Dr. Stanley Morain
1941 - 2025
Dr. Stanley A. Morain, 84, passed away on September 30, 2025. He received his PhD in Geography from the University of Kansas in 1970. In 1974, he and his wife Marilyn moved to Albuquerque, NM, where he was employed at the University of New Mexico’s Earth Data Analysis Center (EDAC) and served as its director for 32 years. He also was a professor in the University’s Department of Geography, serving as Chair of that department twice.
For over 48 years, Dr. Morain enjoyed a distinguished career in remote sensing that has been recognized locally, nationally, and internationally. His contributions to this field focused on educating not only his students at the University, but also educating professionals in many developing countries on the applications of remote sensing in societal benefit areas such as agriculture, transportation, and public health. During his career, Dr. Morain pursued a vision of employing remote sensing technology and products for advancing the growth of sustainable resources in developing nations worldwide. His passion for realizing this vision was the driver for his contributions to remote sensing and to communities of practice in agriculture, public health, and transportation. His initial work centered on applications of radar technology for vegetation analysis and agriculture. In the early 1970s, with the advent of Landsat, Dr. Morain was among the first to apply remote sensing techniques using satellite imagery to crop and vegetation analyses. Very quickly, his interests in employing remote sensing technologies were directed toward the international community, primarily developing countries, through several global programs. Since 1973, he consulted and contracted on over thirty training programs and applications projects with the U.S. Geological Survey/Office of International Geology (USGS/OIG), the United Nations/Food and Agriculture Organization (UN/FAO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the United States Agency for International Development (US/AID).
A large part of Dr. Morain’s career in remote sensing was as a professor in the Department of Geography, University of New Mexico. During his tenure he served twice as Chair of the Department (1983 – 1992) and (2003 – 2006). His courses focused on theory and applications of remote sensing and biogeography. His book, “Systematic and Regional Biogeography” published in 1984, focuses on these topics. As an educator, Dr. Morain influenced the careers of over 50 students who have been gainfully employed in geospatial technologies.
In addition to his significant contributions to applications of remote sensing technology, Dr. Morain served this community through his involvement in the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) and the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). He was a certified photogrammetrist, past president of ASPRS, an elected Fellow, former PE&RS Editor-in-Chief, and Editor-in-Chief for the Manual of Remote Sensing 4th edition.
In ISPRS, he was the President of Commission I (Platforms, Sensors, and Imagery) from 2000-2004, served as a Council member and Treasurer (2004-2008), Technical Secretary in Commission VIII, Working Group 2 (Health) (2008-2012), co-editor of Volume 2 and Volume 11 in the ISPRS Book Series, and was elected as an ISPRS Fellow in 2010.
Dr. Morain was active also in the International Society for Disease Surveillance (ISDS), the International Council on Science (ICSU), and the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations, User Interface Committee (GEO/UIC). He was an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in the Geology/Geography Section. During his career in remote sensing, he has been recognized by the community through numerous awards and citations for his service. He also has participated in or led many committees and working groups in organizations both at home and abroad.
Amelia Budge