Jiyoung Lee is a geographer and geospatial researcher with interests in applying geographic data, machine learning techniques, and spatial analysis to societal issues such as crime, flood risk, health, and urban resilience. She earned her Ph.D. in Geography from Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2024 under the supervision of Dr. Michael Leitner. Her doctoral research examined ways to extend environmental criminology through the use of street-level digital imagery, geospatial analysis, and machine learning approaches to better understand how built environments relate to spatial patterns of crime.
Alongside her doctoral training, Dr. Lee completed a Master of Science in Computer Science at LSU in 2022. Her master’s project applied machine learning methods to Google Street View imagery to explore theft hotspots within the framework of environmental criminology theory. She also holds a Master of Arts in Geography and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, with a minor in Information Technology and Computer Software, from Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul, Republic of Korea. This interdisciplinary background has shaped her interest in combining geographic theory with computational and data-driven methods.
Dr. Lee currently works as a Geographic Information System Informatician II at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, where she contributes geospatial and analytical support for public health and social service programs. Previously, she served as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer in the Community and Regional Planning Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her research experiences include projects related to crime analysis, flood risk and environmental hazards, health-related vulnerability, and community resilience, often conducted in collaboration with planners, engineers, and policy researchers.
Her work commonly uses GIS, remote sensing, GeoAI, geovisualization, web-based mapping, and machine learning techniques, supported by programming in Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and SQL. She has contributed to peer-reviewed journal articles, encyclopedia entries, and research reports addressing topics such as environmental criminology, disaster risk reduction, flood resilience, and spatial perspectives on health and vulnerability. Through teaching and guest lectures, she has supported instruction in GIS, spatial analysis, remote sensing, and planning methods.
Dr. Lee aims to continue developing research that thoughtfully integrates geography, machine learning, and geospatial technology to better understand complex spatial relationships in society, environment, crime, and health. Through careful analysis and clear cartographic communication, she hopes her work can contribute, in modest but meaningful ways, to informed decision-making and positive change in communities.
NEWS
08/2025Jiyoung serves as Co-PI of “Pedestrian Safety and Streetscape Features: Innovative GeoAI-Based Approach Using Street View Imagery" project
08/2025Jiyoung starts a new position as GIS Informatician II at Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
08/2025Jiyoung attends 2025 Texas A&M CyberTraining Summer School in College Station, Texas, from August 11 – 15, 2025
08/2025Jiyoung has been featured in Nebraska Today Link
08/2025Jiyoung has been featured in Omaha World-Herald Link
08/2025Jiyoung attends 2025 Scientists and Engineers Early Career Development (SEED) in Atlanta, Georgia, from August 5 – 6, 2025
07/2025Jiyoung receives 2025 Texas A&M CyberTraining Summer School Travel Award
06/2025Jiyoung receives 2025 Scientists and Engineers Early Career Development (SEED) Travel Award
02/2025Jiyoung delivers an invited presentation during the League of Nebraska Municipalities-2025 Midwinter Conference
01/2025Jiyoung serves as Co-PI of “Southeast Nebraska Infrastructure Inventory" project
08/2024Jiyoung has been featured in the ACSP Current News: University Member News Link
08/2024Jiyoung receives her PhD degree from Geography at LSU
08/2024Jiyoung starts her new position as a Lecturer at University of Nebraska - Lincoln Link
07/2024Jiyoung starts her new position as a postdoctoral researcher at University of Nebraska - Lincoln
07/2024Jiyoung has been featured in the Global Tiger Blog Link
05/2024Jiyoung receives a certificate for the Graduate Geographic Information Science
04/2024Jiyoung wins Landscape Photography Competition from Landscape Specialty Group
04/2024Jiyoung was selected as a finalist for the CISG Student Competition and presents her research at AAG 2024
04/2023Jiyoung starts to serve as a student representative at the CyberInfrastructure Specialty Group (CISG) from AAG
01/2024Jiyoung presents an Invited Talk at the I-GUIDE Virtual Consulting Office: Introduction to the GeoAI Foundation Model and Its Application Link
12/2023Jiyoung secures a 2023 grant for Social Science Research Support Project Using Data provided by Underscore in the Republic of Korea Link
11/2023Jiyoung has been featured in the local online news Link
10/2023Jiyoung gives a presentation at I-GUIDE Forum 2023 Link
09/2023Jiyoung delivers an invited presentation as part of NIJ's Research Track during the Annual Training Conference hosted by IACA Link
08/2023Jiyoung wins Interactive Dashboard category of the Analytical Products Contest at the IACA Conference Link
08/2023Jiyoung starts to serve as a student representative at the Applied Geography Specialty Group in Association of American Geography (AAG) Link
08/2023Jiyoung attends I-GUIDE Summer School in Boulder, Colorado, from August 7 – 11, 2023 Link
05/2023Jiyoung wins the Graduate Research Conference 2023 - Poster Section Link
03/2023Jiyoung receives 2022-2023 Graduate Student Association Travel Award Link
03/2023Jiyoung receives AAG EPBG (Environmental Perception & Behavioral Geography Specialty Group) Travel Award Link
03/2023Jiyoung receives AAG AGSG (Applied Geography Specialty Group) Travel Award Link
12/2022Jiyoung receives her Master degree from Computer Science at LSU
02/2022Jiyoung receives AAG AGSG (Applied Geography Specialty Group) Travel & Research Award Link
08/2021Jiyoung receives a research grant from the Research Idea Pitch Competition organized by Gyeonggi Research Institute (GRI) Link
08/2021Jiyoung receives a Marshall Plan Scholarship Grant Link
04/2020Jiyoung receives 2019-2020 Graduate Student Association Travel Award Link
02/2018Jiyoung receives her Master degree from Geography at Sungshin Women's University
12/2017Jiyoung receives Minister's Awards for the Best Civil Advisory on National Spatial Data
12/2016Jiyoung wins Excellence Award, Geospatial Map Idea Contest
08/2016Jiyoung receives her Bachelor degree from Geography at Sungshin Women's University
06/2016Jiyoung wins Silver Prize, 2016 Annual Meeting of Korean Geographers – Poster Session
05/2016Jiyoung wins Best Study Group Award, Sungshin Study Groups (GIStudy)
09/2015Jiyoung wins Excellence Study Group Award, Sungshin Study Groups (GIStudy)
09/2015Jiyoung wins Excellence Study Group Award, Sungshin Study Groups (GIStudy)
05/2015Jiyoung wins Excellence Study Group Award, Sungshin Study Groups (GIStudy)
11/2014Jiyoung organizes a photography education session Link
10/2014Jiyoung organizes a Geophoto exhibition in Hyehwa Subway Station Link
09/2014Jiyoung wins Excellence Study Group Award, Sungshin Study Groups (GIStudy)
07/2014Jiyoung receives a grant of 2014 Seoul Neighborhood Culture Club from Citizen Artist Support, Seoul, Republic of Korea
09/2013Jiyoung wins Best Study Group Award, Sungshin Study Groups (Daedongyeojido)