Education  

Doctor of Philosophy (2002). Environmental Geography, Texas State University.
        Dissertation:: Visitor’s Optimal Experience to a Virtual Tour Website
Master of Science (1990). Environmental Geography, Beijing Normal University.
Bachelor of Science (1895). Geography, Beijing Normal University.

Computer Skills

Programming Languages
C, C++, Java, Visual Basic, VBScript, JavaScript, HTML, SQL, dot NET

Database Management Systems
Access, SQL Server, Oracle

Servers and Operating Systems
Microsoft IIS, Unix/Linux

Current Position: Assistant Director

           River Systems Institute, Texas State University

Previous Work Experience

2001 to March 2006
Texas Cooperative Extension, Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences,
Texas A&M University 

1996 to 2001
            Research Assistant, Department of Geography, Texas State University

1994 to 1996
Head of Registration Division, Chemical Registration Center,
State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) of China.

1987 to 1994
            Institute of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences.
           

Peer Reviewed Publications

Skadberg, Y. X. and A. Skadberg. Web-based market analysis system for rural and small tourism businesses: The Tourism Market Match approach. Submitted to Information Technology & Tourism. In revision.

Skadberg, Y. X., T. Jamal and A. Skadberg. 2005. An IT and GIS exploration of web-based nature tourism enterprises in the rural agricultural sector in Texas. International Journal of Service Technology and Management, Vol 6(2).

Skadberg, A., Y. X. Skadberg. Developing online resources to address the needs of landowners and communities interested in nature tourism as an economic diversification strategy. Journal of Extension. (In press).

Skadberg, Y. X. and J. R. Kimmel. 2005. Visitors’ optimal experience while browsing a tourism web site. Information Technology & Tourism. Vol. 7, No. 3-4, pp. 147-156.

Skadberg, Y. X. and J. R. Kimmel. 2004. Visitors' flow experience while browsing a Web site: Its measurement, contributing factors and consequences. Computers in Human Behavior, 20, pp.403-422.

Xia, Y. 1994. Research on a comprehensive land resource use planning of Chengde. In Research on ecological environment and the ecological planning in Kangxi Summer Palace, ed. Benjin Yang. Beijing: Chinese Environmental Science Press.

Wang, Jiaji and Y. Xia.1996. Landscape ecology assessment in tourist city planning--a case study in Nantian, Hainan Island. Research on Environmental Sciences, 1996(1).

Book Review

Xia, Y. 1997. Land Degradation (Book Review). By Douglas L. Johnson and Laurence A. Lewis. Social Science Quarterly, Vol 78, No. 4.

Book

Xia, Y. and Y. Gao 1996 (Eds). Environmental Management on Import/Export of Chemicals. Beijing: Chinese Environmental Science Press.

Professional Reports

Xia, Y. and Y. Gao. Technical guidance on reporting for the Inventory of the Existing Chemical Substances in China. State Environmental Protection Administration of China, February 1996.

Xia, Y. and Y. Gao. Detailed on Implementing the Registration of the Environmental Management on the First Import of Chemicals and the Import/Export of Toxic Chemicals. Chemical Registration Center, State Environmental Protection Administration of China, February 1995.

 
Online Distance Learning Courses Developed
These courses focus on the application of information technologies (IT) and GIS for rural economic development, natural resource conservation and tourism and to support strategic decision making for managers and planners.

1. Nature Tourism and IT technology
2. GIS Technology for Tourism
3. Web Technology for Tourism
4. Relational Database Concepts and Design for Tourism Management

 
IT Systems Developed
These are applications developed in response to needs of various agencies and organizations that are seeking to extend IT supported services to user groups and constituencies in economic development, tourism and natural resource management.

• Online Management System for Distance Learning Classes. The system supports online registration, tuition management, progress reporting, online testing, quiz generation and grading, etc. After registration and “sign-in”, students can access to their own personal classrooms according to their own course enrollment.

• TexBox -- a traveler information kiosk network developed for the Texas Department of Transportation. The kiosks have been installed at seven TxDOT rest area locations. The system connected over 200 communities. Travelers can search and locate over 9000 businesses such as accommodations, services, attractions, and public agencies in these communities.
  
• Tourism Market Match – a Web-based decision support system for landowners, communities and businesses to collect and analyze information about their visitors/customers. The system consists of an on-line survey builder and a statistical market analysis engine. The on-line survey builder dynamically generates online surveys and databases to capture customer data. The market analysis engine translates the data collected via the online survey into a variety of reports including tabular and graphical formats.
• Texas INFRONT – an online database for information collection and inquiry about tourism and outdoor recreation businesses in Texas. Businesses can submit their information about their products and services to a central database. Visitors can search the database by keyword, geographical area, and/or products/services.

• Online Experts of Assistance Database. This searchable database helps users to find individuals and agencies for seeking professional assistance for rural economic development, natural resource conservation and tourism. Users can search the database by keyword, name, area of expertise, state and city
• Online Registration System for Texas Friendly Program, Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University

• Online Registration System for Texas Festival & Events Program, Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University
• Texas Regional Analysis and Planning Support System -- A multi-purpose Web-based GIS information system that supports regional planning. The system manages and delivers regional information and data about the physical features, land use, demographics, socio-economic, transportation, education, environment and crime for the Austin-San Antonio corridor in Texas. The system features Internet mapping and database reporting.
• GIS system of landfills, water features and public water supply intakes for six Councils of Governments in Texas.

Other projects

• Technical guidance on reporting to the Inventory of The Existing Chemical Substances in China. This technical document identifies all the technical specifications for chemical substance reporting to the Inventory of The Existing Chemical Substances in China (the Inventory).  It is used by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China and for corporations around the world to register any chemical substances imported to, or produced in, China.
• Compilation of the "Inventory of the Existing Chemicals in China.
  The Inventory establishes a baseline for identifying new and existing chemicals in China. The State Environmental Protection Administration of China uses it to manage newly introduced or developed chemical substances.

Grants & Contracts

Principle Investigator :: Renewable Resource Extension Act, USDA CREES Grant, $7,000. Development of three online GIS courses: GIS for Natural and Cultural Resource Management, GIS for Tourism Management and Planning, andGIS for Community and Regional Tourism.

Principle Investigator :: Texas A&M University, Technology Assisted Learning, $6000. Development of an online course entitled “Tourism and Online Technology”.

Principle Investigator :: Renewable Resource Extension Act, USDA CREES Grant, $7,400. Tourism Market Match.

Co-PI :: Renewable Resource Extension Act, USDA CREES Grant, $8,000. Texas INFRONT.

Co-PI :: Renewable Resource Extension Act, USDA CREES Grant, $7,700. Development of CD-ROM/Web-based Texas Friendly training

Co-PI :: Texas Department of Transportation, $44,344. Texas Travel Kiosk Information System – TexBox.

Principle Investigator :: State Environmental Protection Administration of China. $2,500 (RMB 20,000). Technical guidance on reporting for the Inventory of the Existing Chemical Substances in China.

Co-PI :: State Environmental Protection Administration of China, $48,000 (RMB 400,000). Compilation of the "Inventory of the Existing Chemicals in China.

Principle Investigator :: British Council and Liverpool University, UK. Land Resource Evaluation for Chengde City, China.

Co-PI :: State Science Committee, $6000 (RMB 50,000). Land Evaluation and Restoration Plan of Tangshan, China.