Time schedule (Spring 2009): Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30 - 9:50 am
(Wilkeson 144/145/145H (GIAL)); (3 credit hours)
Office
Hours: Wednesdays
10-11 am & 12-1 pm (Wilkeson 116)
Audience: Graduate Students in Geography,
Geology, Civil Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Planning or Environmental Studies,
Business Administration and Management Science, or permission by instructor.
Objectives: The lectures and computer lab
exercises introduce concepts, theories and applications of geo-spatial
analysis and modeling tools in GIScience. The new techniques enable students
to analyze and assess geo-spatial physical and non-physical processes in
landscapes. However, the lectures also present and discuss methods to analyze
spatial problems in Geology, Environmental Science, Engineering, Ecology,
Business and Human Geography, e.g. surface/terrain analysis of
spatial-temporal dynamics of fluxes due to concentrations or costs gradients
in space and time).
The course includes the following
topics:
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Geo-spatial
data analysis and mathematic modeling in GIS
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Digital
Elevation Models and terrain analysis
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Graphical
User Interfaces (GUIs) for environmental modeling with GIS
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Dynamic
modeling approaches in GIS
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Required Textbook: There is no textbook.
Required Materials: A USB memory stick or external hard
drive for data backup (at least 1 GB free space must be available for this
class!).
Schedule: Please note, that the schedule is not updated
during the semester. It
is intended to give students not enrolled in this course a course overview. Enrolled students must
check the official UBlearns course homepage for latest updates.
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Week
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Dates
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Computer
Exercises &
Individual Projects
(Mondays; Wilkeson 145 GIAL)
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Lectures
(Wednesdays;
Wilkeson 144)
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1
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Jan 12/14
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Intro
Lecture:
Geospatial Project Management
- A brief Introduction
Lecture
1:
The future of GI Science
and GI Engineering
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Lecture
2:
Data Preprocessing
Lecture
3:
Digital Elevation Models and
Digital Terrain Analysis
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2
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Jan 19/21
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Martin Luther King Day Observed
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Lecture 4:
Filter, Flowpath and
Catchment Analysis
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3
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Jan 26/28
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Lab 1 - Raw Data:
GeoProMT Intro and Data Search
(Hayman Fire, CO)
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Lecture
5:
Geospatial Analysis in GIS
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4
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Feb 2/4
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Lab 2 - Valid Data:
Raster data and DEMs
(Hayman Fire, CO)
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Students Project Idea
Presentation (2 min; oral only) + discussion (2 min) -
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5
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Feb 9/11
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Lab 3 - Model Input:
Arc GIS Model Builder and
Terrain Analysis with TOPAZ
(Hayman Fire, CO)
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Lecture 6:
Graphical User Interfaces:
Linking GIS and Models
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6
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Feb 16/18
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Lab 4 - GIS Model
Output:
Wetness and Stream Power Index
(Lafayette Indiana, CO)
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Lecture 7:
Raster-based Geospatial
Modeling in GIS
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7
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Feb 23/25
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Lab 5 - Process Model Output:
Assessment with WEPP & GeoWEPP
(Hayman Fire, CO)
Project Proposal & Design Study*
is due Feb 23
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Students Project Proposal
Presentation (2 min; oral only) + discussion (2 min)
Design Study Feedback
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8
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Mar 2/4
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Lab 6 - Output Validation: Multiple DEMs
and Topographic Parameters
(Treynor Watershed W-2, Iowa)
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Project Preparations
(on your own; instructor at professional meeting)
+complete
all lab assignments
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Mar 9/11
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Spring Break
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Spring Break
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9
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Mar 16/18
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Project Preparations (cont.)
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Project Preparations (cont.)
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10
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Mar 23/25
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Project
Preparations (cont.)
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Project
Preparations (cont.)
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11
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Mar 30/
Apr 1
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Project Preparations (cont.)
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Project Preparations (cont.)
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12
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Apr 6/8
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Project Presentations**
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All
Project Reports*** are due as hard copy AND
digital copy
Apr 10 2pm
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13
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Apr 13/15
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Review
Assignments
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Project
Report (Review
Session)
3 groups with 4
students
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14
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Apr 20/22
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Project Report Q
& A, Final Discussion, Conclusions, and Course Evaluation
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no-class - Project Review Assignment
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15
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Apr 27
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no-class -
Project Review Assignment
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no class -
All Revised Project Reports
are due May 5
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Activities: Students are evaluated [% of total grade]
based on their performance in
- [20%] assignments on lab case
studies (incl. 2% for project idea presentation on Feb 4 (2 minutes oral
presentation + 2 minutes discussion; no power point/no handouts needed),
- [10%] * design study due Feb 23
(abstract minimum of 250 words; additional details minimum of 750 words;
incl. data flowchart) and project proposal presentation on Feb 25 (2
minutes oral presentation + 2 minutes discussion; no power point/no
handouts needed),
- [20%] **project presentation (8
minutes presentation + 2 minutes discussion),
- [30%] ***project report
(minimum of 2500 words; due by hard copy (Wilkeson 105) and
electronically (UBlearns); send instructor an email by Apr 10 2:00 pm
that you uploaded/submitted your report),
- [10%] project review comments
(pickup for review packages starts on Apr 13 in class; filled out review
sheets and marked up reports are due in class Apr 15; the review itself
works as follow: 1.) students are separated randomly into smaller groups
of 4-6 students 2.) the students will meet the instructor and exchange
their review and comment within that small group rather than in front of
the entire class), and
- [10%] attendance and
participation in classes and lab sessions.
The project proposal and
design study, the project presentation, and the project report are evaluated
based on the following key (you have to address all five aspects):
- Introduction and Problem
Definition [includes abstract or executive summary] (20%),
- [Proposed or Used] Approach and
Methods (20%),
- [Expected or Actual] Results
and Discussion (20%),
- [Expected] Conclusions,
Recommendations, and Summary (20%)
- Graphic Support/References
(20%) [here is a suggested Format for Citations;
however, this is only a style recommendation, you may chose any style as
long it is consistent to a specific format, e.g. according to a
professional journal or as suggested by the software EndNote. Only if
there are inconsistencies, I will point those out and deduct points
accordingly]. Please note that the instructor may use the on-line
software Turn-It-In to check submitted material for correct referencing
of sources.
The topic
for the project proposal and design study, the project presentation, and the
project report is subject of the participant's own choice. The topic should
be related to the course objectives dealing with some type of a
landscape-based GIS and/or terrain modeling issue as presented in the course
(that means that your project does not necessarily have to be related to
natural resource or hazard management; this could be a landscape-based
analysis of transportation, business, archeology, etc.; suggestions of topics
by participants are encouraged and should be discussed with instructor in
advance). Most of the reading material for additional information and
potential projects are provided for you during the instructor's office hours
or two hours and overnight loan through the Undergraduate
Library in Capen Hall:
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Burrough
& McDonnell "Principles of Geographic Information Systems"
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Goodchild,
Parks & Steyaert "Environmental Modeling with GIS"
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Goodchild,
Steyaert & Parks "GIS and Environmental Modeling: Progress and
Research Issues"
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Clarke,
Parks & Crane "Geographic Information Systems and Environmental
Modeling"
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Wilson
and Gallant "Terrain Analysis - Principles and Applications"
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Brooks
et al. "Hydrology and the Management of Watersheds"
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Turner,
Gardner & O'Neill "Landscape Ecology in theory and practice:
pattern and process"
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Note
that the selection of individual project topics should be discussed with the
instructor at least two weeks before their due date. Students registered at
the 400 level will require less reading materials and will not be evaluated
at an advanced graduate level.