Program Faculty

Michael Shin is Associate Professor of Geography at UCLA, Director of UCLA’s professional certificate program in Geospatial Information Systems and Technology (GIST) and co-chair of the Spatial Demography Group at the California Center for Population Research (CCPR).  He has been teaching introductory and advanced geographic information systems (GIS), and related courses in digital cartography, spatial analysis, and geographic data visualization and analysis for over ten years.  Professor Shin was recently nominated to receive UCLA’s Copenhaver Award that recognizes faculty for their innovative use of technology in the classroom.  Much of his teaching materials draw directly from his research interests that span a range of topics from globalization and democracy to the social consequences of geospatial technology.  Professor Shin has also worked with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and USAID to explore and examine food insecurity around the world with GIS.  In his free time, Professor Shin enjoys playing golf, fly-fishing and photography.

Yongwei Sheng is Associate Professor of Geography at UCLA and is an expert in using geospatial information systems and technology for environmental monitoring and assessment.  He has over a decade of experience teaching courses in geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing and photogrammetry.  Professor Sheng seeks to contribute to the development of scientific, theoretical and methodological aspects of GIST and is actively engaged in projects that use GIS to assess natural resource and environmental issues across the Tibetan Plateau and in arctic Alaska.  His research is supported by the National Science Foundation and NASA.  In his spare time, Professor Sheng enjoys exploring the ethnic cuisine of Los Angeles and long walks on the beach.