Paul W. Mausel

Paul W. Mausel, retired professor of geography at Indiana State University, died Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. He was 77. He was a successful, prolific remote sensing specialist, who achieved respect from his students and colleagues through his hard work teaching, researching, publishing and grant writing, as well as showing fairness and respect for all.

Mausel earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geography from the University of Minnesota in 1959 and 1961, respectively. In 1966, he received his Ph.D. in geography and soils from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He taught at Eastern Illinois University from 1965 through 1971. That year, he joined the Indiana State University (ISU) faculty, where he was recognized and served on several projects. In 1972-73, he was sent to the Purdue University Laboratory for the Application of Remote Sensing. He was also appointed to direct ISU’s Remote Sensing Lab and served from 1973 until 1998. During that time in 1978, he was sent to the International Institute for Aerial Survey and Earth Science in Enschede, The Netherlands. In 2001, he retired from ISU as a distinguished professor.

Mausel’s productive research and grant-writing contributions brought ISU more than $2-million, including from NASA and NSA. During his career, he published more than 150 articles and book chapters, presented more than 100 talks at professional meetings and workshops and served in various leadership roles on countless committees for M.A. theses, Ph.D. dissertations, and university research and governance. He also reviewed more than 125 journal articles and more than 60 funding proposals from NSF, NASA, USDA, National Geographic Society and others.

Mausel was married to his wife, Jean, and they had three children.