Ibtihaj Ahmad (Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction) published his first peer-reviewed research article, titled "Assessment of Vegetation Dynamics After South Sugar Loaf and Snowstorm Wildfires Using Remote Sensing Spectral Indices," in the journal Remote Sensing. The study utilizes satellite-based remote sensing to evaluate vegetation recovery following two wildfires. By applying spectral indices, the research tracks changes in vegetation health and fire severity over time. The results highlight distinct recovery patterns between the two sites, shaped by differences in burn severity and vegetation type. This work advances our understanding of post-fire ecosystem resilience and demonstrates the power of remote sensing tools in wildfire impact assessment.

The research was conducted under the supervision of Haroon Sahotra (Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction) and supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number OIA-2148788.