My name is Lucas Belury (he/him/el) and I am a 4th year PhD geography candidate at the University of Arizona. As a facilitator, researcher, and geographer I collaborate with Latinx communities in the US-Mexico Borderlands to collaboratively (re)shape knowledge systems to better reflect lived experiences.

My research challenges injustice and violence by centering the testimonios of Latinx knowledge holders through two core projects: FLUJOS RGV (Flood Justice Utilizing Satellite Observation - Rio Grande Valley) & Latinidad in the Queer Archive.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

I have 10+ years of professional experience with community-based, national, and international mission-driven organizations, local and federal governments, and institutions of higher education. My research topics include racial and environmental justice, housing, and knowledge production. Outside of academia I have developed projects on equity assessment, impact measurement, curriculum development, grant writing, qualitative thematic coding, and survey instrument development. My research skills include Spanish/English interpretation, facilitation, archival research, qualitative coding, data visualization, geospatial statistics, and remote sensing.

Accolades/Fellowships

● NASA FINESST Graduate Fellowship (3 years, ongoing)

● NASA Space Fellow (2023-2024)

● Mellon Fronteridades Digital Humanities Fellow

● Environment & Society Fellow

● Carson Scholar