Kytt MacManus is a geospatial data scientist and educator with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of remote sensing, environmental policy, and urban sustainability. He currently serves as the Applied Science Lead in the Environmental Flow Physics Lab (EFPL) at Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, where he focuses on urban climate and air quality. Prior to this role, Kytt was a Senior Systems Analyst at Columbia’s Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), where he led major initiatives under NASA’s Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). His work has spanned population mapping, flood adaptation modeling, nighttime lights analysis, and open-source science education, with funding support from NASA, NOAA, WRI, and NYSERDA. A licensed FAA Part 107 drone pilot, he also trains students in unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) operations for environmental sensing.

In addition to his research, Kytt has a strong dedication to teaching and mentorship. He is an Adjunct Lecturer in Columbia’s Sustainable Development program, where he teaches courses such as "Introduction to GIS for Sustainable Development" and "Spatial Analysis for Sustainable Development." He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Northeastern University and an M.S. in Environmental Policy from the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, and is currently pursuing additional training in Data Science through Columbia's CVN. His leadership roles have included co-leading the Group on Earth Observations Human Planet Initiative, contributing to the Global Forum on Geography and Statistics, and serving as a Subject Matter Expert for NASA's Satellite Needs Working Group. Kytt is committed to bridging the gap between theoretical science and real-world applications for societal benefit, particularly through open data, reproducible workflows, and environmental decision-support tools.