Spring 2001 Headlines
Vol. 3, No. 1

UCGIS Refines Emerging Themes in GIScience
• UCGIS Summer Assembly near Buffalo, New York, June 20-24
• Model Curriculum Development Proceeding
• Intergraph Young Scholars Announced
• Student travel grants and presentations
• See the Web Site: www.geog.buffalo.edu/ucgis/UCGIS2001.html
Dr. Barbara Buttenfield Honored as UCGIS Educator of the Year
UCGIS HUD Grant Update

• Illinois-Champaign-Urbana, Iowa, Virginia-Commonwealth, West Virginia, Wisconsin-Milwaukee
UCGIS at the United Nations
UCGIS/USGS Colloquia on GIScience and Vector-Borne Disease
• Goverment, private sector, academia in successful collaboration
Transportation and GIS Meetings Proposed
Avoiding Listserv Lunacy
• Tips and reminders for improved emailing

all articles written by Suzy Jampoler, except where indicated

UCGIS Refines Emerging Themes in GIScience by Suzy Jampoler and Dawn Wright

A major item on the agenda of the Summer Assembly will be a discussion of geoscience areas where future research is either necessary to clarify an issue or now possible because of the advances of technology and the development of new analytical tools - or both. Consortium members have proposed and approved seven "emerging themes for research" and refinement of these topics will be the major work of the Assembly. These seven include:

• The integration of high volume, aircraft and satellite sensor data into other, older geospatial data sets to maximize utility. (led by George Hepner, University of Utah for ASPRS, Bethesda, MD)
• The development of new methods and tools with which to "mine" geographic data, to discover and to extract useful information in large, heterogeneous databases. (led by May Yuan, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK)
• The definition of categories ("ontologies") of geographic phenomena for GIS software systems to enhance the accessibility and use of data, and to order the way in which geographic data are modeled, stored and manipulated. (led by Max Engenhofer, University of Maine, Orono, ME and David Mark, The State University of New York, Buffalo)
• The scientific visualization of geographic data to enhance its understanding and communication. (led by Aileen Buckley, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR)
• The enrichment of spatial theory (analytical cartography) through the integration of cartography, mathematics, geography, computer science and image analysis. (led by Harold Moellering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH)

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Model Curriculum Development Proceeding

ESRI has provided a grant to UCGIS to fund meetings of the committee while awaiting NSF's response. The next meeting of the group will be in San Diego in August.

For more information, contact Duane Marble at marble.1@osu.edu

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Intergraph Young Scholars Program Announced

Three academics have been chosen for the first Intergraph Young Scholars award:

• Aileen Buckley , University of Oregon
• Jochen Albrecht, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Robert Edsall, Arizona State University

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Student Travel Grants and Presentations

Graduate students from GIScience-related disciplines countrywide competed for a small number of travel grants to attend this summer's UCGIS membership meeting. The grant winners come from 30 universities throughout the United States. The students will present their research at a poster session. There are nine students from among the grant winners whose scholarship was judged to have exceptional merit. These nine will present a paper on their research to the full assembly. They include:

• Daikwon Han (SUNY-Buffalo), "A Space-Time Framework for the Representation of Environmental Health in a GIS"
• Ruihong Huang(University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, "Object-Oriented Data Modeling and Trip Planning Algorithms For Dynamic Transit Networks"
• Krzysztof Kolodziej (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "Using the Unified Modelling Language (UML) to Model Distributed GIS Processes"
• Jiyeong Lee (Ohio State University, "A Spatial Access Oriented Implementation of a Topological Data Model for 3D Geographic Entities"
• Jun Liang (University of Cincinnati), "Simulating Crimes and Crime Patterns Using Cellular Automata and GIS"
• XiaoHang Liu (University of California at Santa Barbara, "First Exploration on the Impact of Temporal Resolution on Dynamic Land Use Change Modeling"
• Jody Lynn Paulson (University of Idaho), "Spatial Predictive Modeling: A Neural Network Approach"
• John Rogan (San Diego State University, "Estimation, Mapping and Evaluation of Thematic Change-map Classification Accuracy Using Geostatistical Methods"
• Abigail Vitale (University of Georgia), "Modeling Neo-tropical Bird Habitat Using Bayesian Statistics and Landscape Variables in a Geographical Information System"

