Satyaprakash Saurabh Mishra Abdul Rashid Bin, Mohamed Sharif

Transcription

gis-asia-cover.qxp
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MARCH 2007 VOL 11 ISSUE 3
20 GIS EDUCATION: TRAINING,
PLACEMENT AND PROSPECT
Satyaprakash
32 STATUS OF SURVEYING AND
MAPPING IN LAOS, PHILIPPINES:
GATHERING MOMENTUM
Saurabh Mishra
34 TRENDS IN GEOSPATIAL
EDUCATION FOR WORKING
PROFESSIONALS
Abdul Rashid Bin,
Mohamed Sharif
36 ONLINE STUDY RESOURCES:
REMOTE SENSING AND GIS
Ananya Ghosh
38 PICTURE THIS...
42 TECH WATCH
44 BLOGBUSTER
48 PUBLICATIONS
www.gisdevelopment.net
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President
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20 GIS Education: Training, Placement and Prospect
CONTENTS
Abdul Rashid Bin,
Mohamed Sharif
EDITORIAL
05
LETTERS
07
NEWS
08
EVENTS
50
28 PERSPECTIVES
This is an attempt to present the
views of eminent academicians
representing different regions of
Asia, namely, the Middle East,
South Asia and South East Asia,
on the status of GIS education in
their respective countries.
The article outlines the structure
of the geospatial courses offered
in Malaysia...
36 ONLINE STUDY RESOURCES:
REMOTE SENSING AND GIS
Ananya Ghosh
Compilation of websites that
offer online tutorials on Remote
Sensing and GIS.
32 STATUS OF SURVEYING
AND MAPPING IN LAOS,
PHILIPPINES: GATHERING
MOMENTUM
GIS DEVELOPMENT WEEKLY
Log on to
www.gisdevelopment.net
to subscribe to weekly ezines
Saurabh Mishra
The article gives a glimpse of
geospatial scenario of the two
ASEAN nations...
40 LEARNING THROUGH
Bb@GIS INSTITUTE
Training and Research Team
Course Co-ordinator
Neeraj Budhari
Events
Vicky Kalra, Albert Ahmed, Rupal Mehta
Marketing Co-ordinator
Megha Datta
Sales Co-ordinator
Uma Shankar Pandey
Manager - Accounts
Yatindar Mohan Srivastava
Dy. Manager - Accounts
Anju Rawat
Registration Co-ordinator
Sumit Kumar
Circulation
Vijay Kumar Singh
- Satyaprakash
Satyaprakash
An instructor's view of UNIGIS
Professional course...
38 PICTURE THIS...
42 TECH WATCH
44 BLOGBUSTER
34
TRENDS IN GEOSPATIAL
EDUCATION FOR WORKING
PROFESSIONALS
GIS Development Asia Pacific is intended
for those interested and involved in GIS
related activities. It is hoped that it will
serve to foster a growing network by
keeping the community up to date on
many activities in this wide and varied
field. Your involvement in providing
relevant information is essential to the
success ofthis endeavour.
GIS Development Asia Pacific does not
necessarily subscribe to the views
expressed in the publication. All views
expressed in this issue are those of the
contributors. It is not responsible for any
loss to anyone due to the information
provided.
46 CONFERENCE REPORT
48 PUBLICATIONS
G I S D E V E L O P M E N T : A S I A PA C I F I C | M A R C H 2 0 0 7 Vo l . 1 1 I s s u e 3
GIS Development Pvt. Ltd. Printed and Published by Sanjay Kumar.
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Sector-11, Gautambudh Nagar, Noida, India Editor Ravi Gupta
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Feedback
Reader’s Column
Google Earth
line where most of our large towns and cities are located.
Its really shocking to see the Google view of strategic Indian
Manu Parulekar, Mumbai, India
places. We saw detailed views of the Sardar Patel National Police
Academy, during our LBSNAA academy tenure. This is very risky
for the country's security. There should be strict action against
This is the best effort the country has made. This information
such acts and prior permission should be made mandatory
will be very helpful to town planners, NGO's, disaster
before putting any such view online by any of the search
management groups & hordes of others.
engines. Is there no international norm guarding such acts?
