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Prof. Issa El Shair 
 
CURRICULUM   VITAE (2013)
 
 
Prof. Issa El Shair photo.jpg
 
 
 
 
Specialization & Research Interests:
 
·         Ph. D.: Cultural /Human Geography (Population).
·         Post-Graduate Diploma: Urbanization and Urban Analysis; Geographic Information
     Systems and Remote Sensing; Digital Mapping.
·         Other Interests: Cultures of the Middle East; Muslim Geography; Geography of    
     Religions; Resources and Development; GIS & Remote Sensing Applications; Geographic
     Thought; Research Methods; Quantitative Geography; Global Issues.
 
Academic Qualifications :
 
Post-Graduate Diploma in Science, (two years of study specializing in integrating GIS and remote sensing , with applications on urban transportation), Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand (March 1998 - February 2000).
Ph.D., Geography, (Human/cultural), College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. USA, January 1978. Dissertation title: Spatial Patterns of Muslim Pilgrim Circulation. Advisor: Prof. P. P. Karan.
MA, Geography, (Physical: geomorphology), College of Arts and Sciences, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Ill. USA, August 1974.    
MA, History, (European & Middle Eastern), College of Arts and Sciences, Roosevelt University, Chicago, Ill. USA, August 1973
BA, Geography, (General), College of Arts, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria, 1967.
 
Teaching Experience :
 
Department of Geography, Yarmouk University:
                        Irbid, Jordan, Professor (7/5/2007 – present); Associate Professor  
                       (summer 2002 – 7/5/2007).
Department of Social Sciences (Section of Applied Geography), University of Bahrain:
           Manama, Bahrain, Associate Professor (2000-2002).
            Center for Continuing Education, University of Auckland, New Zealand,
Life and Culture in the Middle East, (first semester 1999).                                           
            Department of Geography, United Arab Emirates University,
Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, Associate Professor 1992-1997).
            Department of Geography, King Saud university,
                        Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Associate Professor ( 1987-1991 );                                        Assistant Professor ( 1978-1987 ).
            Department of Geography, University of Kentucky,
                        Lexington, Ky. USA, Instructor, (1974-1976);
                        Teaching Assistant, ( 1975-1976 ).
            Ministry of Education,
                        High School Teacher, Saudi Arabia (1968-71).
 
Other Experiences and Training :
Cartography, GIS and Remote sensing Lab, Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Yarmouk University,
Early March 2007: Attended a training workshop on GIS (ArcGIS 9.1) and remote sensing (ERDAS 8.5) provided by INFOGRAPH personnel. 
September 2002 till August 2003: participated in the establishment of the GIS & Remote Sensing lab and was in-charge of it.
Science and Technology consulting Center, Jordan Science and Technology University, Ramtha:
3-7 September, 2007: Completed a training course on "Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS 8.3) and Global Positioning Systems",(20 hrs).
Faculty Development Center, Yarmouk University,
            2004 – 2005: Participated in several workshops i.e. Power Point and Expro.
The GIS and Remote Sensing Lab, Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, The University of Auckland,
March 1998 - February 2000: training on GIS and Remote Sensing.
The Remote Sensing Unit, Department of Geology, College of Sciences, UAE University,
1996:  training on available equipments in conjunction with a research project financed by the UAE University.
Computer Centre, UAE University,
            March 17-18, 1996: training course on “Internet Basics”;
            May 19-21, 1996: training course on “Advanced Internet”.
College of Education, UAE University,
            March 17-18, 1996: participated in a work shop on “Preparation of Exams”.
College of Humanities & Social Sciences, UAE University,
           February 4-6, 1996: participated in a work shop on “Developing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
           the Methods and the Skills of University Teaching”.                                                                                       
Computer Centre, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, UAE University,
            April 1993: training course on DOS;
            April 1993: training course on SPSS.
College of Engineering, UAE University,
            May 1993: completed a course on mapping by computer ( Autocad).
College of Engineering, King Saud University,
1989-1991: Training on digital mapping by computer (using Intergraph) in conjunction with a research project on urban growth of city of Riyadh.
Photogrammetry Section, Military Surveying Administration, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
            1987: training courses on map compilation.
Department of Geography, Univ. of Texas at Austin, Austin;
Map Compilation Section, Texas State Department of Highway and Public Transportation, Austin, Texas, USA,
            1985-1986 sabbatical leave:
-Attended a graduate research seminar on Remote Sensing of the Environment (Instructor: Prof. Robert Holz;
-Completed a research on population estimation by remote  sensing, city of Sequin, Texas;
-Received training on producing planimetric and topographic maps     from aerial photography with the use of the Wild AG-1 Intergraph/Intermap  stereoplotter.
 
