Michael Dorman Personal Website

CV


Education

2010-2015
Ph.D Geography, Ben-Gurion Univeristy

Thesis title: Drought induced mortality of Pinus halepensis in planted forests, supervised by Prof. Tal Svoray and Prof. Avi Perevolotsky [Thesis]

2007-2010
M.Sc Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University

Thesis title: Phenotypic variation and local adaptation in Oncocyclus irises of Israel, supervised by Dr. Sergei Volis and Dr. Yuval Sapir [Thesis]

2004-2007
B.Sc.Agr Plant Sciences in Agriculture, Hebrew University

Nature Conservation and Land Management program


Computer skills

  • R Data processing, statistical analysis, spatial analysis, visualization

  • Python Web scraping, writing ArcGIS scripts, Image analysis

  • ArcGIS, QGIS, Erdas Imagine GIS and Image Analysis

  • SQLite, MongoDB, MySQL Database design and managenment

  • Querying XML and HTML documents with XPath

  • Text processing with Regular Expressions

  • Inkscape Vector graphics editing

  • HTML, CSS and JavaScript Web development


Work experience

January 2016-today
Programmer, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • Assisting researchers and students of the Department of Geography in computational tasks such as data processing, spatial analysis, geo-statistics, developing web applications, etc., mostly through programming in R and Python.
March 2016-May 2017
Research Associate, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • Doing research on Location-Based Social Network Data.
March 2013-today
Lecturer, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • “Introduction to Programming for Spatial Data Analysis” 2-credits (2013), 3-credits (2015, 2016) [Syllabus]
  • “Web Applications for Spatial Data” 3-credits (2016) [Syllabus]
March 2015-March 2016
Quantitative Ecologist and Information Systems, HaMaarag – Israel’s National Ecosystem Assessment Program.
  • Statistical analysis of multivariate ecological data
  • Design, implementation and management of monitoring observations database
2010-2015 (during Ph.D)
Designing and carrying out research using remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and programming, field and lab work, statistical analysis, writing 6 papers for scientific journals (5 in English, 1 in Hebrew). Additional projects:
  • Mapping habitat types in Nahal Kziv area, for BGU (2012)
  • Assessing vegetation response to drought using satellite imagery, for Ramat Hanadiv park (2014)
2014
Writing the book ‘Learning R for Geospatial Analysis’, published by Packt and available on Amazon
August 2011
Organization of “Soil Degradation and Geo-Informatics” conference at Ben-Gurion University
June 2010
Research Assistant, Plant Ecology Lab, Hebrew University
2007-2009 (During M.Sc)
Designing and carrying out greenhouse experiments, genetic markers (RFLP), statistical analysis of results (using SPSS, STATISTICA, CANOCO)
March 2009 - August 2009
Teaching Assistant, “Plant Sciences Laboratory”, Ben-Gurion University
August 2006
Practical work in JNF forestry department, Eshtaol


Books

  • Dorman, M. 2014. Learning R for Geospatial Analysis. Packt Publishing Ltd. [Website]


Peer-Reviewed Articles

  • Barazani, O., Waitz, Y., Tugendhaft, Y., Dorman, M., Dag, A. Hamidat, M., Hijawi, T., Kerem, Z., Kadereit, J. W., Westberg, E. 2017. Testing the potential significance of different scion/rootstock genotype combinations on the ecology of old cultivated olive trees in the southeast Mediterranean area. BMC Ecology, 17:3 [PDF]

  • Cailleret, M., Jansen, S., Robert, E. M., Desoto, L., [and 62 others, including Dorman, M.]. 2016. A synthesis of radial growth patterns preceding tree mortality. Global Change Biology, in press [PDF]

  • Waitz, Y., Cohen, Y., Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A. 2015. From microsite selection to population spatial distribution: Pinus halepensis colonization in mediterranean-type ecosystems. Plant Ecology, 216:1311-1324 [PDF]

  • Volis, S., Zhang, Y., Dorman, M., Blecher, M. 2015. Iris atrofusca genetic and phenotypic variation, the role of habitat-specific selection in this variation structuring, and conservation implications using quasi in situ guidelines. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, in press [PDF]

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Sarris, D., Svoray, T. 2015. Amount vs. temporal pattern: On the importance of intra-annual climatic conditions on tree growth in a dry environment. Journal of Arid Environments, 118:65-68 [PDF]

