(click for a .pdf printer copy)

The Geospatial Centroid at Colorado State University is delighted to present a series of thought-provoking and entertaining presentations by Joe Berry. Dr. Berry has been involved with GIS and geospatial technologies for over four decades. He will be sharing his thoughts on the future, present, and past of this ever-evolving field. Join us for any or all sessions. All are welcome; open to the public. See note below for a good way to simultaneously view videos/PowerPoints.

The series will take place in CSU’s Morgan Library, Computer Classroom 173, on Friday afternoons. Gatherings may adjourn to a local watering hole after the presentations for further discussion and merriment.

See note below for a good way to simultaneously view videos/PowerPoints.

_________________________

Session 1: Future Directions of Map Analysis and GIS Modeling

Friday, September 19, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (Handout with online references; PowerPoint with presentation notes, 12MB; online Video)

Most of GIS’s recent growth primarily has been in its capabilities as a “technical tool” for corralling and providing near instantaneous access to vast amounts of spatial data. However, GIS as an “analytical tool” hasn’t experienced the same meteoric rise.  This presentation assesses the circumstances, driving forces, potential and future directions of map analysis and modeling that directly interacts with research, policy formation, planning and management decisions.

Session 2: GIS in Natural Resources and Agriculture

Friday, October 17, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (Handout with online references; PowerPoint with presentation notes, 17MB; online Video)

Often Natural Resources and Production Agriculture are viewed as similar endeavors where forests are just a larger form of a crop— hence the U.S. Forest Service is in the Department of Agriculture.  However their modern expressions identify significant differences in their motivations, goals, decision environments, technological approaches and applications.  This presentation assesses the similarities and differences in Natural Resource and Agriculture use of GIS technology with particular emphasis on map analysis and modeling.

Session 3: Eye-Witness to GIS’s 40 year Evolution/Revolution

Friday, November 14, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (Handout with online references; PowerPoint with presentation notes; online Video in preparation)

Joe Berry has been involved in geospatial technology for over forty years— as an educator, software developer, consultant and entrepreneur.  This presentation relates this experience that began in the very, very early years (late 1960s) through the present …sort of an “eye-witness’ view” of the evolution/revolution over the past four decades of the radical change of what a map is (and isn’t) brought on by the digital map and mapped data analysis/modeling—definitely not your grandfather’s map. 

Where Do We Go from Here?— short paper (4 pages) supporting this presentation

_________________________________________________________

Supporting Online/Hardcopy Book Series

Beyond Mapping: Compilation of 25 Years of Essays and Activities about GIS

The Beyond Mapping Compilation Series of the 25-year run of the “Beyond Mapping” column by Dr. Joseph K. Berry in GeoWorld is finally “soup.”  The nearly 1000 pages and more than 750 figures in the Series provide a comprehensive and longitudinal perspective of the underlying concepts, considerations, issues and evolutionary development of modern geotechnology, including remote sensing, GIS, and GPS.

The Series is organized into four online books (with hard copy options), each containing an Introduction, Ten Topics, Epilogue, and Further Readings with links to online support materials including additional online readings, color graphics files, instructor materials, and software for “hands-on” exercises that are cross-referenced to the topics.

Book IV — GIS Modeling: Applying Map Analysis Tools and Techniques (columns from 2007 to 2014).  This compilation extends earlier discussions of map analysis concepts, procedures, approaches, applications and issues affecting contemporary relevance and future potential.

Book III — Map Analysis: Understanding Spatial Patterns and Relationships (columns from 1996 to 2007).  This compilation develops a structured view of the important concepts, considerations and procedures involved in grid-based map analysis.

Book II — Spatial Reasoning for Effective GIS (columns from 1993 to 1996).  This compilation encourages the reader to extend the historic role of maps telling us “Where is what?” to “So what?”

Book I — Beyond Mapping: Concepts, Algorithms and Issues in GIS (columns from 1989 to 1993).  This compilation describes an emerging technology that goes beyond traditional mapping and spatial database management to new concepts and procedures for modeling the complex interrelations among spatial data of all kinds.

The resource is available at http://www.innovativegis.com/basis/BeyondMappingSeries/ and permission to use portions of the Beyond Mapping Compilation Series collection of columns for educational and non-commercial purposes is granted (and encouraged).   Navigation within this tsunami of information is aided by five separate organizational listings of the individual Beyond Mapping columns, including a Chronological Listing of the nearly 300 individual Beyond Mapping columns; an Application Listing that organizes the columns by application areas; an Operations Listing that organizes the columns by operational topic/theme discussed; an Interactive Listing (.doc) that can be searched/sorted by any word or phrase, topic, theme and application area; and a soon-to-be-published Combined Index of keywords and phrases covering all four books (in progress; planned for Fall 2014).

_______________________________

Note: a good way to simultaneously view the videos/PowerPoints in this series is to click on the PowerPoint link to access the slide set in one window and then click on the Video link to access the video in a separate window. Place the two windows side-by-side and begin playing the video; advance slides in concert with the presentation by pressing the keyboard down arrow or clicking the left mouse button.