Karl Benedict (KarlBenedict)

Karl Benedict is a Senior Research Scientist, and IT Manager at the Earth Data Analysis Center at the University of New Mexico. In this capacity he coordinates new technology development at EDAC, and oversees the ongoing planning and maintenance of EDAC's constantly evolving IT infrastructure. Since 1986 he has followed parallel technology and research tracks. Relating to technology, he has worked extensively in data management and analysis, and since the mid-1990s has been developing web-based applications for a wide variety of end-user communities. Geospatial analysis, and application development has been a recurrent theme in his work, starting with the development of archaeological GIS application feasibility studies for the U.S. Forest Service in the late 1980s, and continuing through his coordination of and participation in the development of numerous web-based geospatial applications at the Earth Data Analysis Center.

Karl's academic background is in Anthropology, with an emphasis in Archaeology, having earned his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1986, and M.A (1995) and Ph.D. (2004) from the University of New Mexico. His research interests in Archaeology include paleoclimate modeling and reconstruction, locational response to subsistence risk, and the application of behavioral ecological models to human decision-making (dissertation on the subject).

Involvement in the ESIP Federation

Karl has been involved in ESIP Federation activities since joining the staff at EDAC in 2001, working on EDAC's original ESIP project. He has participated in the Federation's [[Interoperability and Technology|Information Technology