Acquisition of Instrumentation in Support of the Center for Geographic Information Science and Applied Geographics (GISAG)

University Of Toledo, Toledo OH

Investigators

Abstract

This grant supports the acquisition of instrumentation to establish develop a state-of-the-art GIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory at the University of Toledo. The University of Toledo Department of Geography and Planning has significantly enhanced its Geographic Information Science (GIS) and Remote Sensing capabilities in recent years. These geotechnical fields are rapidly expanding world-wide and are affecting people's lives on a daily basis with applications ranging from the determination of the optimal location of emergency services, clinics and hospitals to preserving the quality of water resources. There are increasing demands for highly trained GIS and Remote Sensing specialists who have a solid background in Geography, Planning, or Environmental Studies. The Department of Geography and Planning has focused on the education and training of students in GIS and Remote Sensing Applications through research opportunities. In the last three years the department has been awarded nearly $1.5 million in federal research grants, many of which are applied in nature and focus on serving the public's needs. Department faculty have also been actively involved in the development of software tools to further advance the application of this technology in the solution of research, management and planning problems. In addition, the department is part of an extensive network that consists of academic units on and off campus as well as regional, state, and national agencies. Consequently, the Department is poised to assume a leadership role in GIS, remote sensing, and spatial decision support systems. Success in GIS and remote sensing has led the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department to invest further in this endeavor by hiring new faculty members with research foci on Geographic Information Science and Remote Sensing and the application of these tools for environmental planning and decision-making by public agencies, community groups, and citizens. The department is in a position to build upon these advances by expanding its research activity in Geographic Information Science with the goal of becoming a model department within the state of Ohio and the nation. Currently, the department has one computer lab to support both teaching and research with outdated computers. Students working on their research projects often find it difficult to find time to work in the lab around the teaching schedule. In addition, these computers are inadequate to effectively process the large volumes of data typical of GIS and remote sensing applications. The university is investing $50,000 to upgrade the lab for teaching purposes. Through this grant, we will establish a research computer laboratory facility that concentrates on GIS and remote sensing applications.