Publications :
 
A.  Books:
- Issa Shair and Abdul-Aziz Al- Sheikh, translation of Richard    Hartshorne’s Perspective on the Nature of Geography, ( The Association of American Geographers, Monograph 1, 1959), into Arabic, Dar Al-Marrikh, Riyadh,1988.
 
-  Issa Shair and Ismat Al-Hasan, Translation of Mikel Stern’s Census from Heaven: Population Estimates with Remote Sensing Techniques, (Department of Geography, Lund University, Lund, Sweden, 1985) in Arabic, Dar Al-Bashir, Amman, 1993.
 
B. Published Researchs in Professional Journals:
 
** Please see other research and projects done in 2010, 2011, and 2012 (p.6).
 
- Issa Shair" Spatial Variation of Socio-Economic Attributes of Population at Governorates Level in Jordan",  The Arab Journal for Arts. The Society of  Arab Universities Faculties of Arts. Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan. Vol. 6 No. 1, 2009, pp. 41-64.
 
- Issa Shair and Majdi Abu Khatter, "Demographic Analysis of Automobile Accidents in Irbid, Jordan, Using GIS and GPS, The Arab World Geographer (Canada), Vol. 11, Nos. 1-2, Spring & Summer 2008, pp. 57-69.
 
- Issa Shair, “Geographic Pattern of Human Development in Southwest Asia: A Partial Correlation Analysis”. Abhath al Yarmouk Journal, Human and Social Sciences Series, Volume 23, No. 1, 2007, pp345-368.
 
- Issa Shair and Majdi Abu Khatter. "The Use of SPOT Data in Mapping Land Use in Central Jordan", Humanities. College of Arts, Alexandria University, Damanhour Bransh. 2006, pp.1 – 28. (in Arabic).
 
- Issa Shair, “ The Common Spatial Pattern Between Geography and Geographic Information Systems”, Geographic Topics, issued by the Research and Translation Unit, Department of Geography, Kuwait University and the Kuwait Geographical Association, 304, September 2005 (in Arabic).
 
- Issa Shair, “Spatial Zoning of School Location Allocation in Greater Auckland, NZ: A GIS Approach”. The Arab Journal for Arts. vol. 2, no. 1, 2005, pp. 19 – 35.
 
- Issa Shair, "Bus Transportation Network Planning in New Zealand by GIS and Remote Sensing”.  Journal of Human Sciences, University of Bahrain, issue no. 11, Winter 2005, pp. 134 – 155.
 
- Issa Shair, "GIS Tools and Remote Sensing Data for the Study of Bus Stops Facility in Birkenhead, Auckland (NZ)". Abhath Al Yarmouk Journal, Humanities and Social Sciences Series, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan, vol.20, no.2A,2004.
 
- Issa Shair and Ayman Nasr, "Using Satellite Imageries to Detect Land-Use Change in Al-Ain City, UAE," The Arab World Geographer, Center for Urban and Community Studies, University of Toronto, Canada, vol. II, no. 2, 1999.
 
- Issa Shair, “Optimum Population Concept: With Special Reference to the United Arab Emirates”, Journal of the Social Sciences, Kuwait Univ. Council of Academic Pub.,vol. 25, no.1-Spring 1997 (in Arabic).
 
-  Issa Shair, “The Role of Ellen Semple in Geographic Research”, Geographic Topics, issued by the Research and Translation Unit, Department of Geography, Kuwait University and the Kuwait Geographical Association, 193, June 1996 (in Arabic).
 
-  Issa Shair, “Spatial Student Enrolment at UAE University: A Quantitative Analysis”, GeoJournal, Germany, issue 37.1, September 1995, pp. 171-75.
 
-  Issa Shair, “Gravity Model and Spatial Flow with a Simplified Example of the Flow of the UAE University Students”, Journal of Arts and Human Sciences, the Scientific Journal of the Faculty of Arts, El-Minya University, Egypt, vol. 16, part 2, April 1995, pp. 395-417, (in Arabic).
 
