Frank Aldrich served as a faculty member at ASU from 1969 to 2000. His research and teaching integrated the areas of biogeography, land use analysis, map reading, remote sensing, computer graphics and geographic information systems. He pioneered the field of GIS at ASU, acquiring the university’s first GIS software, and partnering with IBM, Arizona’s Desert Botanical Garden, the various police forces in the valley, Salt River project and various federal agencies: DEA, Secret service, Coast guard, etc. He played a key role in developing coursework in cartography, field methods and GIS.
Aldrich mentored many students who went on to establish geographic information system infrastructure and land use analysis in Arizona state and local agencies. He served as chair for 10 masters’ theses. He also directed the doctoral research of Sona Karentz Andrews, who grew in her academic career to become provost and vice president for academic affairs at Portland State University.