Blair Mirka

University of New Mexico
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
Ph.D. in Geography, Minor in Museum Studies
Dissertation: America's Next Top Model: 3D Modeling of Museum Specimens for Automated Ground Beetle Identification
Major Professor: Dr. Christopher Lippitt
Fall 2025

San Diego State University
Department of Geography
MS Geography (GIScience)
Thesis: Evaluation of Thermal Infrared Imaging from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Arboreal Wildlife Surveillance
Major Professor: Dr. Douglas Stow
June 2020

University of Northern Iowa
Department of Geography
BS Geography (GIS: Environmental Science and Policy)
Graduated Cum Laude
May 2018

Remote Pilot (Part 107) | Federal Aviation Administration (2024)
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Cartography | University of Northern Iowa (2018)
PADI Open Water Diver | Professional Association of Diving Instructors (2016)

GIS, Remote Sensing, Structure-from-Motion, Computer Vision, Distance Sampling, Digital Specimens, Photogrammetry, Science Communication

Programming: Bootstrap, CSS, HTML, JavaScript (D3, jQuery), Python, R, RStudio, SQL

Software & Programs: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Agisoft Metashape, ArcCatalog, ArcMap, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, Blender, CloudCompare, eMotion 2, ENVI, ERDAS IMAGINE, Helicon Remote, Helicon Focus, Pathfinder Office, Pix4D, MeshLab, Microsoft Office, QGIS, TerrSet, Visual Studio Code

Blair Mirka, Christopher Lippitt. Labeled 2D images from 3D models of museum specimens; The impact of Structure from Motion modeling parameters on rendered 2D images. ZooKeys (2025)

Mirka, B., Lippitt C.D., Harris G.M., Converse R.L., Gurule M., Sesnie S.E., Butler M.J., Stewart D.R., and Rossman Z. Towards Fully Automated Wildlife Population Density Monitoring and Distance Estimation in Camera Trap Images: A Photogrammetric Approach. Ecological Informatics (2025)

Theodros Woldeyohannes et al. (incl. Blair Mirka). Waste fire surveillance using remote sensing and air contaminant monitoring. Journal of Waste Management (In Review, 2025)

Mirka, B.A., Stow, D., Paulus, G., Loerch, A., Coulter, L., An, L., Lewison, R., and Pflüger, L. Evaluation of Thermal Infrared Imaging from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Arboreal Wildlife Surveillance. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. March 2022

2025 Doctoral Conference Presentation Award | University of New Mexico
2024 Selected Participant, Beetlepalooza, Imageomics Institute | The Ohio State University
2023 Levings Graduate Fellowship in Science and Technology | University of New Mexico
2023 ACM SIGSPATIAL NSF Travel Award | ACM SIGSPATIAL
2023 Rodman E. Snead Scholarship | University of New Mexico

ASPRS Student Chapter Secretary (2024–Present) | University of New Mexico
ASPIRE Center: ASPIREational Talk Coordinator (2022–2023) | University of New Mexico
ASPIRE Center: ASPIRE Open House Coordinator (2022–2023) | University of New Mexico
ASPRS Student Chapter President and Founder (2021–2023) | University of New Mexico
Graduate Student Computing Liaison (2019–2022) | San Diego State University

UAS Services Manager
ASPIRE Center, University of New Mexico | 2024–Present

Museum Tech Conservator – Operational
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science | 2023–2024

Lab Manager and Research Assistant
ASPIRE Center, University of New Mexico | 2023–2024

Digitization and 3D Modeling Consultant
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science | 2023

NSF Complex Human-Environmental Systems Graduate Research Assistant
San Diego State University | 2018–2020

Digital Approaches in Museums; MSST 485/585
Instructor of Record
UNM Dept. of Museum Studies | Spring 2025

Home Planet: Land, Water, Life – Intro to Physical Geography; GEOG 1160
Instructor of Record
UNM Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies | Fall 2024

Digital Approaches in Museums; MSST 485/585
Course Developer, Instructor of Record
UNM Dept. of Museum Studies | Fall 2023