonwealth of Virginia: $50,000 to support the activities of theVirginia Geographic Alliance for 2001-2002, with R.W. Morrill and Joseph Enedy (JMU); CO-PI.
  • 2001 Virginia Geographic Alliance: $46,000, Geography for Life Explorations (Amtrak and Via Rail across the United States and Canada) 2002 Summer
    Institute for Virginia teachers and out of state teachers. With R.W. Morrill; Co-Principal Investigator
  • 2001 Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission: $96,229 "The Town of Grundy Wireless Telecommunications Study", with Kent Nakamoto (MAR), principal investigator
  • 2000 Geographic Information Systems in Support of Market Analysis, Advance Auto Parts, $6,375, Principal Investigator
  • 2000 NSF Digital Government: Testbed for High-Speed 'End-to-End' Communications in Support of Comprehensive Emergency Management, National
    Science Foundation, $250,000, with Charles Bostian (EcpE) and Scott Midkiff (EcpE), CO-PI in charge of the Geographic Analysis and software development
    for GIS operations.
  • 2000 A Proposal to Study Henry and Patrick Counties to Determine the Options for LMDS Service: Henry County, VA, $155,402, with Charles Bostian (EcpE)
    and George Morgan (FIN); Co-PI in charge of the Geographic Analysis.
  • 2000 "Exploring the New Virginia Atlas": National Geographic Society, $32,020, with R.W. Morrill and Joseph Enedy (JMU), 2001-2002; CO-PI
  • 2000 Virginia Atlas Project: Virginia Geographic Alliance, $73,131 with R.W.Morrill and Joseph Enedy (JMU), 2001-2002; CO-PI
  • 2000 Commonwealth of Virginia: $50,000 to support the activities of the Virginia Geographic Alliance for 2000-2001, with R.W. Morrill and Joseph Enedy (JMU); CO-PI
  • 2000 National Geographic Society: $50.000 to support the activities of the Virginia Geographic Alliance for 2000-2001, with R.W. Morrill and Joseph Enedy (JMU); Co-PI
  • 2000 Virginia Geographic Alliance: $38,500, Geography for Life Explorations (Amtrak and Via Rail across the United States and Canada) 2000 Summer
    Institute for Virginia teachers and out of state teachers. With R.W. Morrill; Co-PI
  • 1999 National Science Foundation: $199,611 "The Geographic Engineering Tool for Wireless: Evaluation of Broadband Systems (GETWEBS)" (with C. Bostian,
    G. Morgan).