GIS,
REMOTE SENSING, &
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LINK DEPT. OF GEOGRAPHY
WITH COLLEGE OF NATURAL
RESOURCES
BLACKSBURG,
Nov. 12, 2003 - Restructuring
at Virginia Tech has
provided a timely
opportunity for the
department of geography
to transfer from the
former College of
Arts and Sciences
to the College of
Natural Resources.
The move builds on
many long-standing
and fruitful collaborations
between faculty in
geography and those
in departments in
the College of Natural
Resources.
"Geography
faculty expertise
in Geographic Information
Systems (GIS), remote
sensing, international
development, and human
dimensions of resource
use will contribute
much to these central
concerns within the
college," says Lawrence
Grossman, professor
and head of the geography
department.
GIS
is a computer-based
tool for mapping and
analyzing things that
exist and events that
happen on the surface
of the earth. Remote
sensing is a technique
of obtaining information
about the surface
of the earth through
images acquired using
special instruments
in airplanes and satellites.
Both GIS and remote
sensing enable researchers
to integrate a wide
range of data for
analysis and decision-making
in such varied fields
as resource use, planning
and assessing human
impacts on the environment.
These analytical techniques
are important to research
in geography, forestry,
fisheries and wildlife.
"Faculty
in geography and forestry
have worked together
previously in relation
to these interests,"
explains Grossman.
"One example is collaboration
in writing grant proposals
and in numerous research
projects. A second
is the Center for
Environmental Applications
of Remote Sensing
(CEARS) formed to
solve a wide array
of environmental problems."
Established in 1998
with support from
NASA, CEARS has a
state of the art computer
lab located in Cheatham
Hall for GIS and remote
sensing research that
is widely used by
students and faculty.
"A
third way we have
worked together,"
adds Grossman, "involves
Virginia Tech's Faculty
Development Institutes.
Members of both departments
have taught other
faculty how to use
GIS and remote sensing
to enhance their research
and instruction."
"We have gained many
benefits by joining
the College of Natural
Resources," he notes.
"Most importantly,
it will make the college
the clear center of
expertise in GIS and
remote sensing at
Virginia Tech."
The department of
geography has a long
tradition of international
research, with its
faculty having conducted
fieldwork in 40 different
countries. Today,
the department's main
focus of foreign research
is in the Caribbean
and Latin American
region. In addition,
faculty in geography
and wood science and
forest products have
been co-teaching a
course on issues relating
to international development.
The
geography department
consists of eight
faculty members, 63
undergraduate majors,
and 20 graduate students.
Faculty members are
involved in a variety
of outreach activities
including study-abroad
programs in Cuba,
an educational summer
train trip across
North America for
teachers, GIS training
workshops for agricultural
researchers involved
in integrated pest
management in Jamaica
and Uganda, consultation
for the grape-growing
industries in Virginia
and North Carolina,
and numerous geographic
education activities
for teachers in Virginia.
In the last two years,
geography faculty
have won three of
the 15 major university
awards: the Sporn
Award for Excellence
in Teaching Introductory
Subjects, the Alumni
Award for Outreach
Excellence, and the
XCaliber award for
excellence in using
instructional technology
in teaching.
The College of Natural
Resources at Virginia
Tech is consistently
ranks among the top
five programs of its
kind in the nation.
Faculty members stress
both the technical
and human elements
of natural resources
and instill in students
a sense of stewardship
and land-use ethics.
Areas of studies include
environmental resource
management, fisheries
and wildlife sciences,
forestry, geospatial
and environmental
analysis, natural
resource recreation,
urban forestry, wood
science and forest
products, geography,
and international
development.
For
more information on
the department of
geography contact
Lawrence Grossman
at lgrossmn@vt.edu
or (540) 231-7557.
