Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence
Scholars Program
Introduction to the GISc Center of Excellence
The Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence (GIScCE) is a unique
partnership venture between South Dakota State University (SDSU) and the USGS
National Center for Earth Resources Observation & Science (EROS Data Center/EDC). It
incorporates the educational strengths of SDSU, the state's largest university, and scientific
research capabilities of the government’s EROS Data Center, the largest data management,
systems development, and field center for the Geography Discipline of the USGS.
GIScCE Center of Excellence
The GIScCE Senior Center Scientists tasks include establishing new research opportunities,
training students and additional scientists, and providing leadership for the Center of
Excellence. The Center has quickly embarked on its mission to establish and perpetuate
the level of scientific expertise needed to achieve and maintain recognition as the world’s
center for GISc/Remote Sensing. One of the next steps in that mission is to implement the
Center of Excellence Scholars Program for SDSU students.
The Scholars Program
The GIScCE Center of Excellence Scholars Program is both an academic and a
professional curriculum designed to enable SDSU students to achieve educational and
research experiences that uniquely qualify them for a career in GISc/Remote Sensing. The
goal of the program is to equip students with in-depth knowledge of their fields of study,
theoretical understanding, technical know how, and professional experiences necessary to
effectively conduct GISc/Remote Sensing applications. The program seeks: to develop the
student’s spatial, analytical and critical thinking skills to facilitate the application of
GISc/Remote Sensing research; provide mentored hands on practicum/internship
experience in professional situations; develop and require research opportunities for
students; and ensure student competence in communication, professional development and
team skills.
Admission to Program
Admission to the GIScCE Scholars Program is by individual application. Each potential
Center Scholar is required to submit an Application for Admission (attached to this form)
and two letters of support from SDSU faculty and/or USGS EROS professionals, to the
Center Scholars Committee. Every application for admission to the program will be
reviewed by the committee to determine the potential for success and final acceptance into
the Center of Excellence. The Center Scholars Committee is comprised of the CoDirectors of the GIScCE, the student’s department head and major adviser, the GIScCE
Center Scholar Adviser, and one or more Center Senior Scientists appointed by the CoDirectors. One of the GIScCE Co-Directors will serve as Chair of the Center Scholar
Committee. In the interest of timeliness, committee members may utilize designees to
facilitate the decision making process. At the time of admission, the Center Scholars
Committee may identify academic deficiencies, determine any exceptions, and/or
additional required coursework.
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Experience at EDC and other GISc employers indicates that personal growth potential,
work habits, and professional experiences are better indicators of professional success than
standardized test scores. The Center Scholar Committee through a petition process may
consider individual exceptions to the admissions process in order to enable a limited
number of under-served or late academically maturing students an opportunity to
demonstrate individual capabilities as Center Scholars. Students not meeting the GIScCE
academic criteria nor granted an exception will, of course, be allowed to continue in their
respective major programs, and may take GISc courses. However, they will not be
identified on institutional records as Center Scholars.
Requirements for Undergraduate Admission to the Scholar Program
Undergraduate students may apply for admission to the Center Scholars Program during
their Sophomore Year, and through the completion of the first semester of the Junior Year.
Second semester juniors and seniors may also apply but may need to extend their program
to complete the requirements. Successful applicants will begin the Center Scholars
Program at the start of their Junior Year. Undergraduate students entering the GIScCE
Center Scholars Program must have completed a minimum of 64 credit hours including 17
credits of introductory GISc/Geography credits, with an overall 3.0 cumulative Grade Point
Average in those classes (17 credits). Students are also expected to have completed the
general education core and university specified courses in the first two years unless their
major curriculum requires different scheduling.
Rigor of the Center of Excellence Scholar Program
Participation in the Center of Excellence is a rigorous undertaking on the part of the
student, in collaboration with faculty and scientists. Both undergraduate and graduate
students in the Center of Excellence Scholars Program will be expected to maintain a 3.0
GPA in GISc and major coursework. They will be required to complete a supervised
applied scientific individual or team research internship. As an individual or team member,
they will be expected to submit a professional paper or presentation in order to earn
recognition as a Center of Excellence Scholars Program graduate (see Program
Requirements below). They will have their entire academic program, scholars program,
work performance, and research paper/presentation reviewed several times during their
time at the Center. Finally, they will be required to present an individual professional
portfolio for Center of Excellence review and approval prior to graduation. As a part of
that review process, they will also be expected to address any concerns even if the solution
requires additional work or time. Some of these expectations will be met by their
undergraduate or graduate degree requirements. Other expectations as determined by the
Center of Excellence will be clarified in program materials and through advising.
Advising
Students entering the Center Scholar Program will, of course, retain their department major
advisor. Additionally, since the program requires completion of either the GISc major,
minor, or certificate, a faculty member from the Department of Geography will serve as
each student’s Center Scholar Advisor. That advisor will track each student’s progress
relative to applicable GISc requirements. The advisor will also be responsible for
arranging each student’s internship, for selecting a research mentor, for facilitating
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opportunities to meet all professional development experience expectations, and providing
guidance relative to meeting the portfolio requirement.
