Ten-day project takes learning on the road to The West, blending satellite images and data
The Kirkwood Community College Business & IT department has planned a 10-day field experience to study one key facet of Geographic Information Systems. The field experience class is set for mid-May 2010, taking students and instructors on a multi-state tour of parks and sights in South Dakota and eastern Wyoming.
Along the way students will tour the EROS Data Center, where satellite imagery is downloaded. Students will also learn powerful, practical applications that Landsat imagery offers. Kirkwood GIS program instructor Gail Brown says the tools have gone well beyond the “that’s neat to do” point to many current work processes.
“Many people are familiar with the tools like MapQuest and Google Earth and the GPS units in their cars, but these are just a small part of the growing field of geospatial technologies. The GIS tools take layers of data such as satellite imagery and link them spatially using geographic coordinates. The resulting analytical tools are highly valued, with companies and researchers finding new applications and strategies every day. We know this field trip will be a valuable learning experience for people interested in pursuing GIS careers,” Brown said.
The 10-day GIS Field Trip course will earn participants three hours of Kirkwood college credit in addition to the practical learning on the road. The program is open to all students, regardless of major. Students of other colleges and universities are welcome to take part. Space is limited with just six student spaces available.
Prior to the trip, students will spend one Saturday on the main campus to learn about Landsat imagery, both how the images are created and their value in research. Then they will learn how to use Multispec software to study the imagery and locate abnormalities in the data. The latitude and longitude for the areas of interest will be entered into a Global Positioning System (GPS).
“Then, once we arrive at the parks, this data will be used to find the real-world locations where you will have an opportunity to compare the Landsat imagery with the actual locations,” Brown added.
Areas explored will include the Badlands, the Black Hills and Devil’s Tower National Monument.
A $100 non-refundable deposit is due March 30, 2010.
Details:
• Field dates: May 17-May 23, 2010
• Saturday class: TBA
• Cost: $475 includes room and board, transportation and entrance fees to all parks. Regular Kirkwood tuition also charged, for 3 college credit hours.
More information on the GIS Field Trip class is available from Gail Brown in Kirkwood’s Business & IT department:
[email protected]