Jon Dewitz
NLCD Technical and Production Manager, Physical Scientist, Affiliate Faculty U. of Alaska Fairbanks, USGS EROS Center
Career History and Highlights: Jon Dewitz started with the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) in 2001 as the QA/QC lead and external contracting manager for the project. He was promoted to technical lead in 2008 with the USGS, and is currently both the technical and production manager. Over the years he has managed and trained all the members of the NLCD team as well as leading the release and production efforts for all NLCD products (excluding NLCD92). Dewitz has also led efforts to modernize Landcover mapping for the project through virtualization and scripting. These efforts include prototyping and designing the current NLCD and NLCD Shrub (a sister project to NLCD focused on rangeland ecosystems in the western U.S.) processing systems. Dewitz also led all Alaska mapping efforts and was affiliate faculty with the University of Alaska for joint research and mapping efforts. Jon is the CITT and Science branch project representative and the go to for any questions relating to NLCD Publications.
Education and Certifications
MS in Geography from South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
BS in Management Information Systems from Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD
The equivalent of a BS in Physics and Biology from North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND