Welcome to our geographic information science (GIS) and technology blog. We feature a mixture of GIS academic articles, news, USC student stories and interesting GIS application articles. We recommend visiting frequently if you want to find out more about what excites us as GIS practitioners and academics — we aim to provide a mixture of interesting GIS news articles, career information and highlights from the GIS programs at the University of Southern California. Some of the key topics you can expect to find within our blog include:
- Profiles of cutting-edge GIS research from USC faculty and students
- Innovative use of GIS technologies and forward-thinking analysis
- Careers in GIS and key skills to advance in the field
- GIS applications in specific industries and sectors, like urban planning, environmental science and more
USC Alumna Q&A: GIS Analyst Cora Chong
USC alumna Cora Chong graduated with her geographic information science and technology master’s degree in 2017. For her master’s thesis, she examined the use of remote sensing data for urban sprawl and urban growth research, highlighting how remote sensing could help address the issue of incomplete or disparate data about …
How Local and Federal Government Use GIS
Geographic information science and technology have a long history with both federal and regional government. In fact, the Library of Congress contains the world’s most comprehensive collection of maps, and geospatial intelligence has played a vital role in resolving numerous historical conflicts between nations. But how does the government use …
Spatial Data Acquisition and GIST
It’s no secret that geographic information science (GIS) is a data-intensive discipline. The huge volumes of spatial information available today have created new challenges as well as opportunities for GIS leaders. Today, we wanted to examine spatial data acquisition more specifically, with questions such as: What techniques are available for …
Collaboration is Key: How the Academy and Industry Are Tackling “Wicked Problems”
“No one’s as smart as everyone.” COL [R] Steven D. Fleming knows firsthand how teamwork and collaboration can lead to better decisions and better results. The University of Southern California professor spent 30 years in the U.S. military, where he served in both combat and humanitarian-assistance missions. In his line …
Geographic Information Science and Technology in the Intelligence Community
In the era of big data, few industries have experienced as much growth as those that take advantage of geospatial data. In fact, the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management project estimates that 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created daily, and that a “significant amount” is location-aware. The proliferation …
Innovation in the Unexpected: SSI Founder John P. Wilson On Career Surprises and the Future of GIS
Professor John P. Wilson has built his career on finding innovation in the unexpected. In a recent conversation with geographer and educator Joseph Kerski on the Geoinspirations Podcast, he talked about two surprising moments that led to big changes in his life and ultimately the field of geospatial sciences. The …
How Drones Are Improving Emergency Wildfire Response
The California wildfires of 2020 captured the country’s attention as the blazes set sobering records for damage to property and life. It was an intense situation that mobilized GIS professionals at the University of Southern California and beyond to push the capabilities of their technologies. This was especially true for …
The Application of Geographic Information Science in Earth Sciences
Geographic Information Science (GIS) provides a powerful means of looking at the world and tools for solving complex problems. Innovations continue to emerge from GIS, whether transportation companies are optimizing logistics or manufacturers are tracking the locations of equipment with Internet of Things sensors. Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) …
Geospatial Information and National Security
For thousands of years, societies have recognized the importance of geographic data as a means of tracking the unknown through maps. However, in the modern age, this important information is used for more than navigating your way to the nearest coffee house. Today, private companies and governmental agencies combine this …
Collaboration is Key: Q&A with Professor Steven Fleming, Ph.D.
This is a segment of our multi-part series honoring the active service members and veterans who have taken or who teach USC’s Geographic Information Science and Technology graduate programs by allowing them to share some of their most memorable experiences. For today’s article, we talked with COL [R] Steven D. …
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Catalina Island Excursion
Students in the M.S. in GIST, M.S. in HSGI and Graduate Certificate in GIST programs will participate in a week-long fieldwork excursion...