• MSc: The spatial prevalance and associated factors of opioid overdose mortality in Milwaukee County, WI (2003-2018)
  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2021

I completed my undergraduate degree in Conservation & Environmental Science and my Masters in Geography from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. As part of my master’s research, I explored the relationship between socioeconomic/demographic characteristics and opioid mortality in Milwaukee, WI, USA from a spatial perspective (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sste.2022.100535). After graduating, I worked as a spatial analyst as part of the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, performing geographical analysis to examine epidemiologic trends of COVID-19 (and Monkeypox) in wastewater. These experiences fueled my interest in using big data, spatial analysis, and data science to solve real-world problems, leading me to pursue my PhD as part of the Envision DTP.

Broadly speaking, my current research focuses on how people access urban greenspace (and ecosystem services) in order to better understand the ideal greenspace layout in the urban environment, paving the way for better landscape management. By applying human mobility modelling with behavioral ecology models,  I will explore how humans access the landscape to find opportunities to benefit from nature. My research seeks to understand the “movement ecology of people” through an interdisciplinary approach combining ecology, geography, data science, and human dynamics.

2022

• PublishedThe spatial prevalence and associated factors of opioid overdose mortality in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (2003-2018)
  Schendl, A., Park, G. & Xu, Z., 1 Nov 2022, In: Spatial and Spatio-Temporal Epidemiology . 43, 100535.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review