Sutanu K. Ghose, India
Smita Pandey, IAS(P), West Bengal, India
probably the result of arm twisting done by the Indian govern-
India to build comprehensive
SDI for Delhi
ment. All those concerned about high resolution data, please do
It is a good start for India but other countries of Asia should also
care to have a look at the recently published book on Indian Aer-
invest in promotion of GIS to be able to manage crisis. India can
ial Photographs by Kunal Verma - 'Ocean To Sky'. I sincerely
take a lead as I had emphasised to Indian delegates in Colombo
hope this comment does not result in an 'Official' ban on this
during the Water Conference. I still doubt if my point of view
very nice piece of work. I thank GIS Development in keeping the
was really understood. Let USA, Europe and Russia come
crusade against map censorship active.
forward to face the global challenges like tsunamis and
The news about 'Google Earth to blur key Indian sites...' is most
Navjot Kalra, New Delhi, India
earthquakes.
M. Shahjahan Bhatti, Pakistan
Way cleared for faster
implementation of India's NSDI;
4,800 Survey of India maps to be
released into public domain
NATMO to launch Golden Map Service
Really good news for the future.
Surendra Pal Singh, India
This is what I have been waiting to hear all my life. This is excellent for my motherland.
Sanjib K. Ghosh, Professor Emeritus, USA
Satellite killing test by China against
international convention: ISRO chief
The euphoria over the announcement by the Head, NSDI, that
From what I see, China has to go the other way around to
fourty eight hundred topographical maps will be available in
succeed in outer space but not through satellite killing tests!
the open domain, is to say the least very heartening. All that I
Ngereja. M. Mgejwa, Tanzania
am surprised about is that how come none have asked about
the total maps which cover the country? To shed some light on
the facts well hidden - India is covered by approximately 5100
topographical maps at a scale of 1: 50,000. Out of these 4800
were anyway, always available across the counter from Survey
Send in your feedback to
of India offices. Why isn't anyone from our geospatial community hollering for the release of the so called 'restricted' maps
[email protected]
which by the way are the 300 odd sheets that cover the coast-
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News
CHINA
China using remote
sensing to check illegal
land use
China is using satellite
remote sensing techniques
to check illegal land use in
90 cities, said an official with
the Ministry of Land and
Resources on February 27.
According to officials in the
ministry's Bureau of Law
industrial policies and illegally expropriating farmland
for construction, according to
the official. The Chinese government has seen checking
excessive growth of land
supply as an effective way of
curbing runaway fixed-asset
investment and cooling the
economy. Some of the other
measures taken to tighten
land supply last year include
higher taxes on urban land
use and stripping local governments of their authority
to spend the money from
land sales.
www.english.people.com.cn
INDIA
NATMO to launch
Golden Map
Service
Enforcement and Supervision, the techniques will help
find out and check illegal
land use in time and give full
play to the role of government macro-control in land
supply. Satellite pictures
using remote sensing techniques can show the changing of a city's newly used
land for construction in a
period, thereby find out
whether the involved land
use breaks laws.
The government check will
focus on activities like
approving lands in contrary
to government plans and
8
Kolkata, India, 15 February
2007 - Using the latest developments in IT, the National
Atlas and Thematic Mapping
Organisation
(NATMO),
India, would map the entire
country down to the village
level using spatial technology through its Golden Map
Service. The programme was
launched at the concluding
ceremony of NATMO's golden jubilee on February 16.
According to Prithvish Nag,
Director, NATMO, this is the
era of Web cartography in
mobile
communication.
NATMO seeks to take a leading role in this field through
its Golden Map Service project. Under this project, the
entire country will be
mapped on large-scale maps
right upto the village level.
To begin with, the entire
map of Kolkata will now be
available at the click of a
mouse.
www.hindu.com
3D mapping of
Delhi proposed
The Department of Science &
Technology, Survey of India
(SOI) and the Ministry of
Urban
Development
(MOUD), have come together
to make the data based on 3D
city model available for the
capital city of Delhi. The 3D
mapping of National Capital
Territory of Delhi is scheduled to be completed within
three years. The project is
estimated to cost over Rs. 100
crores (US$ 2 million), which
would soon be recovered by
way of enhanced revenue
collection.
This
was
announced at a Press Conference jointly addressed by
Urban Development Minister, S. Jaipal Reddy and Kapil
Sibal, Minister for Science &
Technology and Earth Sciences.
Survey of India (SoI) would
prepare 3D maps for 400
cities in five years. The data
generated by the maps
would be shared with all the
planning agencies and even
the emergency and security
services in future. In Delhi,
the SoI would also embark
on a project in which the
underground utilities would
be mapped and used in real
time to monitor problems
and also plan for the future.
