By Julianna Parker Jones
Norman Transcript
Many people don't realize it, but there are far more uses of the
technology behind your car's GPS than just getting you from your
house to the store.
"GIS (Geoinformatic Information Systems) is really an emerging
field and people don't realize it's used in nearly every aspect of
our lives," said Melissa Scott Brown, program adviser for
geoinformatics at the University of Oklahoma.
Geographic Information Science is a growing field in academic,
business and governmental areas, with roots in geography, Brown
said.
OU is preparing students to enter that field.
A new Geographic Information System-based bachelor's degree
offered this year is geoinformatics, offered through OU's College
of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences. Students in the program
study the science and technology of gathering, analyzing,
interpreting, distributing and using geographic information.
This week, Brown and other staff members organized a contest to
get the word out about the new geoinformatics program.
Undergraduate OU students can use their own GPS device or check
one out from OU through Thursday in order to find clues hidden
around OU's campus. The GeoCash geocaching contest will offer cash
prizes to students who successfully use GPS coordinates to find the
clues, which all provide information about the geoinformatics
program.
The contest coincides with Geographic Information Science Day and
is sponsored by the geoinformatics program, the Oklahoma NASA Space
Grant and the Center for Spatial Analysis. Students in
geoinformatics work closely with the Center for Spatial Analysis,
said Brown, who also is the assistant director of research and
education at CSA.
"Our goal is to get every student involved in some sort of
internship or assistantship," she said.
The experience helps students after graduation, and their
expertise is highly sought-after, she said.
GIS software creates a spatial visualization of data for a variety
of purposes.
Lesley Williams is one of about a dozen geoinformatics majors at
OU. She is an undergraduate research assistant at CSA where she is
mapping populations of fish in the Gulf of Mexico. She is gathering
data from previously published studies and inputting that
information into GIS software that is mapping fish and their
environmental data in order to aid in ecological
conservation.
Williams said she majored in geoinformatics because she liked
geography but GIS offers more variety with information
systems.
"I want to work with the Geospatial Intelligence Agency with the
Department of Defense," she said. She said GIS-based degrees are in
high demand in remote-intelligence gathering. She recommends the
degree track she's on now for others with like interests.
"If people enjoy statistics, gathering that data and being able to
analyze it, then they would enjoy GIS," she said.
On the Net:
Center for Spatial Analysis' information regarding the GeoCash
contest is available at csa.ou.edu
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
