The Polis Center at IUPUI announced today that Tarek Rashed has joined the Center to direct and further develop the GeoInformatics project portfolio of partners in the fields of emergency management, hazard risk analysis, disaster mitigation, land-use planning, and economic development.

Rashed earned his Ph.D. through the joint doctoral program of San Diego State University and the University of California, Santa Barbara and brings a wealth of experience within the geospatial information technology and spatial decision-making industries. He spent the past six years at Geospatial Applied Research Experts House (GSAREH), where he was instrumental in helping the company become recognized as a premier provider of geospatial innovation and cutting-edge solutions in planning support systems, spatial data infrastructure, and geospatial intelligence. Prior to that, he served as a faculty member at the Universities of Redlands, Oklahoma, and Southern California.

Rashed, who has led and consulted for a substantial number of professional and technical projects in the US and overseas, commented, “I am excited to join The Polis Center and look forward to working with the GeoInformatics team to further develop and diversify our innovative applications of GIS and GIScience to serve the communities of Indiana and our various constituencies within the state and beyond. I am fortunate to be joining a well-recognized academic institution that prides itself on utilizing technologies to strengthen community resilience and civic capabilities.”

David Bodenhamer, Executive Director of The Polis Center, said “Tarek’s skill and knowledge within the geospatial industry makes him an essential addition to The Polis Center family. We view his appointment as a sign of our commitment to developing creative responses to the challenges that face Indiana communities and to enhancing our state’s ability to take advantage of exciting new opportunities offered by geospatial technologies. It is very opportune that we were able to find someone of Tarek’s caliber to fulfill this role.”