The temporal data generated will be of great significance for many applications
such as change detection in
buildings and areas, recasting past events, crowd monitoring. It will also help in
planning and organizing
events such as Commonwealth Games. This database
will be a major resource in
disaster management, utilities management and even
enhanced property tax collection besides security management.
www.pib.nic.in
ISRO to launch
OCEANSAT-2 in
2008
Ahmedabad, India, 14 February 2007 - India will get
sharper eyes to track ravaging cyclones and forecast
monsoon when the Indian
Space Reserach Organisation
(ISRO) launches the indigenously-built INSAT-3D and
OCEANSAT-2 satellites next
year. The OCEANSAT-1,
launched in May, 1999, has
payloads specifically tailored
for the measurement of
physical and biological
oceanography parameters.
OCEANSAT-2 will play an
important role in forecasting
the onset of monsoon and its
subsequent advancement
over the Indian peninsula.
The mission will involve a
total estimated cost of Rs
129.15 crore (about $32 million)
with
a
foreign
exchange component of Rs
86 crore (about $21 million).
With the realisation of the
OCEANSAT-2 mission, India
will have the capacity to
cover many applications pertaining to ocean and meteor-
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ology. OCEANSAT-2 satellite
will have a Ocean Colour
Monitor which will help
identify potential areas for
fishery. It will also carry
radar scatterometer which
will measure the sea surface
level winds.
will be just a few restrictions
on the use of data. "This (the
project) will be rolled out
through public-private partnerships (PPPs). Anyone,
including academics, can use
the data. There will be a fee
to be paid." said Mr. Sibal.
www.hindu.com
www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
4,800 maps to be
released under
India's NSDI
India's National Spatial Data
Infrastructure (NSDI) mission that languished for
more than two years with
various departments, is
finally ready for take-off. By
March-end, all 4,800 SoI
maps would be available in
the public domain, many of
them for the first time. All
the 4800 maps are part of
the 1:50,000 scale series.
Work will also begin on the
40 cities project (1:10,000
scale).
The NSDI promises to
change the way citizens look
at their world. The scheme
aims to use GIS to meld satellite imagery and good old
toposheets with data on
water resources, flooding,
rainfall, crop patterns, civic
layouts to produce 3-D digital maps. In other words, the
NSDI network aims to superimpose all the spatial data
onto a digital map. Once
ready , the NSDI will act as
an online database to maintain such data layers and
base maps in an easily
retrievable form.
India's Union Minister for
Science and Technology,
Kapil Sibal, said that there
M A R C H 2 0 07
National Spatial Database:
GIS Based Web Services
GPS, remote sensors to
check infiltration
Border Security Force of India
will soon be banking
upon sensors and Global
Positioning System along the
borders with Pakistan and
Bangladesh as part of efforts
to check infiltration.The
technology will help the border force boost its intelligence gathering, counter-terrorist activities and check
infiltration, a concern both at
the Indo-Pak and IndoBangla borders.
As part of the efforts, about
20 BSF officers were given
training in remote sensing
and geographic information
system technology at the
Centre for Disaster Management Studies under the aegis
of Guru Gobind Singh
Indraprastha University.
The BSF Director General
A.K. Mitra said the objective
behind use of satellite imaging and digital data was to
improve border management to the maximum possible extent. India shares more
than 14,000 km of border
with six countries. He also
added that “for border surveillance, India needs persistent coverage over previously exposed areas. The
large amount of data gener-
NSDI for India is an initiative undertaken jointly by
Department of Science and Technology and Department
of Space, Government of India. It is aimed at encouraging
collection, aggregation and distribution of spatial data
on different themes on a common defined set of standards and formats by different mapping agencies in
India. This infrastructure of data will provide metadata
of all the data available with participating agencies and
facilitate users to obtain data as per requirements with a
simple and smooth procedure from a common platform.
Objective: To create/integrate, maintain, disseminate
digital spatial database at All India Level over GIS at
National Informatics Centre (NIC) Headquarter.
Salient Features:
• Bringing together many Geospatial data sources and dissemination through a web-based approach.
• National Geospatial Framework consisting of the referencing system built around standard datasets with an appropriate institutional arrangement.
