Fall 2009

NRM338, Geog338 Introduction To Geographic Information Systems 

http://nrm.salrm.uaf.edu/~dverbyla/nrm338/

3 credits: 2 lectures, 1 computer lab per week

Lectures: Tuesday/Thursday, 11:30- 1PM  Reichart Building Room 202

Lab: Tuesday 2-5PM or Tuesday 6-9PM ONeill 359

or Wednesday 2-5PM WRB Room4

Instructor:  Dave Verbyla,  Professor, ONeill Building, Room 366

Phone: 474-5553 (but Email is much preferred instead of telephone tag!)

Email: D.Verbyla@uaf.edu.

Dave's  Office Hours:  ONeill 366  Tuesdays 9-10 AM or by email appointment..

Teaching Assistant: Brett Parks (Email: brett.parks@gmail.com )

Course Description:  This course is designed for geographers, wildlife biologists, fisheries biologists, ecologists, natural resource managers, geologists and field-oriented professionals who use spatial technologies in their jobs.  Spatial technogies are especially important in Alaska, where road-access is typically limited. Our emphasis in this course is on obtaining and using Alaskan geographic data.

You should have basic computer skills and basic algebra (especially for conversion from english to metric units) before you take this course.  The course is cross-listed as NRM/Geog, so if a Geog 338 lab that you want is full, it may have an opening in the NRM338 section at the same time.

Course Objectives:

1) To learn how spatial technologies such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and satellite imagery can be used in natural resources management.

2) To understand basic concepts independent of any particular software.

3) To learn ArcGIS (ArcMap and ArcCatalog) GIS through hands-on computer lab exercises.

4) To learn how to obtain and process GIS data such as scanned topo maps, satellite images, GPS locations, and elevation data.

Grading:  Late assignments will not be accepted!

Based on total points from the following:

• 12 weekly Reading Assignments : 20 points each = 240 points
  
• 11 Open-note, open-note quizzes based on labs, lectures, readings: 20 points each = 200 points
• (we drop your lowest quiz grade)
  
• On-line GIS Final Exam: 100 points
• Total points possible = 540 points

The weekly quizzes are open-notes but closed laptop/digital device to be fair to students who may not be able to afford a laptop.

Final grades will be  based on total points earned in the course as follows:

> 485 total points = A

445 to 485 total points = B

400 to 444 points = C

350 to 399 total points = D

< 350 total points = F

Disability Services:  We will work  with the Office of Disabilities Services (203 WHIT, 474-7043)  to provide reasonable accommodation to to any student with a disability.

Please inform us the first week of class if you have a disability that we should be aware of.

Textbook:  None---weekly web site readings

Website Links:

Spring 2010 GIS Courses:

NRM/Geog 341 GIS Analysis

NRM 641 Remote Sensing of Natural Resources

GIS Data:

Alaska Landsat Path/Row Footprints

Alaska 1:63360 USGS Map Footprints

Alaska Digital Raster Graphics (scanned USGS topo maps as zipped geotif files)

Alaska Fire Service Datasets

Alaska Forest Insect and Disease

Alaska Land Ownership

Alaska Soils / Permafrost

Alaska Soil Surveys

Alaska Climate

Alaska Highways

Alaska National Parks

Alaska National Wildlife Refuges

National Wetlands Inventory

Seamless Digital Elevation Data

Free Landsat ETM+ Imagery:  GINA website

GIS Jobs:

GIS Jobs Clearinghouse

ArcGIS  scripts and extensions:

National Park Service Alaska Pak  Extension

Email: Dave Verbyla (D.Verbyla@uaf.edu).