Greg Asner

Greg Asner serves as Director of Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, where he leads groundbreaking research in ecosystem science and conservation technology. A distinguished ecologist and member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, he has revolutionized forest monitoring through innovative technologies like the Carnegie Airborne Observatory and CLASlite software. His work spans spatial ecology, biodiversity assessment, terrestrial carbon cycling, and climate change impacts. As creator of CLASlite, which he developed in 1997, Asner transformed forest monitoring by making satellite-based deforestation tracking accessible to non-experts worldwide. His ultra-high-resolution imaging technology provides unprecedented detail about forest health, biodiversity, and the impacts of climate change, earning him the prestigious Heinz Award in Environment. Beyond his academic roles at ASU's School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and the School of Earth and Space Exploration, Asner actively contributes to global conservation efforts through collaborations with NASA, the U.S. State Department, and the United Nations. His research has mapped hundreds of thousands of square miles of forests worldwide, from the Amazon to Borneo, providing critical data for environmental policy decisions and conservation efforts.