In addition, the following students presenting posters were funded by the UCGIS to attend the meeting:

• Sharolyn Anderson, Arizona State University
• TzeeKiu Edwin Chow, U South Carolina
• Z. Asligul Gocmen, University of Michigan
• Ofer Heyman, Oregon State University
• Geoffrey Smith, University of Iowa
• Takashi Tada, Clark University
• Bastiaan van Loenen, University of Maine
• Bing Xu, UC Berkeley

See also Degrees of Freedom: Finding Work in Academia

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Dr. Barbara Buttenfield Honored as UCGIS Educator of the Year

The criteria for selection are a) excellence in teaching GIScience courses, b) supervision of graduate students entering careers in GIScience education and research, c) authority of significant publications in GIScience education, d) leadership in GIScience curriculum development and program design, and e) leadership in the development of GIScience education policy in academic and professional organizations. 

The selection committee's decision was based on Dr. Buttenfield's numerous contributions to GIScience education including her:

• exemplary curriculum development in some of the most prestigious programs in the United States
• substantial participation in the creation and development of major national GIScience programs such as UCGIS and NCGIA
• supervision of some 35 masters students and 7 doctoral students, many of whom are also making significant contributions to GIScience education and research
• outstanding record of jointly authored peer reviewed publications with her graduate students. 

Dr. Buttenfield has served on the UCGIS Board of Directors since 1999. She has been active on the Board in sponsoring student participation in UCGIS activities.

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UCGIS HUD Grant Update

• University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Emily Talen, PI, Faranak Miraftab, Lewis Hopkins, Zorica Nedovic-Budic, Co-PIs
• University of Iowa, Gerard Rushton, Michael McNulty, PIs
• Virginia Commonwealth University, Robert D. Rugg, Weiping Wu, and John Accordino, PIs
• University of West Virginia, Calvin Masilela, PI, G. Elmes, Ge Lin, D. Weiner, co-PIs
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, William Huxhold, PI, Laxmi Ramasubramanian, Cheryl Ajirotutu, Jochen Albrecht, co-PIs

The universities are all developing web-based training materials to assist planners in incorporating spatial analysis and urban indicators to support urban planning. Each is using different indicators. For example, the University of Iowa is working on health care indicators, University of Illinois on transportation, University of Wisconsin on housing and population. They are also taking different approaches.

Some of the universities are working with multiple partners, others with only one or two. One of Virginia Commonwealth University's partners is the Open Remote Sensing Laboratory in Shanghai. Part of their focus will be on remotely sensed information. They will be working with their other partner in Guatemala on natural hazards. West Virginia University is working with one partner in Mozambique and working on a variety of indices they have identified.

The second symposium will be held in Washington DC, September 26-28, 2001. In addition to representation from each UCGIS university, one participant from each of the partnering organizations will be invited. These partners form an advisory committee to the project to ensure that local concerns and issues are addressed in the data collection and training materials.

This year's project is a proof-of-concept. UCGIS participating universities are developing a global network to disseminate the training materials created to support this project. One of the first tasks for the members of the network will be to establish a quantitative baseline of data for the partnering cities. The project will also put into place mechanisms for the systematic collection of the data to monitor change and assist in developing and evaluating policies and programs to improve housing and living conditions.

For more information, contact Dr. Kenneth Dueker, UCGIS Project Manager at duekerk@pdx.edu.

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UCGIS at the United Nations

Gerry Rushton, Bill Huxhold and Suzy Jampoler joined the HUD Office of Policy Development and Research (OPD&R) on the US State Department delegation to the United Nations Istanbul +5 meeting, June 6-8, 2001 in New York City. This Special Session of the UN General Assembly was called to review the implementation of the HABITAT agenda. Over 1500 representatives, including heads of state, attended the meeting.

HUD's OPD&R Division organized a special event discussion on "Global Urban Quality: An Analysis of Urban Indicators Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)". Alven Lam, the HUD Program Manager for the UCGIS HUD grant moderated the session.

