About Len
Len Kne is Director of U-Spatial and Managing Director of GeoCommunities at the University of Minnesota. He leads an interdisciplinary team that supports the use of geospatial technologies across research, teaching, and community engagement while pioneering a university-wide approach to geospatial support and spatial literacy.
He is co-author of The Spatial Edge: The Strategic Advantage of GIS Skills Across Higher Education (Esri Press), which explores how universities can integrate GIS across teaching, research, operations, and community engagement to help address complex challenges and prepare students with valuable spatial skills. His work focuses on expanding the effective use of spatial thinking across higher education and strengthening connections between universities and the communities they serve.
Key Projects and Initiatives
Managing Director, GeoCommunities
GeoCommunities uses research, mapping, and community collaboration to improve health, equity, and prosperity of people around the world. The project connects academic expertise with local knowledge to address real-world challenges, working in communities ranging from Minnesota to Kerala, India.
Co-Author, The Spatial Edge: The Strategic Advantage of GIS Skills Across Higher Education
An exploration of how universities can integrate GIS across teaching, research, operations, and community engagement to help address complex challenges and prepare students with valuable spatial skills.
Areas of expertise
- Building and directing system-wide spatial computing consortiums, institutional GIS infrastructure, and cross-disciplinary research models.
- Applying geodesign frameworks, spatial optimization, and participatory mapping to complex agricultural and urban challenges.
- Designing and managing enterprise spatial databases, AWS cloud infrastructure, and interactive web mapping portals (e.g., ArcGIS Online).
- Mapping spatial patterns in health outcomes (such as disease incidence or healthcare access) and developing statewide infrastructure stress transparency tools.
- Leveraging spatial tools to support SDG decision-making frameworks, climate change vulnerability assessments, and agricultural/turfgrass sustainability models.
- Curriculum design, project management instruction, and advancing spatial thinking across higher education and K-12 learning environments.
Work with Len
Reach out, consultations are free for the U of M community.