  • Dorman, M., Svoray, T., Perevolotsky, A., Moshe, Y., Sarris, D. 2015. What determines tree mortality in dry environments? A multi-perspective approach. Ecological Applications, 25(4):1054-1071 [PDF]

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Sarris, D., Svoray, T. 2015. The effect of rainfall and competition intensity on forest response to drought: Lessons learned from a dry extreme. Oecologia, 177:1025-1038 [PDF]

  • Dorman, M., Svoray, T., Perevolotsky, A. 2013. Homogenization in forest performance across an environmental gradient – The interplay between rainfall and topographic aspect. Forest Ecology and Management, 310, 256-266 [PDF]

  • Dorman, M., Svoray, T., Perevolotsky, A., Sarris, D. 2013. Forest performance during two consecutive drought periods: Diverging long-term trends and short-term responses along a climatic gradient. Forest Ecology and Management, 310, 1-9 [PDF]

  • Volis, S., Dorman, M., Blecher, M., Sapir, Y., Burdeniy, L. 2011. Variation partitioning in canonical ordination reveals no effect of soil but an effect of co-occurring species on translocation success in Iris atrofusca. Journal of Applied Ecology, 48:265-273 [PDF]

  • Dorman, M., Melnikov, P., Sapir, Y., Volis, S. 2009. Factors affecting dormancy of Oncocyclus iris seeds. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, 57(4):329-333 [PDF]

  • Dorman, M., Sapir, Y., Volis, S. 2009. Local adaptation in four Iris species tested in a common-garden experiment. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 98:267-277 [PDF]


Peer-Reviewed Articles (in Hebrew)

  • דורמן, מ., סבוראי, ט. ופרבולוצקי, א. 2012. התייבשות עצים ביערות אורן ירושלים בישראל – מבט מגובה רב. אקולוגיה וסביבה 3(3): 230-237. [PDF]


Peer-Reviewed Reports (in Hebrew)

  • Sorek, M., Dorman, M., Perlberg, A., Drori, R., Dan, H., Shapira, I., Perevolotsky, A., Kaplan, D., Federman, R. 2016. State of Nature Report Israel 2016. [PDF]


R Packages

Short Courses Taken

September 2016
BGU Teaching Skills Workshop, Thomas Frick & Yuvalal Liron (hfp consulting), 2-day workshop, Neve Shalom Hotel (16 hours)
May 2016
Statistical Learning and Data Science, Prof. Trevor Hastie, 1-day workshop, Tel-Aviv University (4 hours) Link
April 2012 - June 2012
Python Programming for Biologists, Guy Rapaport, 7-meetings course, Ben-Gurion University (21 hours) Link
January 2011
Introduction to R, 1-day concentrated course, Hebrew University (6 hours)
Likelihood Methods in Ecology, Dr. Charles Canham, 5-day concentrated course, Hebrew University (27 hours)


Grants/Awards

2014
The Karshon Foundation Scholarship in Forest Research, Bet-Dagan
2009
Merav Ziv Award for Excellence in Ecology, Sde-Boker
2006, 2007
Dean’s list, Rehovot
JNF grant for “Nature Conservation” B.Sc program, Rehovot


