While it is mid-term week here at the MSGIS program here at the University of Redlands, we had an opportunity to visit NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) today in Pasadena. The purpose of the visit was to get an overview of GIS programs at JPL and to potentially take on projects for our Major Individual Projects.
First of the potential projects were about something called “Geographic Knowledge Systems.” A NASA researcher is looking to utilize semantic ontologies for enviromental science with a similar GIS data model. Interesting work and something I’d like to do. . . later when I return. It had connotations of similar work done by outfits like Theatus, MetaCarta, and Inxight.
Second project was something simple, but interesting—a registry for non-Earth planatary projections and coordinate systems. From the sound of it, the international community can’t agree or even organize how they create projection and coordinate systems for other planets The projects secondary intent is to help with projecting lunar and Mars data via WMS and WCS services for GIS platforms to handle the information. From what I heard, most GIS platforms don’t do other planets well and terabytes of old data aren’t even projected.
We got pitched a project to help support another NASA freeware and free data project called TerraLook. TerraLook was a free data browser for NASA ASTER data. They’re looking to create version 2.0.
Something cool that was presented was a project that would generate methods for GIS users to consume UAVSAR imagery/data. UAVSAR, is as you probably guessed it, stands for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Side Appature Radar. The prototype just flew a few weeks ago and they need someone to create a toolbar and service that would consume the data in ArcGIS and other platforms (ERDAS.)
Finally, the coolest project pitched. . . “Volcano GIS Using ASTER.” This project would create a GIS web service that would serve ASTER data that specifically contained data on volcanoes worldwide using the ASTER Volcano Archive (AVA.) The researcher noted the use of serving up related GIS data to the project too. This would include a lot of enviromental and “human terrain” data, as well as a global sensor network located on a number of active volcanoes worldwide. This project may include a trip to Rome too.
So, if I was to pick a project from NASA, it would have to be the volcano project. Not only for the trip to Rome—which the hills around it have been designated as “active” volcanoes—rather to build an active sensor network into a layer in Google Earth. Thoughts of utilizing KML 2.2 running through my mind for the graphics and dynamic, interactive views of past data showing trends would lead to an awesome project on a stage of 280,000,000+ users.
Of course, I’m not going to do any projects from NASA.
Anyhow, it was a pretty good day trip. Goddard still has a better cafeteria.
Yesterday, the talk radio station at American University, WAMU, in Washington, DC, ran a news segment on digital mapping. The summary online says that the discussion focused on how the new mapping technology is penetrating our lifestyles and changing our interaction with our communities. I only found this interesting to note because of the guests on the show:
You can listen to the segment here.
For those of you who don’t know, Boeing will be launching DigitalGlobe’s next-generation commercial imagery satellite, WorldView-1, later this week on the 18th. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems has a website up for a webcast of the launch from Vandenberg AFB in California. The site looks like it will also host the launch video afterwards.
I was asked if I wanted to go, but the 220+ mile drive and my high-pressure graded learning experience here in grad school were obvious reasons for not going. I wish I could have gone. Rocket launches, if you’ve ever seen them, are pretty spectacular.
There’s still WorldView-2 on the board.
Well, anyway, a lot of folks have been eager for this next improvement in commercial imagery: Google, NGA, Garmin, and. . . me. I’m actually eager to apply the “good stuff” with my ImageConnect toolbar for ArcGIS while I’m here in Redlands.
And who knows? It might help my GPA—which, is doubtful.
Today my MSGIS class here at the University of Redlands had our first trip to ESRI HQ with tour and overview provided by David Maguire and Mike Phoenix. It was a good tour and overview of ESRI and what its staff has accomplished over the pass couple of decades. It gave us a good insight into how they operate and view their position in the world as placing doing good before making a profit. After a whirlwind tour we were given company badges as part of our program. I guess we’ll be having some more training at ESRI HQ (EHQ) later on in the program, but from the ESRI staff that has been coming over to present themselves as possible clients for our Major Individual Projects (MIPs), it looks like a lot of us might actually be in and out of EHQ quite a bit for projects, support, and mentoring.
And I think that it’s a good thing because there aren’t too many programs where that’s going to happen either.
I’m actually pretty excited to use the resources ESRI is willing to provide for my project. Although, I’m still aware there are other tools out there—so don’t go off on a Kool-Aid to candy rant.
I was discussing programming this evening with a former grad who works for ESRI and one of the professors here at Redlands, and it sounds like I may learn some VB in the program. Still, I think I need to grow my programming and scripting skills as a geographer/geographic information scientist/neogeographer.
I wanted to ask what should I try to tackle early before the end of 2007: C#, Java, .NET, Python, Ruby. . . And why it’s important for GIS or LBS?
I’ve come to the realization after a few days in this MSGIS program at the University of Redlands that. . . I suck at geographic information science.
Sure, I’ve managed projects, created datasets and geodatabases, even built complex web mapping sites. How did I exercise my mind in using everything—even the most basic concepts—that I learned in undergrad and on my own? Almost never. For some God awful reason, I’m as dense as the foundation of a building. After three days of grad school, and having what I thought was an experienced career, I feel dumb as a doornail. C’mon, yeah, I know Tobler’s Law, but elements of spatial autocorrelation. . . I stunk at stats and formulas, and seeing one kicked my ass yesterday. It has been a command in ArcMap for me. The last time I did solid math was in undergrad, orthorectifying images manually.
The only thing I feel confident of over these past few days has been some project concepts and scope stuff. Even then, I’m questioning the size and scope of my Major Individual Project for my MS from Redlands and whether the faculty will sign off on it. Or, I’m second guessing myself and just fretting about nothing? Believing the hype of the staff and the inexperience of previous students’ management of their projects and their personal heartache communicated to my class may be influences towards my worries.
Then again, remember, I suck at GIS. And that’s a reason why I might be here?
It’s been a hectic few weeks preparing to move, traveling, and moving in for my year here at the University of Redlands. Some of you know that I’m out here to pursue my MS in GIS. Others, think I’m slacking. And the other 99% think I’m out here to drink Kool-Aid.
Well let me tell you, my first few days out here in this sweltering +110° heat isn’t a picnic. That’s why there’s Kool-Aid. Add a few earthquakes and forest fires in for good measure for overall effect, and I’m starting to feel like I can call this place home for a year.
Anyway, I just started classes in the MSGIS program yesterday with 14 other students from around the world. A pretty good bunch of folks from the initial impressions. Most of us it looks like were trained on ESRI software with a smattering of other expertise sprinkled in there. It should be fun to see what we can do with the education we’re earning.
I’m still in a pickle as to what exactly my Major Individual Project, or MIP, should be. I’m thinking I’m just going to expand on some work projects and work out the high-end analytics.
Well, unpacking has taken a lot of me today, as has ‘Introduction to ArcGIS 9, Part Two’—which goes on until the end of the week.
