Rowan University's Geospatial Research Lab, part of the Geography & Environment Department, supports research and facilities by producing campus maps and managing GIS infrastructure. The lab enhances student involvement through paid internships, contributing to data collection and project management across various GIS projects. Key applications include campus asset mapping, virtual tours, and real-time updates for improved visibility of facilities to the university community.

1. Facilities & GIS

2. Who are we?
Rowan University GeoLab
• John Reiser
Campus GIS Specialist
• Michael King
GIS Associate
• Christopher Nagy
GIS Associate

3. • 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.

4. Our relationship with Facilities
• Introduced to Facilities by a former
administrator.
• Began producing updates to campus maps.
• Evolved into on-demand map production
services.
• MOU between G&E and Facilities outlining
deliverables, compensation, access to data, etc.

5. So what exactly is GIS?

6. Maps.

7. More than just maps.

8. Geographic Information Systems
• GIS is a system that can “
–
•
•

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. GIS STUDENT
INVOLVEMENT
Chris Nagy & Mike King

12. GPS Projects
 Outdoor Lighting –
869 points collected
 Storm Drains – 261
points collected
 Emergency Poles –
94 points collected
 Campus Assets
 Outdoor Seating - 146
 Trash Receptacles -
140
 Signage - 352
 Bicycle Facilities - 73

13. Campus Assets

14. GeoLab Equipment and
Software
 Trimble  Pathfinder
GeoExplorer XH  Terra Sync
 External Antenna  Microsoft Office
 Trupulse 360B  ArcGIS
 GPS enabled  Adobe Illustrator
camera  AutoCAD
 Plotter
 Ipad

15. GIS Projects
 Planning
 Block and Lot maps
 West Campus
Development
 Campus
 Interior Spaces
 Parking Lots
 Parking Re-pavement
Plan
 Contour Map
 Smoking Buffer

16. West Campus Development

17. Smoking Buffer Map

18. Benefits of Student GIS
Workers
 Do not need to
outsource work
 Availability of student
workers
 Cost effective
 Hands on work
experience for
students
 Flexible work
schedule for students
 Exposure to working
environments

19. Benefits of Student GIS
Workers
 Paid internship
 Supports our school
 Networking
 Connectivity to
Campus
Administrators

20. Student Involvement
• Student involvement is
key to the success of
the GeoLab and our
relationship with
Facilities.
• Bright minds looking to
create an impact.
• Look internally to the
greater university
community.

21. More than static maps.
• GIS is a great tool to have for map production,
but it is far more valuable 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.

22. -MTA
-Cyclonebiskit -Hurricanehink

23. -Mel Evans, AP

25. Campus Viewer
• Web map was pulled together the day before
Irene made landfall in New Jersey.
• Contour data was generated from public LIDAR
data sources & overlaid on campus facilities data,
such as locations of storm drains.
• Links were sent out to Facilities and Public Safety.

27. Common Operating Picture
• The DoD and the National Guard are moving
towards sharing situational information
internally via intranet using a web map interface.
• New Hampshire has made great strides towards
a networked COP.
• Coupled to the E911 system, they can visualize
both the need for emergency response
throughout the State and where resources are
currently allocated.

28. NH’s COP

29. Making Facilities Visible
• Students rely on Facilities every day they are on
campus, but often have no idea about Facilities.
• We are working with Facilities Administration on
some projects to help improve the visibility of
Facilities to the students & greater community.

30. Disseminating Campus Information
• Using GIS through a web interface allows for
many potential projects that would benefit and
interest the greater community:
– Campus virtual tours for potential students
– Public tours of available art and scupture
– Smartphone-based walking tour of an arboretum
– Graffiti and vandalism reporting
– General campus wayfinding: getting there from here!

31. http://gis.rowan.edu/projects/finder
Space Finder!

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

33. Geolocation: will bring up your current location
in relation to the selected room.

34. Loads today’s events for the selected
space from 25Live.

35. 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.

36. Improving the Space Finder
• Interior photos of every space.
• Using OpenStreetMap/MapQuest, incorporate
walking directions to spaces on campus.
• User authentication:
– Students can have their course schedule visualized on
a campus map, with walking directions.
– Event Services staff will be able to reserve & monitor
– Public Safety can have a COP that will depict an
estimated amount of students in a given building,
based on enrollment data

37. Software Services
• Portions of the Space
Finder application will
be made available
through the GPL on
GitHub.
(In plain English, parts
of the software will be
free for anyone’s use.)

38. Power of GIS
• The capabilities of GIS are clear.
• Many potential uses for facilities managers.
• Used by many in a variety of academic
departments and an internal collaboration like
the one at Rowan is likely at your institution.
• Students are a great resource and are capable of
assisting you on great projects.

39. 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