The adoption of geospatial technologies requires adequately trained
environmental professionals and natural resource managers, who can collect,
display, and analyze spatial data. Knowledge of the global positioning
system (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), and remote sensing
are essential to be successful. The Geographic Information Academy is
a series of short courses that will enhance your overall geospatial
literacy.
The GIS Education Lab in the Soil Science Department
at NC State University is equipped with Microsoft Windows based workstations,
configured with a full installation of ArcGIS 9.x, the predominant commercial
geographic information system. Each workstation is networked to a central
data server that houses more than 500 gigabytes of geographic datasets.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own USB Memory Drives to
download any of our datasets.
Your class size will be limited to ensure a highly
personalized learning experience and a high instructor:student ratio.
You are encouraged to bring specific problems or scenarios
to share with Dr. Crouse, so you will be able to return to work with
tangible solutions to your real world challenges.
Class Size Limits:
Location, Navigation, and Data Collection: 6 max
Introduction to Geographic Information: 10 max
Soil Survey in the 21st Century: 10 max
Location:
All Geographic Information Academy short courses are held in the NC
State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' GIS Education
Laboratory, 2414 Williams Hall, which is centrally located on the northern
side of NC State University's main campus. A map will be included with
a letter confirming your registration or you can view an online
map.
Primary Instructors
| |
David Crouse
is a Geographic Information Specialist for the North Carolina Carolina
Cooperative Extension Service. He joined the faculty of the Department
of Soil Science at North Carolina State University in 1996 and is
currently a tenured associate professor. David has a broad educational
background that spans horticulture, waste management, soil fertility,
precision agriculture and geospatial technologies. He is a founding
member of the NC State University Geographic Information Sciences
graduate faculty and has served as the GISc representative for numerous
students pursuing post-graduate degrees. David's outreach programs
provide statewide leadership in the area of geographic information
as related to agricultural and environmental management of soil.
He currently serves as the coordinator for the College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences Geographic Information Systems Education Laboratory. |
| David
Crouse |
|
| |
Rob Austin is
a Geographic Information Specialist and application developer with
areas of expertise in relational database management, dynamic web-based
database and modeling systems. Rob's education background includes
a Master of Science degree in Earth Science, a Bachelor of Science
degree in Geoscience, post-baccalaureate studies in Geomatics and
acknowledgment by NC State University as a Certified Programmer.
Rob currently serves as the coordinator for the College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences Spatial Information Research Laboratory. |
| Rob
Austin |
|
Who Will Benefit From These Courses...
- Soil Scientists
- Professional Engineers
- Accredited Land Consultants
- Certified Professionals in Erosion and Sediment Control
- Landscape Architects
Professional Education Credits
- Soil Scientists - 6 hours/course
- Professional Engineers - 6 hours/course
- Certified Professionals in Erosion and Sediment Control - 6 hours/course
- Landscape Architects - Courses have been submitted to the LA Board
for 6 hours/course
What Others are Saying About These Courses...
"Great class for beginning use of GPS. Excellent
user tool."
Mike Eaker
"Very beneficial for all of my applications."
Ed Andrews
Introduction to
Geographic Information
Wednesday,
June 11, 2008
About the Course
Want to learn how the global positioning system works
and how spatial data may be visualized using a geographic information
system? The goal of this 6-hour course is to jump-start the incorporation
of geospatial technologies into your daily soil and natural resource
management decisions. In this course we will use a combination of lecture
and hands-on activities to introduce the concepts of geographic information,
including the basics of global positioning, data structures/formats
and remote sensing.
This is an excellent introduction to GPS and GIS for professionals
with little or no experience in this high-tech field.
Introduction to Geographic Information is an ideal starting point
for professionals trying to explore the possibilities of the global
positioning and geographic information systems. In this course, David
Crouse and Rob Austin use a combination of lecture, discussion, and
hands-on activities to introduce you to the various geospatial technologies.
The hands-on activities will be completed using ArcView 9.2, the latest
release of the world's most popular geographic information system.
Participants will receive a workbook that includes a fully functioning
180-day trial version of the ArcView 9.2 software on DVD, as well
as a CD of data for working through the book's exercises.
Register now to reserve your spot. Course enrollment is limited so
that you can reap the maximum benefit for your investment.
How You Will Benefit
- You will understand the basic terminology and concepts of the global
positioning system.
- You will learn the basics of GIS and the data types that can be
imported for interpretation.
- You will be able to import georeferenced data into a GIS and make
a simple map.
Agenda
Fee: $395
Credit: 6 hours
Class Time: 9am - 4pm
Location, Navigation
and Data Collection Using Global Positioning
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
About the Course
The global positioning systems is a location and navigation utility
functional 24-hours a day, 365 days per year. Capable of positional
accuracies on the order of inches, GPS is ideal for georeferencing field
data. The goal of this 6-hour course is to improve your understanding
of the global positioning system, its strengths, weaknesses and proper
use for local implementations. We will use a combination of lecture
and hands-on field activities to introduce the concept of the global
positioning system and its use as a tool to improve natural resource
decision making. Lecture topics will include GPS theory, methods to
overcome positional errors, hardware cost and accuracy, and planning
data collection events. Field activities will include hands-on collection
of points, lines and polygons.
This is an excellent introduction to the global positioning system
and its potential for collection of field data. No experience with global
positioning systems is necessary.
How You Will Benefit
- Knowledge of the terminology used to describe the global positioning
system
- An understanding of the sources of error in GPS and how those errors
can be overcome
- Field experience with a variety of commercially available GPS units
Agenda
| Introduction
to the Global Positioning System |
| GPS
Hardware for Location and Navigation |
| Minimizing
GPS Error through Proper Planning (Hands-on Computer Activity) |
| Field
Data Collection Software |
| Mapping
Points, Lines and Polygons (Hands-on Field Activity) |
Fee: $395
Credit: 6 hours
Class Time: 9am-4pm
[Top | Bottom | Quick Planning Guide | Registration Information | Registration Form | More courses... | Soil
Home]
Soil Survey in the
21st Century
Wednesday,
June 25, 2008
About the Course
The properties of soils can be highly variable across the landscape.
As a result, not all soils are suitable for all land use practices.
Fortunately, soil scientists have developed a process for identifying
and mapping the variability. From these maps, real estate developers,
agricultural professionals and other natural resource managers can determine
the most appropriate uses for land. The maps are called soil surveys
and cover roughly eighty percent of the United States. The goal of this
6-hour course is to improve your understanding of soil surveys, their
use in land planning, and their accessibility through the Internet.
We will use a combination of lecture, discussion and hands-on computer
activities to explore soil surveys developed by the USDA-Natural Resources
Conservation Service. Discussion will include the concept of scale,
soil inclusions, measured properties and interpreted properties. Hands-on
activities will include downloading of GIS data for mapping, real-time
construction of interpretive tables, and on-line soil mapping.
This is an intermediate level course. Prior completion of Introduction
to Geographic Information or comparable experience with a GIS is strongly
recommended.
How You Will Benefit
Knowledge of the terminology used in soil surveys
An understanding of strengths and weaknesses in a typical soil survey
The experience of having accessed soil survey data on the Internet
Agenda
| The Factors of Soil Formation - The
Driving Force of Soil Variability |
| The Soil Survey Process |
| Mapping Scale & Appropriate Uses
for Surveys |
| Requesting Soil Survey Data Through
the Internet |
Case Studies
- Displaying land use planning attributes in a GIS
- Internet-based mapping of land use interpretations
|
