Al Artat Bin Ali
Short Bio
Al Artat Bin Ali is a PhD candidate in Earth System Science and a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Geosciences at Auburn University. His research integrates geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), spatial statistics, and machine learning to investigate climate-related hazards, environmental change, and community resilience.
His research focuses on extreme heat, urban heat islands, climate vulnerability, industrial water pollution, and compound flood-contamination risks. By integrating satellite observations, environmental datasets, and socioeconomic indicators, he develops geospatial models and analytical frameworks to identify environmental risk patterns and support evidence-based decision-making.
Ali has authored or coauthored 10 peer-reviewed journal articles and three book chapters. His research has received several distinctions, including the 2026 COSAM Dean's Research Award for PhD Students, the 2026 Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS) Student Research Scholarship, and second place for the 2025 Ashok K. Dutt Award for Best Graduate Student Paper from the American Association of Geographers.
Education
PhD in Earth System Science Auburn University, USA Expected Summer 2027
Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information System Science Auburn University, USA Spring 2025
MS in Geography and Environmental Studies Auburn University, USA Summer 2024
MS in Physical Geography and Environment University of Dhaka, Bangladesh 2015
BS (Honors) in Geography and Environment University of Dhaka, Bangladesh 2014
Professional Experience
Graduate Research AssistantÂ
Department of Geosciences, Auburn University
August 2026 â Present
Conducts GIS-based analysis and visualization of citizen-science water-quality data through the project "Co-Designing Resiliency: From Monitoring to Making Change with Citizen Science Water Data." Develops geospatial datasets, environmental maps, and analytical products to support watershed assessment and community-based environmental research in Alabama.
Graduate Research AssistantÂ
Department of Geosciences, Auburn University
January 2026 â July 2026
Contributed to the project "Urban Resilience and Social Vulnerability: The Past, Present, and Future of Climate Change Impacts in Mobile, Alabama." Integrated environmental, climate, and socioeconomic datasets to investigate spatial patterns of climate vulnerability and support community resilience planning.
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Department of Geosciences, Auburn University
August 2022 â December 2025
Supported instruction in Concepts of Science and Global Geography through laboratory teaching, applied learning activities, student mentoring, grading, and academic guidance.
Graduate Research Assistant, USGS Project
Department of Geosciences, Auburn University
June 2023 â December 2024
Contributed to the USGS Earth as Art project by processing satellite imagery and producing remote sensing visualizations for public education. Supported the development of virtual reality learning experiences to promote Earth science education and STEM engagement.
Innovation
JOURNAL ARTICLES
Ali, A. A. B., & Nelson, J. (2026). Spatiotemporal toxicity: Emerging patterns of industrial water pollution in the Coosa River watershed, USA (2000â2020). Environmental Management, 76, 153.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-026-02457-6
Ali, A. A. B., Mitra, C., Rishal, F. H., et al. (2026). Mapping and predicting urban heat island intensity hotspots through a spaceâtime machine learning framework in Bangladesh. Computational Urban Science, 6, 14.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s43762-026-00249-6
Ali, A. A. B., & Nelson, J. (2025). Integrative multi-criteria geospatial modeling for assessing compound flood-contamination risks in vulnerable communities. Environmental Processes, 12, 58.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40710-025-00803-0
Ali, A. A. B., Mitra, C., & Rahaman, S. K. N. (2025). Mapping the heat with spatial trends and emerging temperature hotspots in the Contiguous U.S. (CONUS) counties from 2000 to 2022. Spatial Information Research, 33, 35.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41324-025-00634-z
Rahaman, S. N., Nelson, J., Ali, A. A. B., et al. (2024). A multivariate geostatistical framework to assess the spatio-temporal dynamics of air pollution and land surface temperature in Bangladesh. Earth Systems and Environment.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-024-00418-9
Ahmed, A., Ali, A. A. B., Mahboob, M., & Humaira, F. (2023). Comparison between local and global methods to develop AQI in representing the spatial pattern of air quality of Dhaka City. The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
https://doi.org/10.3329/dujees.v11i1.63716
Toa, S. S., & Ali, A. A. B. (2022). A remote sensing-based approach to identifying spatio-temporal changes in coastal morphology in Bhola District, Bangladesh. Journal of Engineering Advancements.
https://doi.org/10.38032/jea.2022.03.002
Ali, A. A. B., & Toa, S. S. (2022). Impact of riverbank erosion: A case study of Naria Upazila of Shariatpur District, Bangladesh. Human Nature Journal of Social Sciences, 3(1), 18â30.
https://doi.org/10.71016/hnjss/nw1ve943
Islam, M. S., Akter, E., Debnath, P., Islam, M. S., & Ali, A. A. B. (2021). Characteristics of sediment in the inner shelf zone of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Maritime Journal, Special Issue, 179â194. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh. ISSN 2520-1840.
