Matt Hatami

I do

A resume lists achievements.
A story explains the journey.

About Me

Featured Work

To see a full list of my projects, check out the project section in my LinkedIn profile.

Coastal Vulnerability Dashboard

Interactive GIS dashboard for coastal vulnerability assessment using multi-criteria decision-making and probabilistic principal component analysis.

Data Visualization GIS WebGIS

Coastal Vulnerability StoryMap

Interactive StoryMap explaining coastal vulnerability methodology and findings for wider public engagement and understanding.

GIS WebGIS DataVisualization

WebGIS Services to Support Locational Choices of Shelters

Geospatial analysis for seismic emergency management using ArcGIS Pro to optimize shelter placement in Amatrice, Italy.

ArcGIS Pro WebGIS Emergency Planning

Shallow Landslide Risk Assessment

Multidisciplinary approach combining geological, photogrammetric, and geophysical methods to investigate rainfall-induced landslides.

Geology Photogrammetry Geophysics

Garfanana Valley Risk Assessment

Systematic risk assessment study considering hazards, vulnerabilities, and exposure factors for comprehensive valley analysis.

Risk Assessment Hazards Vulnerability

Transfer Learning in Geospatial Foundational Model (Prithvi)

Advanced machine learning techniques applied to remote sensing data for improved environmental monitoring and analysis.

Machine Learning Remote Sensing Transfer Learning

Tools/Datasets

Interactive Distribution Playground

Interactive web application for exploring probability distributions in real-time. Built with Streamlit, this tool allows users to adjust distribution parameters, compare multiple distributions, and visualize mathematical concepts. Perfect for statistics education, data analysis, and understanding probability theory through hands-on experimentation.

Streamlit Statistics Data Visualization Educational Tool

End-to-End Flood Dataset Generation Pipeline

Developed a comprehensive pipeline that addresses the challenge of creating high-quality flood datasets for machine learning. The system uses Google Earth Engine to extract flood extents using the SPIDER framework, processing Sentinel-1 SAR imagery to compare pre- and post-event conditions. The Python preprocessing component generates 256x256 pixel image chips with proper georeferencing, creating balanced training datasets for flood detection models.

Google Earth Engine Python Machine Learning

NLCD Land Cover Analysis Tool

Built a cloud-based Google Earth Engine application that solves the challenge of calculating land cover percentages across large geographic areas. The tool processes National Land Cover Database (NLCD) data to provide instant calculations for wetlands, forests, developed areas, and other land cover classes at state, county, or tract levels. What previously required hours of ArcGIS Pro processing is now accomplished in minutes through cloud-based computation.

Google Earth Engine NLCD Land Cover

Presentations

CSCE 883 & GEOG755 Project Presentation @ UofSC

Date: Jan 2025

During the first semester of my PhD at the University of South Carolina, I completed a two-phase project that fulfilled the requirements for two courses: CSCE887 (Machine Learning) and GEOG755 (Remote Sensing and Analysis). This presentation covers the final project for CSCE 885, demonstrating the implementation, results, and key findings of the project. For more details, you can download the full project report below.

Download Project Report (PDF)

Introduction to Google Earth Engine Presentation @ UofSC

Date: Dec 2024

In the first semester of my PhD programat University of South Carolina, I took GEOG755: Remote Sensing Modelling and Analysis. One of the assignments was to create a presentation about a topic related to remote sensing. To fullfill this requirement, I recorded a short lecture about Google Earth Engine and how to use it to analyze remote sensing data.

IBM Call for Code Competition Pitch Presentation @ UofSC

Date: Nov 2024

On September 28, 2024, IBM, in partnership with the University of South Carolina (UofSC), hosted a statewide Call for Code hackathon, followed by a competition where students pitched innovative use cases for IBM’s new tool, Watsonx.ai. In this competition, I presented SafeGuard.ai — a solution designed to assist populations affected by natural disasters by providing essential resources to keep them safe before, during, and after such events. More than 100 students from colleges and universities across South Carolina participated in the event. I was honored to secure 3rd place, earning a $2,500 prize.

Read my LinkedIn post about the event
Read more about the event on UofSC News

Coastal Risk and Vulnerability Presentation @ SCARC Conference (SC, USA)

Date: Oct 2024

During my first semester as a PhD student at the University of South Carolina, I had the opportunity to present one of our research projects from the Water Resources Management Group. My presentation was selected for an oral session at the SCARC 2024 conference. This recording is a capture of that presentation.

Learn more about the SCARC conference

M.Sc. Thesis Presentation @ Polytechnic University of Milan (PoliMi)

Date: May 2024

As part of my course-based master's degree at the Polytechnic University of Milan (PoliMi), I completed a thesis project that reviewed the applications of deep learning in remote sensing, specifically in the context of disaster management. This presentation summarizes key findings from the literature and discusses how deep learning techniques are advancing the field of disaster response and risk assessment using remote sensing data.

Landslide Risk and Geo-Engineering Techniques for Unstable Slopes Class Project Presentation @PoliMi

Date: Feb 2023

This class project presentation explores the assessment of landslide risk and the application of geo-engineering techniques to stabilize unstable slopes. The talk covers hazard identification, risk analysis, and practical engineering solutions for mitigating landslide hazards in vulnerable areas.

Tools for Risk Management Class Project Presentation @ PoliMi

Date: Jan 2022

This presentation reviews a range of tools and methodologies for effective risk management in engineering projects. It highlights the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches to identify, assess, and mitigate risks, with examples from real-world case studies.

Research & Publications

For an up-to-date list of my research and publications, please visit my Google Scholar profile.

Professional Experience

May 2025 – Present

Geospatial Application Development Intern

South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) · Columbia, SC · Hybrid

Supervisor: Dr. Sicheng Wang

  • Developing advanced web GIS applications using ArcGIS Experience Builder Enterprise
  • Creating custom widgets with JavaScript and React to extend core functionality
  • Collaborating with the GIS team to support transportation-related spatial analysis
  • Integrating real-time data APIs and optimizing user interfaces for enhanced engagement
  • Gaining hands-on experience with enterprise-level ESRI GIS development workflows
Oct 2023 – Dec 2023

Geospatial Data Scientist Intern

GEOAPP · Florence, Tuscany, Italy · On-site

Supervisor: Davide Colombo

  • Developed a QGIS Plugin to find unstable parts of the land in mining activities
  • Optimized the processing chain to minimize the effort and request time to process routine tasks
  • Applied AI and ML to convert semi-automatic tasks to fully automatic

Get In Touch

If you are interested in collaborating on research projects, have inquiries about my work, or would like to discuss professional opportunities, please feel free to reach out through any of the following channels:

HatamiMatt@gmail.com
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
1741 Museum Road, Gainesville, FL 32611-0570
University of Florida