-  Issa Shair, “Spatial Distribution of Elementary Boys Schools in Al Ain, UAE”, Social Affairs, Association of the Sociologists, Sharjah, issue no. 46, year 12, 1995,
pp. 81-114, (in Arabic).
 
-  Issa Shair, “Population of Dubai City: Growth, Distribution and structure”, Indian Geographical Journal, vol. 69, no. 2, December 1994.
 
-  Issa Shair, “Study of Urban Expansion in the City of Riyadh Via the Use of Aerial Mosaics and Remotely Sensed Images (1950-1989)”, Geographical Researches, Saudi Geographical Society, King Saud University, no. 14, 1993 (in Arabic).
 
-  Issa Shair, “A Small City Population Estimate from Air Photographs: A Case Study of Sequin, Texas”, Journal of the College of Arts, King Saud University, vol. 15, 1988.
 
-  Issa Shair, “Methods of Using Aerial Photographs and Satellite Images in Population Estimation”, Research & Translation Unit, issued by the Department of Geography, Kuwait University and the Kuwait Geographical Association, 105, September 1987 (in Arabic).
 
-  Issa Shair, “Central Place Theory Between Chirstaller and Losch”, Journal of the College of Arts, King Saud University, vol. 13 (1), 1986, pp. 267-98, (in Arabic),
 
-  Issa Shair, “Geographic Pattern of Southwest Asian Hajjis: A Regression Model”, GeoJournal, vol. 7.3, 1983, pp. 291-98.
 
-  Issa Shair, “Some Socio-Economic Attributes of the Muslim Pilgrims: A Chi-Square Analysis, Journal of the College of Arts, King Saud University, vol. 10, 1983, pp. 57-76.
 
-  Issa Shair, “Volume of Muslim Pilgrims in Recent Years: 1975-1980, source Areas and Ports of Entry,” Journal of the College of Arts, King Saud University, vol. 9, 1982, pp. 293-320, (in Arabic).
 
-  Issa Shair and P.P. Karan, “Geographic Patterns of Pilgrim Circulation to Mecca,” National Geographer, India, vol. XIV, no. 1, June 1979, pp. 1-16.  (Brief summary of the Ph.D. dissertation.)
 
- Issa Shair, “Review of the English Literature on Spatial Pilgrim Circulation,” Journal of the College of Arts, University of Riyadh, vol. 6, 1979, pp. 1-7.  (From the Ph.D. dissertation.)
 
 
C. Other Research and Projects:
- Currently translating John Jensen's book Remote Sensing of the Environment: an earth resource perspective, sponsored by the Jordanian Arabic Language Council.
 
- Issa Shair, "Digital Demarcation of Political Borders by GIS : A Case Study of Yemen and Saudi Arabia", sent for publication (2012).
 
- Issa Shair, " Socio-Economic Attributes of  Jordanian Pilgrims" , Encyclopedia of Hajj, King Abdul Aziz Darah, Saudi Arabia (2011), in Arabic.
 
- Issa Shair,  "Population of Zarqa City, Jordan",  Ministry of Culture, Amman, Jordan, (2010), in Arabic.
 
- Updated previous research dealing with the “Volume of Muslim Pilgrims in Recent Years,” as a part of a book titled Geography of Saudi Arabia, published by the Saudi Geographical Society, Riyadh, Volume II, 2002, pp. 911-947 (in Arabic).
 
 
Courses Taught:           
 
Department of Geography, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan:
 
a.      Graduate level :
Research Methods, Development of Geographic Thought, Population and Development. Advanced Remote Sensing.
b.      Undergraduate level:
Cultural Geography, Human Geography, Population Geography, Geographic Information Systems, GIS Applications, Aerial Photos and Remote Sensing, Remote Sensing Applications, Cartography,  Thematic Maps, Geography of Jordan, Geography of the Arab World, Moslem Geography, Map Use and Analysis, International Geographical Problems, Water Resources, Digital Cartography.
 
Department of Social Sciences, Geography Section, University of Bahrain:
Aerial Photos, LANDSATS and Remote Sensing, Applied Geography, Principles of General Geography, Climate, Vegetation and Soils, Geography of Resources, Geography of Mankind, Land-Use Planning in the Arid Land.
 
