Meet the Team

Dr. Lori Collins is a Research Associate Professor and co-director of the Center for Digital Heritage and Geospatial Information (CDHGI) at the University of South Florida Libraries, with a courtesy appointment in the School of Geosciences. Dr. Collins is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists, and she has taught courses and workshops in Geosciences and the Honors College, including Perspectives in Environmental Thought, Field Methods, 3D Printing, and Digital Museums. Her research specialties include aerospace heritage, cultural and natural resource management, landscape preservation, Indigenous heritage digitization, and the development of ethics and standards for using 3D and related technologies in Indigenous and sovereign heritage documentation. Her research has focused on heritage projects in Florida and the Southeast U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Guatemala, Armenia, and Spain. She is among the founding members of the Aerospace Heritage Scientific Committee for the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). With over two decades of experience, she has focused on digitally documenting archaeological sites and museum collections, land management, preservation, conservation practices, and interpretive development related to heritage tourism. She is also actively engaged with research relating to rock art and monument digitization, with work in Mesoamerica utilizing 3D applications for archaeological visualization, preservation, and analysis.

Jorge, who hails from Spain, began as an industrial designer, working in automotive and wind energy companies, where he developed skills in computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). He was also a trainer for CAD/CAM engineering software in aeronautics, metalworking, molding, and naval industries. He started heritage work in 2004, working for a new company that preserved and restored Spanish history and heritage using laser and 3D printing technologies. In 2008 he created his own company providing 3D scanning and documentation services for archaeological sites across Spain, including several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Mr. Gonzalez is the CDHGI lead in 3D modeling, laser scanning, CAD, and 3D printing. Jorge is an expert member of the Comité International de la Photogrammétrie Architecturale (English: International Committee of Architectural Photogrammetry), also known as CIPA. He is also among the founding members of the Aerospace Heritage Scientific Committee for the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

3D Specialist in the CDHGI, Noelia specializes in heritage documentation and visualization projects. She has over a decade of experience with 3D laser scanning and is a specialist with numerous 3D and CAD software and post-production tools, including ZBrush, Maya, Adobe, and Autodesk platforms. Her work has included field and laboratory survey and digitization efforts at several World Heritage museums and archaeological sites, and she has conducted architectural surveys at several important locations in her home country, Spain, and with the CDHGI team internationally and at sites across the US. She has worked in the CDHGI supporting research and grant projects using 3D survey, laser scanning, and modeling, and helps to facilitate new approaches to digital library collections and applications.

Denise is a GIS Analyst II passionate about geospatial technologies and remote sensing. She received her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of South Florida in 2011. She is pursuing her master’s degree in Geography at the University of South Florida School of Geosciences, with an expected graduation date in May 2025. Denise holds the GISP certification and an FAA UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) license. She began her career in GIS remote sensing, processing, and editing digital orthophotography and LiDAR data. Throughout her career, Denise has been involved in numerous mapping projects related to transportation and environmental services. She combines GIS and visualization techniques for projects that preserve and protect cultural and natural heritage. Her work in the center relates to developing virtual tour content and leveraging GIS skills to create immersive experiences.

Zach earned his doctorate in Geography & Environmental Science & Policy at USF and holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida. He specializes in geographic information science, including lidar, remote sensing, 3D visualization, web mapping, cartography, and more. Zach spent much of his graduate career focusing on research within zoos and aquariums, studying both captive and wild animal movements and behaviors. His dissertation involved tracking birds and using GIS to model probabilities of interaction and simulation to determine interaction significance. He also worked in the consulting sector as an environmental scientist, scouting and monitoring wildlife in the field, working hands-on in mitigating wetlands, and performing GIS analysis for permitting and assessments. His interests include creating unique web GIS experiences and exploring new ways of visualizing data, working with 3D point clouds, and navigating nature trails in hopes of spotting rare species of flora and fauna.

Aaron Lewis is a postdoctoral research scholar specializing in the history and culture of the U.S. South. Aaron earned his Ph.D. in 2020 from the University of South Florida, where he wrote his dissertation on the historical memories of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and “Stonewall” Jackson. His most recent work focuses on Confederate monuments and digital preservation, the physical landscape, and the meaning of objects. Aaron has worked at the CDHGI since 2017. He has contributed to numerous projects spanning topics, including Cape Canaveral historical launch complex documentation, Confederate monuments research, plantations in Florida and the rest of the South, and historic Ybor City in Tampa, and has worked to assist with research and collections development for the Tampa Through Time project. His research and specialization relate to utilizing and analyzing primary sources and other collection materials and providing historical context detail information.

Chandler is an archaeologist and research associate specializing in prehistoric and historic Southeastern archaeology. His interests include GIS and spatial analysis, settlement pattern studies, CRM, resource conservation, and historic preservation. Chandler has nearly a decade of experience in the field and manages archaeology projects at CDHGI while also assisting on 3D scanning projects. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Alabama in 2015 and worked in cultural resource management (CRM) across the Southeast U.S. prior to attending graduate school. In 2022, he earned his Master of Arts in Applied Anthropology with a concentration in Archaeology from USF. His thesis work focused on Cockroach Key, one of the first occupied sites in Tampa Bay.

Anh Le is a student intern with the Center for Digital Heritage and Geospatial Information at the USF Library. She is a sophomore majoring in Business Analytics and Information Systems in the Muma College of Business.

Jaime is an archaeologist with research projects and field experience in the southeastern U.S. and Mesoamerica. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the University of South Florida Department of Anthropology. Jaime received his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Central Florida in 2015, where he focused in anthropology, environmental studies, and GIS. He also earned his master’s degree in anthropology from UCF in 2019. Jaime is responsible for project management of archaeological surveys for the CDHGI, preparing technical reports, and artifact analysis. Jaime also assists with field data collection involving 3D terrestrial data and GPS. He is an active member of the Florida Anthropological Society (FAS) and the current president of the Central Gulf Coast Archaeological Society (CGCAS). His research interests include historical ecology, shell geochemistry, ancient Tampa Bay, and GIS applications in anthropology. 

Emily earned her bachelor’s degree from Rollins College in 2021. She is currently a master’s student at the University of Central Florida and will graduate in August of 2024. Her thesis examines the pottery at the Burns Site, Cape Canaveral, through ceramic analysis and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA). In the fall, she will continue her education at UCF as a Ph.D. student in the Department of Anthropology. Emily began working in Cape Canaveral in 2022 with the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project (CCAMP). She has worked with CCAMP as a crew chief and, most recently, as the field director of the NOTU site. In 2022 she started with CDGHI and worked on archaeological field projects as a field technician.

Tien Pham is an undergraduate at the School of Architecture and Community Design. He currently serves as a Student Assistant for the CDHGI, constructing 3D models for preservation projects. Tien is interested in old architecture, especially that which has been destroyed or collapsed. As such, he is passionate about reconstructing these structures through 3D modeling. Working at the CHDGI is a way to hone his skills working with 3D and contribute to his interests in heritage digitization and preservation around Florida.