Program and Graduation Requirements
Graduation as a Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence Scholar will be
based on completion of a combination of courses, programs, and professional experiences
in addition to successfully completing a traditional undergraduate or graduate major. The
following requirements must be completed for a student to earn graduation recognition as a
GISc Center Scholar:
Undergraduate Center Scholar Requirements
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Completion of one of the following:
An earned BS in Geographic Information Science
An earned BS in Geography with a GISc Minor or Certificate
An earned BS in Software Engineering with a GISc Minor or Certificate
An earned BS in a Center Related Major with completion of the GISc Minor or
Certificate. Students from every major offered at SDSU are eligible to
participate in the Center Scholars Program with the approval of their major
department head.
Undergraduate students must successfully complete the Regental and
University cores.
Successful application for admission to GIScCE
Successful completion of a Center of Excellence approved Internship/Practicum
Experience.
Successful completion of a Center of Excellence approved Professional
Development Experience which requires an individual or team presentation of
either one paper or project to a state, regional, or national group, meeting, or to
have one publication accepted by a professional journal, USGS, or GISc
industrial or professional periodical before graduation.
Successful completion and approval of final Student Portfolio by a
GIScCE Portfolio Review Committee.
Undergraduate students must have a GPA of 3.0 in major discipline and GISc
courses at time of graduation.
Undergraduate students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 for all
coursework at the time of graduation.
Recognition as a Center of Excellence Scholar
Through the SDSU Office of Academic Affairs, each successful student in the program
will be recognized at the SDSU Commencement as a Geographic Information Science
Center of Excellence Scholar. The Office of Academic Affairs will also establish the
appropriate diploma and transcript recognition and documentation for Center Scholars.
For the Center Scholar Program, the admission requirements, rigor, and graduation
requirements are designed to clearly demonstrate that academic expectations are greater for
GIScCE scholars. Furthermore, it is believed that the Center of Excellence will attract
students with the abilities to analyze spatial data in the natural and social sciences,
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understand mathematics and statistics, work with research teams, gather, manipulate,
interpret, model, and apply GISc/Remote Sensing data and information.
Through the completion of the Center Scholar Program, each student will have
demonstrated the direct application of these principles in scientific investigations at a
professional meeting or in a quality publication. The student will have also demonstrated
and understand the direct and immediate results of these efforts. The Scholars Program is
designed to incorporate the unique with the successful in order to take each scholar far, far
beyond the expectations of traditional academic program requirements.
Center of Excellence Scholar Program graduates will be well qualified to work as GISc
professional scientists in government, education, business, and industry throughout the
state, nation, and world. They will have the scientific and technical background needed to
provide on-going professional core of scientists required to retain world leadership in GISc
in eastern South Dakota.
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Application for Admission to the
Geographic Information Science
Center of Excellence Scholars Program
South Dakota State University
Please Print Clearly or Type
Name:______________________________ ______________________________________________
Last
First
Middle
Current Street Address:_______________________________________________________________
City:_________________________________State:________________Zip Code:________________
Phone:____________________________Email:___________________________________________
Permanent Contact Information
Street Address:_______________________
City:_________________________________State:________________Zip Code:________________
Phone:____________________________Email:__________________________________________
Personal Information
U.S. Citizen Permanent Resident International Student from ___________________________
Native American African American Hispanic American First Generation College Student
Academic Information
Current College or University:_______________________Major:_____________________________
Year in College (So., Jr., Grad., etc.)__________________ Expected Graduation Date:____________
Current GPA:_________GPA in Major:_______________GPA in GISc courses:_________________
Please Indicate Research Area(s) of most interest:
GISc Remote Sensing Geography Software Engineering Geospatial Science
Biology & Botany
Environmental Science
lectrical Engineering
Ecology
/Hydrosphere
ogrammetry
Geography
Geography
Applied Science
and Cover Vegetation Change
Natural Resource Management
Human Land U
Vegetation F
Land-Atmosphere P
Terrestrial C
Climate C
Management
Satellite Mapping
Automatic Mapping
Mapping
Feature Extraction
M
-Support
S
Modeling
Infrared
Calibration
ther (specify)_______________________________
(specify)_______________________________
If you have already identified a particular research project and/or Center Senior Scientist
that you would be interested in work with, please indicate that below:
First choice:__________________________________________________________________
Second choice:________________________________________________________________
Prior Experience:
Have You Participated in Organized Research Before? Please list and discuss any prior research experience and indicate
what projects if any, you have been involved with in the past. Previous research experience is not required for admission to
the Center Scholars Program:
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Statement of Interest:
Please describe your interest in the GIScCE Scholars Program and how it relates to your personal career goals:
References:
List the two professional references who will be submitting letters of support on behalf of your
application. Please inform them that we may contact them for additional information if needed.
(1)Name___________________________________ (2)Name________________________________
Affiliation__________________________________ Affiliation_______________________________
Phone: (____)_______________________________ Phone: (____)____________________________
Email: _____________________________________ Email: _________________________________
The Application Process:
To apply for admission to the Center Scholars Program, you must complete and submit this application form and attach an
academic transcript. (Note: While you may complete and submit this form electronically, a hard copy transcript is still
required for admission).
I certify that all information (including transcripts) is valid and true to the best of my knowledge.
Signature:_______________________________________________ Date:______________________
Send application material to:
Dr. Robert Watrel
Coordinator, Center Scholars Program
Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence
South Dakota State University
Wecota Hall 115, Box 506B
Brookings, SD 57007
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