Stephen Young

Professor Young is a former chair of the Department of Geography and Sustainability at Salem State University where he uses remote sensing (satellite imaging) to analyze climate change and deforestation. He received his Ph.D. in geography from Clark University, a master's degree in environmental science from Yale University and a B.A. in environmental studies from the University of Vermont. His geographic areas of expertise include northeastern North America and China. In addition to his academic research, he bridges the arts and sciences through art gallery exhibitions which try to expose the public to science and geography. In the summer of 2015 his exhibition Macro or Micro? (with Salem State University Biology professor Paul Kelly) was on display at the Museum of Science in Boston, MA and at the Sazmanab Institute of Contemporary Art in Tehran, Iran.

Please see my home page: http://drsalemdrone.net/index.htm

Environment and Climate Change

2025    Young, S.S. and Young, J. Decreasing Snow Cover and Increasing Temperatures Are Accelerating in New England, USA, with Long-Term Implications. Climate, 13(12), 246.

2025    Farina, N., Waddington, G., Nafa, F. Young, S.S., Impact of Solar Farm Expansion on Forest Cover in Massachusetts, USA: An Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence and Remote Sensing. Professional Geographer 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2025.2499477.

2025    Wright, P., Baker, S. and Young, S.S. Preserving History: Assessments and Climate Adaptations at the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts, USA, feature article in Atmosphere 16(1), 84.

2023    Tu, J.C., Wen, J.H., Yang, L.E., Reimuth, A., Young, S.S., Zhang, M., Wang, L.Y., Garschagen, M., Assessment of building damages and adaptation options under extreme flood scenarios in Shanghai Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, pp.1-27.

2023    Young, S.S., 2023. Global and Regional Snow Cover Decline: 2000–2022. Climate, 11(8), p.162.

2021    Young, S. and Young, J. Overall Warming with Reduced Seasonality: Temperature Change in New England, USA, 1900–2020. Climate, 9 (12), 176.

2021    Young, S. Rao, S., & Dorey, K. Monitoring the erosion and accretion of a human-built living shoreline with drone technology. Environmental Challenges, 5, 100383.

Deforestation / Environmental Conservation

2021    Wang, L., Ren, G., Hua, F., Young, S., Wang, W., Yang, C., & Zhu, J. Integrating habitat availability into restoration efforts for biodiversity conservation: Evaluating effectiveness and setting priorities. Biological Conservation, 257, 109127.

2021    Bremer, M. and S.S. Young. Land Cover Change in a Ghanaian Sacred Forest. In ed. Silvern, S.E. and Davis, E.H., Religion, Sustainability, and Place (pp. 149-171). Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.

2016    Wang, L., Young, S.S., Wang, W., Ren, G.P., Xiao, W., Long, Y.C., Li, J.S., Zhu, J.G., Conservation priorities of forest ecosystems with evaluations of connectivity and future threats: Implications in the Eastern Himalaya of China. Biological Conservation. 195: 128-135.

2015       Ren, G.P., Young, S.S., Wang, L., Wang, W., Long, Y.C., Wu, R.D., Li, J.S., Zhu, J.D., Yu, D.W. 2014. Deforestation in China and Effectiveness of National Nature Reserves in protecting Forest Protection from 2000 to 2010. Biological Conservation – accepted

2014       Wang, L., Young, S.S., Wang, W., Ren, G.P., Xiao, W., Long, Y.C., Li, J.S., Zhu, J.G., Forest change patterns in response to government forest conservation policies in the Eastern Himalaya of China. Under review

2007       Jeyaseelan, A.T., Roy, P.S. and S.S. Young. Persistent Changes in NDVI between 1982 and 2003 over India using AVHRR GIMMS (Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies) data. International Journal of Remote Sensing. 28(21): 1-20.

2005       Young, S.S., and R. Harris, Changing patterns of global-scale vegetation photosynthesis, 1982-1999. International Journal of Remote Sensing. 26(20): 4537-4563.

