The document discusses how the Geospatial Research Lab at Rowan University supports the Department of Geography & Environment through research projects, computer lab management, and paid internships for students. It provides an overview of the GIS curriculum and programs at Rowan, including an approved Bachelor of Science in GIS. It describes how student efforts have expanded the GIS database and their involvement in various facets of work. Examples are provided of interactive web maps created by students, including an interior spaces project and space finder tool for event scheduling. The benefits of student GIS workers are outlined, and ideas to improve tools and disseminate campus information using GIS are presented.

1. Managing our human environment.

2. • The Geospatial Research Lab is housed in the
Department of Geography & Environment.
• We support the department through research
projects, computer lab & GIS infrastructure
management.
• Some of the best students in our department are
paid interns for the GeoLab gaining experience
on myriad projects.

3. GIS Instruction at Rowan
• Recently approved Bachelors of Science in GIS.
• GIS part of Geography curriculum since 1980s.
• Full curriculum dealing with cartography, data
management, visualization practices, 3D
modeling, spatial analysis, remote sensing and
web mapping.
• Students are well prepared for the workforce or
for graduate studies.

4. Student Involvement
• Without reliable data, GIS is not very powerful.
• Our GIS database began with a CAD document
produced by a consultant.
• Student efforts have made our DB grow to
include new features and updates to existing
data.
• Students participate in all facets of our
work, from data collection to project
management.

5. Benefits of Student GIS Workers
• Hands on work
experience for students
• Paid internships
• Flexible work schedule for
students
• Do not need to outsource
work
• Cost effective
• Exposure to working
environments
• Networking opportunities

6. So what exactly is GIS?

7. Maps.

8. More than just maps.

9. More than static maps.
• GIS is a great tool to have for producing paper
maps, but it provides greater utility than that.
• GPS is great for data collection, but with
thousands of GPS-enabled mobile devices on
campus every day, we need to begin thinking
about GPS as more than just an engineering tool.
• GIS, coupled with near-ubiquitous Internet
connections, can provide constant updates and
immediate feedback.

10. Interior Spaces Project

13. Space Finder!

14. http://gis.rowan.edu/projects/finder
It’s interactive!

15. Geolocation: will bring up your current location
in relation to the selected room.
Brings up 25Live in a new window.
Quick peek at the room capacity.
Loads today’s events for the selected
space from 25Live.

16. Technology Used
• User interface is HTML5 and Javascript, using
JQuery and the Google Maps API. Work is
underway to switch to the Leaflet mapping API.
• Server side, the data is stored in a PostGIS
database.
• Node.js is used to power the instant search.
• Floor plans are a map tile cache.

17. Improving the Space Finder
• Interior photos of every space.
• Using OpenStreetMap/MapQuest, incorporate
walking directions to spaces on campus.
• Students can have their course schedule
visualized on a campus map, with walking
directions.
• Public Safety can have a portal that will support
emergency response; estimated amount of
students in a given building, based on schedule
data

18. Disseminating Campus Information
• Using GIS through a web interface allows for
many potential projects that would benefit and
interest the greater community:
General campus wayfinding: getting there from here!
– Campus virtual tours for potential students
– Public tours of available art and sculpture
– Walking tour of an arboretum
– Graffiti and vandalism reporting
– Public safety emergency response

19. GIS helps make large, cumbersome
data easy to understand.

20. -dvidshub on flickr

21. -spleeness on flickr

23. MapMill photo assessment
http://sandy.hotosm.org/

24. “Check Your Home” app

25. “Check Your Home” app

26. “Check Your Home” app

27. PhotoMatcher
gis.rowan.edu/projects/sandy

28. Live Map Service

29. GIS enables you to make informed
decisions and ask the right questions.

30. Thank you!
Rowan University John Reiser
Geospatial Research Lab Campus GIS Specialist
http://gis.rowan.edu/ reiser@rowan.edu
856-256-4861 856-256-4817
@rowangeolab @johnjreiser