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WELCOMEWELCOMETo GEOG 350 / 550Introduction to Geographic Information Science

Second Lecture

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1. Systems, Science, and 1. Systems, Science, and StudyStudy

© John Wiley & Sons Ltd

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OutlineOutline

What is geographic information?Definition of data, information, knowledge and wisdomKinds if decisions that use geographic informationWhat is geographic information science?How do scientists use GIS?

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Text: Page 9-10

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Spatial is Special (Geographic is Great!)Spatial is Special (Geographic is Great!)

Geographic – Earth’s surface and near-surfaceSpatial – any space (including geographic) e.g. medical imagingGeospatial – synonymous with geographic

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GI is SpecialGI is Special

MultidimensionalVoluminousRequires projection to flat surfaceUnique analysis methodsAnalyses require data integrationData updates are expensive and time consumingMap displays require fast data retrieval

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Data, Information, Evidence, Wisdom and Data, Information, Evidence, Wisdom and KnowledgeKnowledge

Decision-makingSupport Infrastructure

Ease of sharing

Wisdom Impossible

Knowledge Difficult

Evidence Difficult

Information Easy

Data Easy

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Information on the WorldInformation on the World

How it looks – FormHow it works – ProcessKnowledge about process more valuable than form, because can be used to predictGIS combine

General scientific knowledge in softwareSpecific information in databases

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Forms of General KnowledgeForms of General Knowledge

Classifications - e.g. what is a wetland? (established rules)Rule sets - e.g. how can wetlands be used, how wilderness definedLaws - e.g. Newton Laws of Motion predict the way in which all matter (e.g. planets) behaveGeography laws are of much lower precision, e.g. spatial interaction models

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Problem SolvingProblem Solving

Components and stagesObjective or goal - often maximize or minimize (cost, distance)Tangible (well defined scale) vs intangible -e.g. quality of life, environmental impactMultiple objectives - e.g. cost and environmental impact

Multi-criteria decision-making techniques

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Geographic Information SystemsGeographic Information Systems

Software productData sets / databasesCommunity of people working with geographic information and toolsActivity of advanced science and problem solving

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Brief History of GISBrief History of GIS

1960 – 70s InnovationFirst GIS – Canada Land InventoryDIME US Bureau of Census Harvard Laboratory for Computer GraphicsMajor vendors started (e.g. ESRI, Intergraph)Landsat satellite launchedKey academic conferences (e.g. AutoCarto)

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Brief History of GISBrief History of GIS

1980s CommercializationCommercial GIS software (e.g. ArcInfo)First GIS textbooksFirst global data setsClinton Executive Order

2000s ExploitationInternet becomes major deliver vehicleMore than 1 million active users

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A Brief History of GISA Brief History of GIS

GIS’s origins lie in thematic cartography Many planners used the method of map

overlay using manual techniques Manual map overlay as a method was first

described comprehensively by Jacqueline Tyrwhitt in a 1950 planning textbook Ian McHarg used blacked out transparent overlays for site selection in Design with Nature

Tyrwhitt: Town & Country Tyrwhitt: Town & Country PlanningPlanning

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A Brief History of GIS (cont.)A Brief History of GIS (cont.)

The 1960s saw many new forms of geographic data and mapping softwareComputer cartography developed the first basic GIS concepts during the late 1950s and 1960sLinked software modules, rather than stand-alone programs, preceded GISs Early influential data sets were the World Data Bank and the GBF/DIME files

Early systems were CGIS, MLMIS, GRID and LUNRThe Harvard University ODYSSEY system was influential due to its topological arc-node (vector) data structure

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A Brief History of GIS (cont.)A Brief History of GIS (cont.)

