Dr. Karl Benedict has worked since 1986 in parallel tracks of information management, geospatial information technology and archaeology. Within the College of University Libraries & Learning Sciences he serves as an Associate Professor; as the Director of the Research Data Services (RDS) program; as the Director of Information Technology Services (ITS); and as subject liaison for geospatial data and applications. His previous experience includes fifteen years at UNM’s Earth Data Analysis Center at the University of New Mexico (including five years as the EDAC Director); archaeological and data analysis work for the US Forest Service, National Park Service; and over a decade of work in the private sector conducting archaeological research, developing geospatial databases, performing geospatial and statistical analyses, and developing web-based information delivery applications. In these positions he has developed and managed the development of information technology and data management capacity in support of multiple research and application domains including public health, resource management, hydro-climate research, atmospheric modeling, disaster planning and mitigation, and renewable energy research.

In his role as the Director of RDS he works with his team to support effective research data management by researchers at UNM through instruction, training, consultation, and infrastructure support. As Director of ITS he manages a team of skilled staff that develop and support all of the IT capabilities for the College, including multiple public facing online resources, collaboration tools, critical systems and network infrastructure, and all public-facing, staff, and faculty desktop and laptop computers. His current research foci include the development of open standards-based interoperable data management workflows and infrastructure in support of diverse research projects and streamlining the integration of research data products into long-term preservation systems to maximize the ongoing value of those data beyond the projects in which they are collected or generated.

Specifically related to data science training activities, Dr. Benedict is a certified Software, Data, and Library Carpentries Instructor and Instructor Trainer, and has collaboratively developed over fifteen learning modules as part of the RDS Coffee & Code workshop series.

Selected Publications

1. Molder, Edmund B., Schenkein, Sarah F., Mcconnell, Abby E., Benedict, Karl K, & Crista L Straub. (2022). “Landsat Data Ecosystem Case Study: Actor Perceptions of the Use and Value of Landsat” Frontiers in Environmental Science Environmental Informatics and Remote Sensing. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.805174
2. Benedict, K., & Wheeler, J. (2022). “Complementary Scales for Learning, The Feedback Loop between Short-Form Technical Workshops and Long-Form Carpentries Workshops.” In Bauder, J. (ed.), Teaching Research Data Management (pp. 133-151). ALA Editions, Chicago.
3. Fundeen, J., Percivall, G., Baros, S., Baumann, P., Becker, P., Behnke, J., Benedict, K., Colaiacomo, L., Di, L., Doescher, C., Dominguez, J., Edberg, R., Ferguson, M., Foreman, S., Giaretta, D., Hutchison, V. B., Ip, A., James, N. L., Khalsa, S. J. S., … Young, J. (2020). “Chapter 6: Archiving and Access Systems for Remote Sensing.” In ASPRS Manual of Remote Sensing (Fourth Edition, pp 451-639). American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.
4. Gregory, A., Chen, C., Wu, R., Miller, S., Ahmad, S., Anderson, J. W., Barrett, H., Benedict, K., Cadol, D., Dascalu, S. M., Delparte, D., Fenstermaker, L., Godsey, S., Harris, F. C., McNamara, J. P., Tyler, S. W., Savickas, J., Sheneman, L., Stone, M., & Turner, M. A. (2020). “Efficient Model-Data Integration for Flexible Modeling, Parameter Analysis and Visualization, and Data Management.” Frontiers in Water, 2, 21 pages. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2020.00002
5. O’Brien, P., W.H. Young, S., Arlitsch, K., & Benedict, K. (2018). “Protecting Privacy on the Web: A Study of Https and Google Analytics Implementation in Academic Library Websites.” Online Information Review, 42(6), 734–751. https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-02-2018-0056
6. Benedict, K. (2017). “The Geographic Storage, Transformation and Retrieval Engine (GSToRE): A Platform for Active Data Access and Publication as a Complement to Dedicated Long-Term Preservation System.” In Curating research data. Volume two, A handbook of current practice (Vol. 2, pp. 207–209). Association of College and Research Libraries.
7. Wheeler, J., & Benedict, K. (2015). “Functional Requirements Specification for Archival Asset Management: Identification and Integration of Essential Properties of Services-Oriented Architecture Products.” Journal of Map & Geography Libraries, 11(2), 155–179. https://doi.org/10.1080/15420353.2015.1035474
8. Yang, C, Huang, Q., Xia, J., Yu, M., Benedict, K., & Bambacus, M.(2013).“Cloud-Enabling Dust Storm Forecasting.” In C. Yang & Q. Huang (Eds.), Spatial Cloud Computing (pp. 161–176). CRC Press. DOI: 10.1201/b16106.
9. Kempler, S., Leptoukh, G., Kiang, R., Soebiyanto, R., Tong, D., Ceccato, P., Maxwell, S., Rommel, R., Jacquez, G., Benedict, K., Morain, S., Yang, P., Huang, Q., Golden, M., Chen, R., Pinzon, J., Zaitchik, B., Irwin, D., Estes, S., … Huff, A. (2013). “Data Discovery, Access and Retrieval.” In S. A. Morain & A. M. Budge (Eds.), Environmental Tracking for Public Health Surveillance (pp. 229– 291). CRC Press/Balkema.
10. Benedict, K., & Orcutt, J. D. (2002). “Settlement.” In G. N. Head & J. D. Orcutt (Eds.), From Folsom to Fogelson: The cultural resources inventory survey of Pecos National Historical Park. Anthropology Projects, Cultural Resources Management, Intermountain Region, National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
11. Powell, M., & Benedict, K. (2002). “Ceramic Chronology.” In G. N. Head & J. D. Orcutt (Eds.), From Folsom to Fogelson: The cultural resources inventory survey of Pecos National Historical Park. Anthropology Projects, Cultural Resources Management, Intermountain Region, National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
12. Huckell, B., Huckell, L., & Benedict, K. (2002). “Maize Agriculture and the Rise of Mixed Farming-Foraging Economies in Southeastern Arizona During the Second Millennium B.C.” In S. Schlanger (Ed.), Traditions, transitions, and technologies: Themes in Southwestern archaeology: Proceedings of the 2000 Southwest Symposium. (pp. 136–159). University Press of Colorado.