Khatun, H., Sumiya, N. N., & Ali, A. A. B. (2021). Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Bangladesh: Does population density matter? The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 8(2), 1â15.
https://doi.org/10.3329/dujees.v8i2.54834
BOOK CHAPTERS
Ali, A. A. B., Sumiya, N. N., & Islam, M. S. (2023). Floods of Gorai-Madhumati and Arial Khan Rivers, Bangladesh. In A. Islam et al., Floods in the GangaâBrahmaputraâMeghna Delta. Springer Geography. Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21086-0_22
Sumiya, N. N., Ali, A. A. B., & Kabir, M. (2019). Flash floods in northeastern Bangladesh: Looking back-moving forward. In H. Khatun, A. Baqee, & H. Kabir (Eds.), People at Risk: Disaster and Despair (pp. 211â230). Disaster Research Training and Management Centre, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Ali, A. A. B., & Khatun, H. (2018). Anthropogenic stress on resource exploitation: A study on Cox's Bazar hill forests. In H. Khatun, N. Ahmad, A. Q. M. Mahbub, & H. Kabir (Eds.), Environment and Sustainable Development in Bangladesh: Geographical Perspectives (pp. 197â218). Department of Geography and Environment, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Engagement
Ali is actively involved in STEM education, environmental outreach, and community engagement. He serves as Director of Outreach and Engagement (2026–2027) for the Regional Development and Planning Specialty Group of the American Association of Geographers.
At Auburn University, he has participated in Destination STEM outreach activities, including serving as an exhibitor in October 2026 and supporting the program's educational activities for school students in 2024. He has also contributed to public heat-risk awareness initiatives using infrared thermometers and interactive thermal demonstrations.
His outreach experience includes developing satellite imagery and virtual reality educational content through a USGS-supported project, facilitating environmental awareness workshops in Bangladesh, and organizing an academic conference session on reducing vulnerability to extreme weather events in South Asia.
Through these activities, he seeks to make geospatial and environmental science more accessible to students, educators, and communities.
AWARDS AND HONORS
Deanâs Research Award for PhD Students
College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University
2026
CaGIS Student Research Scholarship
Cartography and Geographic Information Society
2026
Ashok K. Dutt Award for Best Graduate Student Paper (Second Place)
Regional Development and Planning Specialty Group, American Association of Geographers
2025
Graduate Student Council Travel Fellowship
Auburn University
2026
COSAM Graduate Travel Award
College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University
2025
Geosciences Advisory Board Travel Grant
Auburn University
2025â2026
COSAM Allsup Fellowship
College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University
2022
National Science and Technology Fellowship
Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of Bangladesh
2016
Academic Leadership and Engagement
Director of Outreach and Engagement
Regional Development and Planning Specialty Group, American Association of Geographers (AAG)
2026â2027
Student Representative
Asian Geography Specialty Group, American Association of Geographers (AAG)
2026â2027
Exhibitor, Destination STEM
Department of Geosciences, Auburn University
2024, 2026
STEM Outreach Contributor, Heat Exposure Awareness Campaign
Auburn University Tailgate Outreach Program
2024
Project Leader, Environmental Quality Assessment and Mapping of Dhaka City
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
2021â2022
Project Leader, Marine Sediment Research
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
2020â2021
Field Research Coordinator
Disaster Research Training and Management Centre, University of Dhaka
2017â2018
Community Workshop Facilitator, Environmental Risk and Hazard Awareness
Bangladesh
Team Leader, National Environmental Fair (First Place)
Department of Geography and Environment, University of Dhaka
2013â2014
Research Secretary, Environmental Club
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
2012â2014
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Decoding the Anthropogenic Footprint on Thermal Discomfort Across the Deep South United States
American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, USA
March 17â21, 2026
Al Artat Bin Ali and Chandana Mitra.
Trend Analysis of Weather Patterns in Mobile, Alabama
American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, USA
March 17â21, 2026
K. Schmitkons, Chandana Mitra, Al Artat Bin Ali, Binita Mahato, and Rebecca Retzlaff.
Beat the Heat: Creating Preparedness and Resiliency Among Alabama Communities
American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, USA
March 17â21, 2026
K. Schmitkons, Chandana Mitra, Al Artat Bin Ali, Kyle Crider, Joellen Sefton, and Jim Doody.
Integrating Heat Index Trends with Vegetation Stress and Urban Expansion Across Deep South States of the USA
Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG) Annual Meeting, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
November 23â24, 2025
Al Artat Bin Ali and Chandana Mitra.
Spatial Risk Assessment of Social Vulnerability to Contaminated River Water: A Case Study of Coosa River Watershed
American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, Detroit, Michigan, USA
March 24â28, 2025
Al Artat Bin Ali and Jake Nelson.
Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Urban Heat Islands in Bangladesh (1990â2024) Using GEE and the Random Forest Model
American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, Detroit, Michigan, USA
March 24â28, 2025
Chandana Mitra, Al Artat Bin Ali, and Faiyad Rishal.
Assessing Flood-Induced Contamination Risks in the Coosa River Basin: A Geospatial Approach
Alabama Water Resources Conference, Orange Beach, Alabama, USA
September 6â8, 2023
Al Artat Bin Ali and Jake Nelson.
Spatio-Temporal Changes in the Morphology of Bhola District with Special Reference to Bankline and Shoreline Migration
International Conference on Earth and Environmental Sciences and Technology (ICEEST), Dhaka, Bangladesh
January 25â27, 2020
Sharmin Sultana Toa and Al Artat Bin Ali.
Fire Hazard Risk and Preparedness in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Case Study of Chawkbazar Area
Bangladesh Geographical Society Conference, Dhaka, Bangladesh
March 30, 2019
Al Artat Bin Ali and Sharmin Sultana Toa.
Assessment of Anthropogenic Stress in Terms of Resource Utilization in Cox's Bazar Hill Forest
15th Bangladesh National Geographical Conference, Dhaka, Bangladesh
November 24, 2017
Al Artat Bin Ali and Hafiza Khatun.
