Joanne N. Halls, PhD
Dept. of Geography & Geology
David Kirk
Information Technology Services
Geographic Information Systems manage and analyze
data to solve spatial problems.
Real World
Abstraction
Representation
Printed
Maps
Conversion
Analysis
Presentation
Action
Digital
Model
Nearly 80% of business and government
information has some reference to location
(Open GIS Consortium)
ƒ Geographic information plays a role in about
one-half of the economic activities of the United
States (National Academy of Public
Administration)
ƒ GIS is discipline-independent…it is in
everything!
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Geography and geospatial technology is Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
“Today’s youth are tomorrow’s decision makers, and an understanding of geography
and the use of geospatial technology will be crucial to helping them make good
decisions that affect global health and community life. Unfortunately, geography has
always been sort of an “underdog” in our educational system; it’s been
misunderstood, generalized, and sometimes ignored. Even today, as we see increased
focus on STEM in education, we frequently see geography completely disregarded as
a component of STEM.”
Jack Dangermond, President, ESRI, January 2, 2013
GIS job market is growing at an annual rate of
nearly 35% (Dept of Labor Employment and
Training Administration)
ƒ Geospatial Information Technology Association
projects an expansion of 100% annually within
the private sector job market
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The following academic units have either implemented some geospatial
curriculum or have faculty and students involved in research projects
utilizing this technology:
ƒ Cameron School of Business: Economics, Info. Systems & Operations
Management, and Marketing
ƒ Watson College of Education: Instructional Technology and Secondary
Education
ƒ College of Arts and Sciences: Anthropology, Biology & Marine Biology,
Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies,
Geography & Geology, Sociology & Criminology
ƒ College of Health & Human Services: School of Health & Applied
Human Sciences and School of Social Work have not previously
implemented geospatial technology but this is a big growth avenue for us
to explore
1. Friday Hall
2. Belk Hall
3. Galloway Hall
4. Graham Hall
New methods for mapping
coastal habitats
Modeling impacts of sea‐level rise, storm surge, and coastal
erosion
Predictive sea turtle nesting
model
S
#
Sampling Site
Land Use / Land Cover
Single Family
Multi Family
#
S
HE-1
#
HE-2S
Mobile Home
Commercial
Office
Institutional
HE-3
S
#
S
HE-4#
Industrial
Utilities
Under Construction
Transportation
Agriculture
Forestry
Other Resource Extraction
Recreation
Undeveloped
Water
Marsh
S
#
HE-5
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S
HE-6
#HE-7
S
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W
E
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1
0
1 Miles
ESRI site license ($14,238)
Other software (Erdas, ENVI, etc.: $15,000)
20-seat lab in DeLoach, 24-seat lab in Bear, 40seat lab in NSB, library, and many other
departmental and faculty research labs (on
campus and CMS)
ƒ Web presence: www.uncw.edu/gis
ƒ ArcGIS Server: web server for hosting dynamic
map applications
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Build on the initial GIS work in the business
affairs division to utilize infrastructure data that
is shared among departments
2. Analyze geospatial data for efficient use of space
and future space planning
3. Integrate GIS into emergency management
4. Utilize existing data to create an ecosystem
management model of campus for a sustainable
future
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Existing research data needs a secure data
storage, visualization and management plan
Build a sense of community among faculty
Develop multi-disciplinary collaborations
Celebrate National GIS day (annually 3rd week
in November) with a research symposium
Need a leader who can organize and help
initiate research projects
Results in more $$s for research
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All students must have access to geospatial technology:
ƒ Improve computing in all labs
ƒ Support software and server implementations
Undergrad and Grad curriculum has been expanding:
ƒ Minor geospatial technology, BA Applied Geography & Grad GIS
Cert
ƒ Need a better way of enabling multi-disciplinary learning
Teaching traditional, hybrid, and some online (asynchronous and
synchronous):
ƒ We need more online courses
Further develop experiential learning opportunities:
ƒ Internships and other community involvement projects
ƒ Need to expand and support the GIS listserv and website
ƒ We need to build more relationships with public/private sectors
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The UNCW GIS user community needs support to
improve intellectual and data sharing/collaboration
Plan for future growth of geospatial technology
Develop an innovative approach to linking, sharing and
developing the technology to benefit the campus
infrastructure, student learning, problem-solving
research, community service, private sector growth
All it takes is time and people…Our students are
amazing and can help us more fully utilize this
technology
ITS Help (TAC) needs to have more GIS expertise
We need a campus GIS administrator