Centre for Continuing Education, University of Auckland, New Zealand,
Life and Culture in the Middle East (first semester 1999).                                           
 
Department of Geography, UAE Univ., Al Ain, United Arab Emirates:
Human Geography, Population Geography, Air Photo Interpretation and Remote Sensing, English Studies in Human Geography, English Studies in Economic Geography, Geographic Thought, Regional Planning, Geography of the New World, Geography of the Old World, Geography of the Arab World, Introduction to Geography, UAE Society.
 
Department of Geography, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:
a. Graduate Level:
Ph.D.-Remote Sensing.
MA -Aerial Photography, Quantitative Geography, Research Methods in Geography, Independent Studies, Geographic Thought.
 
b. Undergraduate Level: Cultural Geography, Special Topic in Human Geography, Aerial Photo Maps, Geog. of the USA and Canada, Geography of the Muslim World, Special Region, Latin America, Oceanography, Introduction of Geography, History of Geography, Transportation Geography.
 
Department of Geography, Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA:
             Physical Geography (4 semesters during 1974-1976).
 
University Services:
 
  1. Yarmouk University:
-    Was the head of the Department of Geography, College of Arts,
     Yarmouk University between September 11th, 2011 and September 8th,
      2012. In addition, he was the head of this department for short periods
      during 2004 and 2005.
-     Member of the Graduate Studies Committee, Dept. of Geography.
-          Administered the elections of Student Council Committee, at the  
Geography Department for the years 2003, 2004, and 2006.
-          Was a member of a committee for selecting the distinguished researcher in social and human sciences (geography), administered by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Jordan, based on a letter dated 3/5/2004.
-           Participated in the discussion of a Master thesis titled “Environmental Problems in the Shorelines of Muscat Governorate”, Department of Geography, Jordan University, 28 December, 2005.
-      Member of the Faculty of Arts Council, for the academic year 2004-
2005.
-          Participated in the discussion of a Master thesis titled “ GIS-based
Decision Support System for the hydrology of Tulol al-Ashaqif, NE Jordan”, Department of Environmental Science, Yarmouk University, 13 May 2004.
-          Participated in the discussion of a Master thesis titled “The Effect of
      Distance on the Internal Migration between Balqa/Mafraq Governorates  
      and Amman Governorate”, Department of Geography, Jordan University 
      20 December, 2004.
-          Participated in the discussion of a Ph. D. dissertation titled “Land-Cover and its Characteristics in the Basin of Jerash Valley”, Department of Geography, Jordan University, 16 January 2003.
-          Participated in the discussion of a Master thesis titled “Land-Uses in the Province of Ain Al Basha, Jordan, 1978-2000”, Department of Geography, Jordan University, 10 April, 2003.
-          In-charge of the Cartography and Geographic Information Systems Lab, Department of Geography, 2002/2003.
-          Member of several committees at the Geography Department i.e. Purchasing of Equipments, Schedules, Libraries, and Journeys.
-          Was an academic counsellor for more than 200 students.
 
 
B. University of Bahrain:
-          Was member of the Laboratories Committee; academic advisor of graduation projects for five students, Section of Applied Geography, 2000- 2001.
-          Was member of the Schedules and Exams Committee; member of the Evaluation Committee; academic counsellor for many students, Section of Applied Geography, 2001-2002.
 
C. United Arab Emirates University:
-Was in charge and/or a member of several committees at the   Department of    Geography, i.e., Schedules and Exams, Textbooks, Teaching Assistants  Affairs, Admission of New Students, Examination of Applications for  Prospective Faculty Staff, 92-1997.
            -Was the  academic counsellor for many students within the                           
             Department of Geography, 1992-1997.
            -Supervised a summer training session in geography, 1994.
 
D. King Saud University:
-Assigned to participate in supervising and discussing four master theses in the Department of Geography . Also, participated in various committees for examining several masters theses plans within the Geography Department.
-Was member of the Riyadh Researches Committee, Department of Geography, 1988-1991.
-Participated in a special committee appointed by the Department of Geography, in 1982 assigned to prepare a unified MA/Ph.D. program for the department.
-Represented the College of Arts, Riyadh (later King Saud) Univ. in the Pilgrimage Camp, 1976 and conducted a field study.
                             
