Geospatial Science Event to Explore GPS, More

The University’s Geospatial Sciences Program takes center stage at this year’s first Research & New Venture Showcase.

The program,  8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 25 in the Davidson Auditorium (SOM 1.118) in the School of Management, is open to UT Dallas staff, faculty members, students and researchers as well as the public.

The series highlights the cutting-edge technologies developed in UT Dallas’ engineering and science laboratories. It is co-sponsored by the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Geospatial sciences include geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS) and satellite or airborne-based remote sensing technologies. These studies have emerged from the fusion of traditional location-based disciplines — surveying, cartography, geography and geology — but use modern information and satellite technologies.

Explicit location — whether expressed in latitude and longitude coordinates or some projected metric — is used to relate information as diverse as geological formations, warehouses, endangered animals, Starbucks outlets, or criminal activity.

The ability to relate disparate data types and place them within the well-understood context of a map gives GIS its unique power.

Remote sensing and GPS systems have greatly enhanced our ability to collect, store, manage, analyze and use information regarding the features of the Earth’s surface, and to combine these with a vast array of other types of environmental, social and business information.

Geospatial sciences now permeate every aspect of our daily lives – from digital maps in vehicles to community policing, and from the planning and management of urban and rural infrastructures to the conduct of modern warfare.

The full day program will include an overview of the field by Dr. Ronald Briggs, the Director of UTD’s GIS program, panel discussions addressing the use of geospatial sciences in public sector, private sector and military applications, and presentations highlighting the advanced research under way at UT Dallas.

Featured speakers will include industry pioneer Paul Wilson, CEO of Mapframe Corporation and Dr. Shasi Shekar of the University of Minnesota. A luncheon and a reception after the program will provide ample opportunities for networking and discussion with the presenters.

Registration
Advance registration is required. Faculty, staff, researchers and currently registered students may register at no charge. Non-UTD personnel may attend for a registration fee of $95.

To register, visit the university’s online store and add the course to your Web shopping cart. UTD personnel may register at no charge with promotional “IIE0108” on the following page. For further information, visit the IIE website at innovation.utdallas.edu or call Christie Wright at (972) 883-5990.

About the Institute
The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UTD is a collaborative initiative of the schools of Arts and Humanities; Behavioral and Brain Sciences; Economic, Political and Policy Sciences; Engineering and Computer Sciences, Management, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics.The programs of the Institute are focused on initiatives in four broad areas: academic and student programs; internal programs and support; community outreach, and research. These initiatives support the positioning of UTD as an institution recognized not only for research leadership but also for the positive impact it has on the region and society through the innovative application of new knowledge.