Eric Kasischke, Senate Past Chair
Eric S. Kasischke received his PhD from the University of Michigan in 1992. He spent 25 years as a research scientist for a non-for profit institute before joining the University of Maryland in 2000. As a Professor of Biogeography, his research focuses on understanding how climate warming and other factors cause variations in wildfire activity in Alaska and Canada, and the impacts these fires have on boreal forests and peatlands. The research he and his students conduct is based on data collected during field trips in Alaska and northern Alberta and by spaceborne remote sensing systems, as well as data compiled by fire management agencies. He has co-edited two books, and authored or co-authored over 100 journal articles and 32 book chapters. Within the Department of Geography, he has served as Graduate Director, and at the University level, he has served on the Campus APT Committee, Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee, and Chair of the Joint President/Senate Faculty Merit Pay Task Force.