Washington University has recently acquired a campus-wide license for Geospatial Information Science (GIS) software, ArcGIS from ESRI. This software is used in managing, analyzing and displaying geographic information. Among other features, ArcGIS  allows data to be displayed graphically as layers applied to familiar tools such as maps and globes and includes tools to examine spatial relationships among the data. GIS software can be incorporated in a wide range of applications. For example, ArcGIS can be used to track such critical information as storm surge patterns and progress of forest fires, as an aid to planning escape and recovery efforts. For more information about GIS and ArcGIS, please see the ESRI website at http://www.esri.com/.

A GIS advisory committee has been formed to examine the use of GIS at the University and a technical implementation committee is working to install the software in labs across campus including the computer labs in Eads Hall, and to provide faculty access.  In this initial year, Arts & Sciences, Engineering, and the Library have collaborated to purchase the software and are beginning to develop a distributed model for faculty and student use of GIS in both teaching and research activities. 

A planning group is organizing the University’s first GIS event: You can get there from here: Mapping the future of geospatial information science at Washington University.  The one-day program will be held on November 19, 2004 and will include a keynote address by Joseph Berry of the University of Denver and Berry & Associates, GIS workshops and a poster session. For more information, see http://library.wustl.edu/gis.

The GIS Advisory Committee will develop longer range recommendations for an effective and sustainable way to support the use of GIS in teaching and research, and to promote faculty interactions, sharing of ideas and methods. For more information about the advisory committee, contact Dennis J. Martin, djm@wustl.edu

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