I extend my sincere gratitude to the Land use Evolution and impact Assessment Model (LEAM) Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for providing essential resources, computational infrastructure, and intellectual support throughout this research.

I am deeply grateful to my colleagues and friends whose insights, feedback, encouragement, and camaraderie have been invaluable in shaping this work. Your thoughtful discussions, constructive critiques, and unwavering support—both academic and personal—have been instrumental in bringing this research to fruition. Thank you for making this journey not only intellectually enriching but also genuinely enjoyable.