2004       Young, S.S., Satellite Detected Broad-Scale Vegetation Change in China, 1982 – 1999. Asian Geographer. 22(1-2): 123-142.

2003       Wang, Z.J., and S. S. Young, Differences in bird diversity between two Swidden Agricultural sites in mountainous terrain, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. Biological Conservation. 110: 231-243.

Human Rights

2014       O’Connell, T, and S.S. Young. No more Hidden Secrets: Human Rights and Remote Sensing. Genocide Studies and Prevention Journal. Vol. 8: Iss. 3: 5-31.

Interdisciplinary Art Exhibits

Mapping Climate Change on the North Shore of Massachusetts: Taking Action with Modern Mapping Techniques. This is an exhibition curated by Stephen Young using his research work alongside other SSU faculty, graduate students and alumni. Mapping Climate Change

2020    “Mapping Climate Change” Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn. January 19 – February 28.

2019    “Mapping Climate Change” Greenbelt (Essex County Land Trust).  October 6 – 18.

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Macro or Micro is an exhibit by S. Young (Geography) and Paul Kelly (Biology), Salem State University.Macro or Micro?

2025    “Macro or Micro?” at Old Town Hall Salem, MA outdoor exhibition, March - July 2025.

2025    “Macro or Micro?” Department of Film & Media Studies Gallery Dartmouth College; May 8 – June 8, 2025.

2024    “Macro or Micro?” in cooperation with the City of Salem MA, outdoor exhibition, September 15-October 15, 2024.

2020    “Macro or Micro?” in cooperation with Sigma Xi, national meeting – virtual – Nov 5-8, 2020.

2018    “Macro or Micro?” in cooperation with the International Geographical Union’s (IGU) International Congress, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada – August 2018.

2017    Young, S.S., Kelly, P. Macro or Micro? A Visual Art Exhibition Challenging Our Perceptions of Scale. Geohumanities. Volume 3, Number 1 250-265. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2373566X.2017.1295815

2015       “Macro or Micro?” Museum of Science, Boston, MA. Summer

2015       “Macro or Micro?” Sazmanab Center for Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran. June 19 to July 10

2014       “Macro or Micro?” Class of 1970 Café Gallery, George C. Gordon Library, Worcester, MA. Aug 28 – Dec 19

2013       “Macro or Micro?” Winfisky Gallery, Salem. MA. October

2013       “Macro or Micro?” Traina Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Clark University Worcester, MA. October.

Smithsonian blog about the exhibition:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/macro-or-micro-test-your-sense-of-scale-2208824/

Huffington Post blog about the exhibition:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/26/micro-or-macro-amazing-nature-images_n_4151127.html

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Solo Art Exhibits

These exhibits demonstrate the basic scientific aspects of remote sensing in an artistic format. Art Exhibitions

2008       “North Africa from Space” Tunis, Tunisia – August.

2008       “Return of The Earth Exposed” Winfisky Gallery, Salem. MA. March.

2006       “Return of The Earth Exposed” Sasaki Associates, Watertown, MA, Oct 19 – Dec 8.

2006       “Australia from Space” Brisbane, Australia, July 3 - 30; Canberra: August, Sydney: September.

2005       “The Earth Exposed.” National Science Foundation.  Arlington, Virginia. Nov 29, 04 – Mar 4, 05.

2004       “The Earth Exposed” Esther M. Klein Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. March 14 – April 15.

2001       “The Earth Exposed” ArtWorks!, New Bedford, MA, September – October.

2001       “The Earth Exposed” Sasaki Associates, Watertown, MA, February 15 – May 15.

2000       "The Earth Exposed," Clark University, Worcester, MA. November 13 - December 15.

1999       "Ipswich Sanctuary from Space," Audubon Society, Topsfield, MA. Dec 1999 - May, 2000.

1998       "Salem from Space," Winfisky Gallery, Salem. MA. November.