Selected Digital Scholarship

1. “UNM RDS Content Platform for the Coffee & Code Workshop Series.” 2019. Docker-based platform for workshop presentation and participant use for multiple workshops developed as part of the UNM Research Data Services Coffee & Code workshop series. Role: Developer. https://github.com/unmrds/cc-content-platform
2. “Geographic Storage, Transformation and Retrieval Engine Version 3 (GSToRE).” 2018. Geospatial data management, discovery and access platform and associated Application Programming Interface. Developed by the development team at the Earth Data Analysis Center at the University of New Mexico. Role: Information Architect, managed development team. https://web.archive.org/web/20130704202601/http://gstore.unm.edu,https://github.com/edac-epscor/gstore-ansible.
3. “New Mexico EPSCoR Data Portal.” 2018. Online data portal (http://data.nmepscor.org/index.html) and associated enhanced data discovery and access services provided by the “Geographic Storage, Transformation and Retrieval Engine Version 3” (described above). Developed by the development team at the Earth Data Analysis Center. Role: Directed development team. Internet Archive version
4. “Virtual Watershed Platform (VWP) GSToRE System.” 2017. Geospatia and model data management, discovery and access platform and associated Application Programming Interface. Developed by the development team at the Earth Data Analysis Center and other project collaborators as part of the NSF EPSCoR sponsored WC-WAVE project. Role: Co-lead for overall project cyberinfrastructure development, and information architect. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.831213
5. “Native American Water Rights Settlement Project Web Site and Interactive Mapping Application.” 2013, 2017. Web site (http://www.nawrs.net), spatial search interface (http://www.nawrs. net/nawrs), and associated document repository for a collection of scanned Native American Water Rights Adjudication documents placed in UNM’s LoboVault, and then transitioned to UNM’s Digital Repository (https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nawrs_comm/). Roles: Developed the initial (2013) Google Maps-based version. Project management and collaborative development for the version released in 2017. Project GitHub repositories: https://github.com/nawrs