Conferences and Symposiums : 
Jordan Society for Scientific Research, Amman, 7l11l2009:
Participated in The Jordanian Fourth Conference of Scientific Research.
Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan, May 2, 2006:
Participated in the Development of Irbid Governorate Symposium, and presented a paper titled “Human Development in the Governorate of Irbid Compared with Other Governorates Base on United Nations’ Criteria”.
Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan, November 16, 2005:
Participated in the Geographic Information Systems Users Conference (Resources Planning and Management in Jordan), and was one of the conference organizers.
GIS Development, India, 28 –31 January 2003:

Participated in Map India 2003, and presented a paper titled" GIS and Remote Sensing in Urban Transportation Planning: A Case Study of Birkenhead, Auckland".

Arabian Gulf University (Bahrain), November 22, 2000:
Participated in the GIS Users Day and was part of the team from University of Bahrain.
UAE University, March 24-26, 1996:
Participated in a symposium about “Information Technology in Graduate Institutions”.
College of Science, UAE University, December 14-17, 1994:
            Participated in the “Regional Symposium for the Environment,”.
College of Arts, UAE University, 1994:
Participated in a symposium titled “Television Programs Through Satellites in the Gulf Region”.
Al-Ain Secondary Girls School, November 1994:
            Participated in a symposium on “Desertification”.
First World Optimum Population Congress, Cambridge, UK, August  9-11, 1993:
Presented paper titled “The Optimum Population of the United Arab Emirates: A General Overview.”
Al Ain Educational District, November 1992:
            Participated in a symposium on “New Trends in Geography.”
Imam Mohammed bin Saud Univ., Riyadh , March 17-19, 1987:
Participated in the Third Symposium for Geography Departments in Saudi Universities, and presented a paper titled, “Methods of using Aerial   Photographs and Satellite Images  in Population Estimation."
King Saud University, May 2-5, 1983:
Participated in the First Saudi Symposium on Statistics and Its Applications, and presented a paper titled “Geographic Patterns of Southwest Asian Hajjis: A Multiple Regression Model.”
Association of American Geographers, April 1982 - April 1984:    Served as Chairman of the Southwest Asian Geography Speciality Group, Organised a session on “Southwest Asian Geography” in             Denver, Colorado, USA, April 1983.
Association of American Geographers, San Antonio, TX, USA, April 1982:
Participated in the Conference of the Asian Geography Speciality Group, and submitted a paper titled “Problems of Geographic Research in Arabian Peninsula.”
24th International Geographical Congress, Tokyo, Japan, September 1980:
Presented a paper titled “Analysis of Muslim Pilgrims’ Socio-Economic Attributes.”
Imam Mohammed bin Saud University, Riyadh, 1979 :
Participated in the First Islamic Geographical Conference and presented a paper titled “Numbers and Source Regions of Muslim Pilgrims Between Past and Present,” in Arabic.
 
Other Activities :
      -    Wrote several articles on Sweden, Sharjah, and Al Ain for the  
            Arabic Encylopaedia, Section of Human Sciences, Damascus, 
            Syria , 2004 - 2005.
-          Published a report on the “Volumes and Origins of the Muslim Pilgrims since Hajat al Wadaa,” majallat al Yarmouk, Irbid, vol. 83/84,March/June 2004, pp.(in Arabic) .
-          Participated in the Hajj Symposium organised by Saudi Arabian Television, Riyadh, 1979.
-          Was appointed as a field researcher, Hajj (Pilgrimage) Research Centre, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Pilgrimage season, 1973.
 
Honours and Awards: 
            - Distinction Award from King Saud University, 1983/1984.
            - Awarded several grants in his graduate studies in the USA.
 
References:
-          Prof. Mousa Samha, Deppartment of Geography, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, Sultanate of Oman. Tel 00968-24141111 ,extension: 2919, Office : 2486, e-mail address: mousas@squ.edu.om
 
-          Dr. Saif Al Qaidi, Head Department of Geography, College of Human and Social Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. Mobile: (00971-50) 6296290. e-mail address: alqaidi@uaeu.ac.ae
 
-          Prof. Fikri Abu-Zaidan, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. Mobile: 00971-50- 8335390. e-mail address: f.abuzaidan@uaeu.ac.ae
   

 

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