GIS was significantly altered by (1) the PC and (2) the workstation During the 1980s, new GIS software could better exploit more advanced hardware User Interface developments led to GIS's vastly improved ease of use during the 1990sDuring the 1980s, new GIS software could better exploit more advanced hardwareDuring 1990 – 2000 Rapid advances in storage and processing power – multidimensional, visualization

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Sources of Information on GISSources of Information on GIS

The amount of information available about GIS can be overwhelming Sources of GIS information include journals and magazines, books, professional societies, the World Wide Web, and conferences GIS has Web Home pages, network conference groups, professional organizations, and user groupsMost colleges and universities now offer GIS classes in geography departments

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First Internet First Internet Mapping SiteMapping Site

The Geography Network

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Geographic Information SystemGeographic Information SystemAn organized collection of

HardwareSoftwareNetworkDataPeopleProcedures

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GIS Resources: ConferencesGIS Resources: Conferences

http://wvgis.wvu.edu/Conference2004/

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Major GISMajor GIS--Only JournalsOnly Journals

International Journal of Geographical Information SystemsGeographical SystemsTransactions in GISGeospatial solutionsGeoworld

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Specialty JournalsSpecialty JournalsGIS LawGrassClippingsGIS Asia/PacificGIS World Report/CANADAGIS EuropeMapping Awareness

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Regular GIS PapersRegular GIS Papers

Annals of the Association of American GeographersCartographicaCartography and GISComputers, Environment, and Urban SystemsComputers and GeosciencesIEEE Transactions on Computer Graphics and ApplicationsPhotogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing

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Occasional GIS papersOccasional GIS papers

Cartographic PerspectivesJournal of CartographyGeocarto InternationalIEEE GeosciencesInternational Journal of Remote SensingLandscape EcologyRemote Sensing ReviewMapping Science and Remote SensingInfoworld

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Popular Distribution MagazinesPopular Distribution Magazines

Geospatial solutionsGIS LawGeoworldGPS WorldMapping awareness/Mapping awareness and GIS in Europe/Asia/Africa

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Proceedings of ConferencesProceedings of ConferencesAUTOCARTO International Symposium on Automated CartographyGeographic Information Science. International conference - 4th in 2006 Proceedings of International Symposium on Spatial Data Handling, IGU Commission on GIS.GIS / LIS (Retired 1998)International Advanced Study Symposium on Topological Data Structures for Geographic Information SystemsSSD Advances in spatial databases

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Professional OrganizationsProfessional Organizations

AM/FM International Automated Mapping and Facilities Management. AAG: The Association of American Geographers.ACSM: American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.ASPRS: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.NACIS: North American Cartographic Information Society.URISA: Urban and Regional Information Systems Association.

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WWW Resources: List ServersWWW Resources: List Servers

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WWW Resources: USGSWWW Resources: USGS

WWW Resources:WWW Resources:Textbook PagesTextbook Pages

Geographic Information Systems and Sciencehttp://www.wiley.co.uk/gis/Home.htmlhttp://www.wiley.co.uk/gis/powerpoint.html

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WWW Resources: Textbook Web PagesWWW Resources: Textbook Web Pages

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Keith Clarke: GIS Internet GuideKeith Clarke: GIS Internet Guide

GIS daily internet news/jobsGIS daily internet news/jobs

http://www.geoplace.comhttp://www.giscafe.comhttp://www.gis.comhttp://www.geographynetwork.comhttp://www.census.gov/geo/www/faq-index.htmlhttp://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/giswww.htmlhttp://www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/abbrev.html

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GISystemsGISystems, GIScience and , GIScience and GIStudiesGIStudies

GISystemsEmphasis on technology and tools

GIScienceFundamental issues raised by the use of GIS and related technologies (e.g.)

Spatial analysisMap projectionsAccuracyScientific visualization

GIStudiesSystematic study of the use of geographic information

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Social Implications of GISSocial Implications of GIS

Favors generalization, possibly at expense of minorities and individualsUse is not always neutral and can be applied

to military and industrial surveillanceTendency to be technological rather than

human need focusedMaintains and extends the status quo of

societal power structuresAbsence of GIS in critical research

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SummarySummary

GIS is a science based on extensive technology applicationUnique perspective for examining patterns

and processes on the Earth’s surfaceFrom origins in 1960s now a +$7bn industryWidely studied in schools and universities as part of many discipline curricula

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ENDEND

QUESTIONS?