Bill Huxhold gave an overview presentation on the importance of micro-level urban indicators for solving local problems using spatial analysis. He discussed disaggregating data from the global to local levels. Suzy Jampoler represented the five UCGIS universities currently working on developing training materials using GI Science with urban indicators to support local decision-making. She provided an overview of UCGIS and of each university's project. The projects focus on a variety of applications -- from health care to housing to transportation. Gerry Rushton followed with a detailed application using health indicators to improve maternal health care.

Meetings were also held with representatives from HABITAT, including Guenter Karl, Coordinator of the Global Urban Observatory, Christine Auclair, indicator specialist, and Nefise Bazoglu, of the UN Secretariat HABITAT office. The purpose was to find additional partners for on-going research through the Global Urban Observatory members, discuss how GIS when integrated with reliable urban indicators is a useful planning tool, and identify additional funding sources to continue and expand the current research. The delegation also met HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary Shannon Sorzano.

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UCGIS/USGS Colloquia on GIScience and Vector-Borne Diseases

The first meeting, organized by Art Getis, was held in San Diego in January 2001. Because the participant base was so multidisciplinary, the first portion of the meeting included extensive discussions of individual research concerns, and identifying a common vocabulary. For example, "vector" has a very different meaning to GIScientists than to epidemiologists. Participants than examined a variety of relevant research topics. Topics identified included data types, acquisition, integration, and management.

Scale and resolution were identified as major research areas. Participants discussed whether scientists could agree on a mutually acceptable definition of scale/resolution/level/hierarchy and appropriate scale ranges for analysis and interpretation. Incorporation of epidemiological spatial and temporal models was also discussed. Models can—among other things—identify a major disease process, forecast the future course of a disease outbreak, determine intervention courses, or measure risk.

The second meeting, organized by Uriel Kitron, was held in Virginia in May 2001. The colloquium included presentations, interactive demonstrations, and significant time for individual discussions on future research and collaboration. Presentation topics included GIS techniques, application of remote sensing and GIS to vector-borne-disease analysis, and user requirements. The agenda can be found www.ucgis2.org. Dr. Nancy Maynard from NASA Goddard was the welcoming dinner speaker.

Two data sets, one on West Nile virus from Steve Guptill and Lee DeCola at USGS and one on Lyme disease from Uriel Kitron were provided. Participants spent time exploring a variety of analytical strategies using these data during the interactive sessions. A CD-ROM containing these data sets is available. Contact Suzy Jampoler for more information.

The coordinating committee for the two meetings was Art Getis, Uriel Kitron, Gerry Rushton, Steve Guptill, Lee DeCola and Suzy Jampoler. UCGIS appreciates the support from USGS to offer these two meetings. These meetings enhance the multidisciplinary nature of UCGIS, and provide a significant benefit to its members.

The final report on these meetings will be available soon on the UCGIS web site. A notice to the ALL list will be sent out at that time. If you are not a member of the ALL list go to www.ucgis.org/f2acontac.html to subscribe.

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Transportation and GIS Meetings Proposed

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Avoiding Listserv Lunacy
by Dawn Wright

• Remember that a listserv allows you not only to receive messages as part of your subscription but to send them to all others subscribers as well. There is no need to ask someone to forward them for you - you already have the power!
• Many people refer to UCGIS email transactions as coming from "the list." UCGIS actually has 12 different UCGIS mailing lists for various levels of communication. They include:
  • all@ucgis.org
  • board@ucgis.org
  • chairs@ucgis.org
  • lead-delegate@ucgis.org
  • delegates @ucgis.org
  • members@ucgis.org
  These are described at www.ucgis.org/faddresses.html.

  There are over 450 people subscribed to "all@ucgis.org" but the majority of them are subscribed to at least 1 or 2 other listservs. For example, the typical UCGIS delegate is subscribed to "all", "delegates", AND "members."

• Because we have hundreds of people subscribed to our lists, the UCGIS community is strongly encouraged to take advantage of the "self-serve" options available via our Lyris listserv software. The easiest way to do this is begin at www.ucgis.org/f2acontac.html and click on the link that says "View, subscribe, or unsubscribe from email listservs via the Web". No password is required, only your primary email address.
• Please remember that Lyris and other kinds of listserv software identify you by your email address, so when attempting to post messages to a UCGIS list you must always use the same email account that matches your subscriptions. And once again, it is likely that you have more than 1 subscription.

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