Graduate researcher and educator

As a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I guide students through remote sensing analytics and prepare future pilots for FAA Part 107 certification. My research integrates multispectral imagery, Python-driven automation, and ecological expertise to monitor land change and environmental health.

Current thesis work: Satellite Anthrax Surveillance in Texas, USA.

PlanetScope strips being processed in Plaknit

Plaknit

Plaknit is the open notebook for my Master's thesis, where I record my PlanetScope processing decisions, test, and QA step as I map anthrax-prone rangelands. The repo packages the GDAL + Orfeo Toolbox workflows I use so collaborators can replay the mosaics or adapt the code to new landscapes.

Key plaknit features:

  • Parallel masking of Planet strips against their UDM rasters to remove haze, seams, and nodata artifacts.
  • Pre-tuned Orfeo Toolbox mosaicking with RAM hints so the same pipeline runs on laptops or HPC schedulers.
  • Python helpers for normalized-difference indices and Random Forest classification on Planet stacks.

Applied collaborations

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory I was part of an interdisciplinary team applying AI and machine learning to maritime surveillance, building deep learning pipelines for vessel detection in commercial satellite imagery. On campus, I help keep GIS labs running, assist in UAS field missions, and prototype tools that cut hours from research workflows.

  • Deep learning for vessel detection and activity analysis in satellite imagery.
  • UAV data collection and processing for hydrological systems.
  • Python utilities that turn complex geospatial tasks into repeatable steps.
See research highlights

Teaching with industry context

I design labs that mirror the expectations of professional remote sensing teams. Recent sessions walk students through Google Earth Engine workflows, TensorFlow model evaluation, and UAS mission planning. Guest lectures across the department focus on natural hazards, advanced sensing techniques, and bringing data storytelling into the classroom.

See teaching highlights

Publications

Published

  • Herrero, H. V., Van der Walt, Z. L., Bunting, E. L., Insalaco, S. A., Spining, J. D., Finch, D. Z., Southworth, J., & Blackburn, J. K. (2026). Pathways to Sustainable Land Stewardship in South Africa's Wine-Producing Regions. Sustainability, 18(8), 3825. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18083825

In preparation

  • Finch, D.Z., Herrero, H.V., & Blackburn, J.K. (in preparation). plaknit: An open-source Python package for large-scale PlanetScope imagery processing. Target journal: Journal of Open-Source Software.
  • Finch, D.Z., Herrero, H.V., Nthiga, N., & Blackburn, J.K. (in preparation). A high-resolution remote sensing approach to disease ecologies in the Texas Anthrax Triangle. Target journal: Journal of Biogeography.

Credentials at a glance

Education

Master of Science, Geography (August 2026)
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Focus: Remote Sensing and Geospatial Software Engineering

Bachelor of Science, Geographic Information Science & Technology, Magna Cum Laude, 2024

Certification

FAA Remote Pilot (Small UAS)
Certificate No. 5217840
Valid through September 2027

Recognitions

ASPRS Mid-South Best Student Presentation (2026)
UTK Graduate Student Senate Travel Award (2026)
Bruce Ralston Geospatial Achievement Award (2025)
TN View Remote Sensing Fellow (2025)
UT GIS&T Student of Distinction (2024)

Memberships

AAG, ASPRS, Southeastern Division of the AAG
UTK GeogGrads, Events Committee Representative
UTK Drylands and Remote Sensing for Conservation Lab (DARC), Managing Member