Presentation in conferences

  • Dorman, M., Vulkan, A., Erell, E., Kloog, I. 2017. shadow: R Package for Geometric Shadow Calculations in an Urban Environment. UseR!2017, Brussels, Belgium (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Shapira, I. 2015. Intermediate results of the long term monitoring program: A case study of geoographical region and proximity to settlements effects on mammal occupancy. 52nd Annual Convention of the Zoological Society of Israel, Mikhmoret, Israel (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Shapira, I. 2015. Intermediate results of the long term monitoring program: A case study of geoographical region and proximity to settlements effects on mammal occupancy. 43rd Annual Convention of the Israeli Society of Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences, Jerusalem, Israel (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Svoray, T., Perevolotsky, A., Moshe, Y., Sarris, D. 2014. What determines tree mortality in dry environments? A multi-perspective approach. 55th Conference of the Israeli Geographical Association, Haifa, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Svoray, T., Perevolotsky, A., Moshe, Y., Sarris, D. 2014. What determines tree mortality in dry environments? A multi-perspective approach. 42nd Annual Convention of the Israeli Society of Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences, Ramat-Gan, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Svoray, T., Perevolotsky, A. 2014. Scale and replication in observational work: Pinus halepensis mortality in planted forests. Israel Science Foundation Workshop: Replication Uncertainty in the Biological Sciences. Tel-Hai, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Sarris, D., Svoray, T. 2014. The effect of rainfall and competition intensity on forest response to drought: Lessons from a dry environment. Trees at the edge: the biology of growth limitation in trees (Basel-Israel Symposium). Rehovot, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Svoray, T., Perevolotsky, A., Cooper, A. 2013. Determinants of tree mortality spatial pattern in a planted forest from the semi-arid region. 41st Annual Convention of the Israeli Society of Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences, Rehovot, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2013. Forest performance during drought periods: diverging long-term trends and short-term responses to annual rainfall along a climatic gradient. INTECOL 2013, London, England (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2013. Pinus halepensis forests response to drought: assessment using remote sensing. Land Development Administration Annual Conference, Bet-Dagan, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2012. Forest response to a sequence of drought events: Evaluation using remote sensing. 4th International Conference on Drylands, Deserts and Desertification, Sde-Boker, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2012. Forest response to a sequence of drought events: Evaluation using remote sensing. 40th Annual Convention of the Israeli Society of Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences, Tel-Aviv, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2012. Spatial interpolation of daily climatic data using geo-statistical methods in R. 3rd Remote Sensing Student Conference, Sde-Boker, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2012. Environmental effects on NDWI in Yatir forest during 2003-2011. France-Israel Remote Sensing Workshop, Sde-Boker, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2012. Evaluating drought stress changes in planted forests by means of remote sensing. Climate Change & Forest Fires in the Mediterranean Basin: Management & Risk Reduction, Nir-Etzyon, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2011. Environmental effects on NDWI in Yatir forest during 2003-2011. 52nd Conference of the Israeli Geographical Association, Tel-Aviv, Israel (Lecture)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2011. Remote sensing of drought stress in Pinus halepensis planted forests for predicting mortality: A research strategy. 8th Conference on Active Research by Environmental Sciences Students (CARESS), Rehovot, Israel (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Perevolotsky, A., Svoray, T., 2011. Remote sensing of drought stress in Pinus halepensis planted forests for predicting mortality: A research strategy. 4th International conference on Mediterranean Pines (MEDPINE), Avignon, France (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Blecher, M., Burdeniy, L., Sapir, Y., Volis, S., 2010. Estimation of environmental effects on plants translocation success, using multivariate analysis. 38th Annual Convention of the Israeli Society of Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences, Beer-Sheva, Israel (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Sapir, Y., Volis, S., 2009. Species boundaries and local adaptation in four Iris species from Israel. Evolution in Jerusalem: A Workshop in Celebration of Darwin’s The Origin of Species, Jerusalem, Israel (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Sapir, Y., Volis, S., 2008. Species boundaries and local adaptation in four Iris species from Israel. 1st International Congress – Documenting, Analyzing and Managing Biodiversity in the Middle East, Aqaba, Jordan (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Sapir, Y., Volis, S., 2008. What determines species distribution? An experiment with four Oncocyclus Iris species. 36th Annual Convention of the Israeli Society of Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences, Haifa, Israel (Lecture)


Co-authorship in presentations

  • Svoray, T., Dorman, M., Kloog, I. 2016. Spatial variation of emotions on different urban land use types from Flickr social network data. 57th Conference of the Israeli Geographical Association, Tel-Aviv, Israel (Lecture)

  • Sorek, M., Dorman, M., Shapira, I., Dan, H., Perlberg, A. 2016. The effect of settlements and agricultural areas on mammal occupancy and activity patterns. 44th Annual Convention of the Israeli Society of Ecology and Environmental Quality Sciences, Tel-Aviv, Israel (Poster)

  • Dorman, M., Shapira, I. 2015. Land use type effect on plant, reptile and bird communities composition in the Loess Covered Areas in the Northern Negev. Nature and Parks Authority Annual Conference, Herzliya, Israel (Lecture)


Languages

  • English
  • Hebrew
  • Russian


Reviewer for Journals

  • Forest Ecology and Management (2 reviews)


Research Grant Referee

  • ISF - Israel Science Foundation (1 review)