Michael Dacey

Michael Francis Dacey (March 23, 1932 – December 23, 2006) was an American geographer known for his significant contributions to mathematical models in quantitative geography.

Like many of his fellow graduate students at the University of Washington when Dacey was a student there, including Waldo Tobler, Duane Marble, and Arthur Getis, Dacey pursued a prominent career in the fields of spatial analysis, GIScience, and quantitative geography.

[1] After obtaining his Ph.D., Dacey's first academic position was as assistant professor of regional science at the University of Pennsylvania from 1960 to 1964.

[3][4] Dacey's early research on spatial statistics and Geographic information systems has been described as foundational to the discipline today.

He has a wide knowledge of the literature on probability and is able to adopt simulation methods and computer technology to his purpose.

"His 1965 technical report for the Office of Naval Research Some Comments on Certain Technical Aspects of Geographic Information Systems, published with Duane Marble, is described by John Hessler, cartographic specialist at the Library of Congress, as "one of the most conceptually rich treatments of the foundations of Geographic Information Systems from these early years.

[3][11] These cash awards are given to students at the MMSS graduation party for most outstanding senior thesis and best performance in required coursework.