I am interested in working with students who engage with themes of public health and the impact of climatic events on society. Many of my previous students have published their peer-reviewed research, presented at academic conferences, won awards, and found jobs in the fields of GIS, public health, and climate services. Prospective graduate students interested in these topics should contact me (kovachmm@appstate.edu) and the geography graduate program director, Dr.  Derek Martin.  I welcome the opportunity to work with students!

Current Students Include:

• Sophie Ryan, 2023, M.A., Thesis

• Taylin Spurlock, 2023, M.A., Thesis

• Luke Wertis, 2023, M.A., Thesis

• Tyler Minor, 2022, M.A., Thesis -- Examining the Mental Health and Temperature Relationship in North Carolina

• Camila Moreno, 2021, M.A., Thesis -- Examining Drought Patterns through Self-Organizing Maps

• Leah Handwerger, 2021, M.A., Thesis -- An Assessment of Social and Physical Vulnerability to Hydroclimate Extremes in Appalachia (2021)

• Stella Harden, 2020, M.A., Thesis --- The Spatiotemporal Patterns of Severe Maternal Morbidity

• Jessica Mitchell, 2020, Undergraduate -- Mapping Social Determinants of Health  and Life Expectancy 

• Elizabeth Bailey, 2019, M.A., Thesis  -- Wearable Sensors For Personal Temperature Exposure Assessments: A Comparative Study

• Matthew Wilson , 2019, M.A., Thesis  --  External Validation Of Vulnerability Indices: A Case Study Of The Multivariate Nursing Home Vulnerability Index

• Kimberly Nelson, 2019, Undergraduate -- Analyzing the Report-Back Process of Environmental Health Data among Occupationally Exposed Workers 

• Lauren Andersen, 2018, M.A., Thesis --  An Assessment of Wildfire Vulnerability in Western North Carolina  (undergraduate and graduate)

• Laura Thompson, 2018, M.A., Thesis --  Adolescents in Crisis: A Spatial Exploration of Mental Distress Using Data from Crisis Text Line

• Danielle Boase, 2018, Undergraduate Honor Thesis -- Wearable sensors for continuous pregnancy health and environmental monitoring: From a patient and provider perspective

• Will Stine , 2017, M.A., Internship with US Census Bureau-- Providing Geographic Support for the Population Division, United States Census Bureau

•  Garry Raynor, 2017, M.A., Thesis --Visualizing Methamphetamine Production in North Carolina

•  Hayley Thompson, 2017, M.A., Internship with USGS--Utilizing Geographic Information Systems to Digitize and Preserve the Legacy Maps of Dr. Douglas W. Rankin

•  Anna Ross, 2016, M.A., Thesis --Recreational Heat-Related Illness: Heat Exposure Outside the Work Week