• Created and maintained to certain defined common standards; Information upto Village level, the smallest unit of
administration.
Rich Spatial Data Content comprising:
• Administrative Boundaries-State, District, taluk, Block and
village locations for the entire country.
• Village Boundary Database for six states and shall further
extend to four other States; Major Town Locations
• Communication Layers like Road (national highways, state
highways etc) and Railway Network.
• Natural Resource layers like Major Rivers, Green Areas,
Sanctuaries etc.
• Supplemented with Satellite Imagery, Toposheets and other
Raster Datasets.
www.gis.nic.in
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News
ated can make sense only if
automation is achieved to a
certain level in processing
and identification of possible
areas of intrusion. Hence,
BSF needs to be equipped
with positioning systems
like GPS and feed the data
real time into GIS".
www.saharasamay.com
the private agency will photograph the hoardings and
send the image using the
Global Positing System back
to the computers at the
Municipal Corporation of
Delhi (MCD) office.
This will allow anyone to
log in and check the status of
illegal hoardings in the city.
www.hindu.com
GPS to be used
for identifying
unauthorised
hoardings
Global Positioning System is
proposed to reduce visual
pollution caused by illegal
hoardings across New Delhi.
The first city in the country
to use this system, it will also
assist the handful of municipal inspectors in keeping illegal hoarding at bay.
The new project envisages
engaging a private agency to
identify unauthorised hoardings, prepare an exhaustive
data about them and constantly update officials on
their status.
As part of this project, all
authorised hoarding will
now have a computer chip
that will carry its unique
identification number that
can be traced. The new system is scheduled to become
operational in next two
months. The inspectors from
10
MALAYSIA
tion Communication Technology (ICT), such as the ETanah project which comprises areas in land administration like disposal, registration of titles, transfer
approvals and many others,"
he said. He was speaking to
reporters after delivering his
keynote address at a conference entitled `Industry Meet'
jointly organised by the ministry and GIS Development
Sdn Bhd.
www.bernama.com.my
Ministry integrating database of
land records
The Natural Resources and
Environment Ministry is in
the midst of integrating the
country's database of land
records into one system to
ensure the effectiveness on
the implementation of its
projects under the Ninth
Malaysia Plan (9MP). According to the Ministry officials,
the application of GeoInformation Technlogy (GIS) will
help in the integration of
this database system as well
as applying animation
effects such as video and
sound.
Deputy Secretary-General II
of the ministry, Mohd
Ibrahim Abu Bakar said since
land matters were under the
purview of the respective
states, an integrated database of land records will be
developed soon for every
state in Malaysia.
"We want to achieve an
updated, effective, efficient
and accurate National Land
Administration System via
the utilisation of Informa-
Japanese experts to
assist development of
flood hazard maps
Malaysia will seek help from
Japanese experts to develop
a flood hazard mapping system which will enable the
country to forecast the
effects of global warming.
Natural Resource and Environment Deputy Minister
Datuk S. Sothinathan said
the system will enable the
government to predict the
worst case scenario of flood
disasters in 50 to 100 years
due to climate change that
had already taken its toll
globally.
"This will be a guide for
future action on how to
organise action during flood,
the location of the relief centres and the best route to
reach the disaster area" since
floods have been one of the
most devastating natural
disasters in East and Southeast Asia.
Sothinathan also elaborated upon the fact that the
flood hazard maps coupled
with the geographic infor-
mation system (GIS) technology and other information
such as the extent of the
flood, the number of people
involved could help to establish flood relief operations
for the particular river basin.
In addition, the flood hazard
maps could include probabilities of depths of flood inundation for risk assessment in
a flood plain.This would help
in determining the flood
insurance premiums more
reasonably based on the
degree of flood vulnerability.
In some developed countries, flood hazard maps are
easily accessible to the public
for public awareness and
education.
www.bernama.com.my
JAPAN
Japan launches
4th spy satellite
Japan launched its fourth
spy satellite on February 24,
improving its ability to monitor potential threats including North Korea, whose missile and nuclear tests have
spooked the region. An H-2A
rocket, delayed three times
by bad weather, finally lifted
off from the southern island
of Tanegashima, carrying a
radar satellite that joined
two optical satellites and
another
radar
satellite
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already in operation. With
the full complement of four
satellites, Japan will be able
to monitor any point on
Earth once a day, government officials have said. The
rocket also carried an experimental optical satellite,
aimed at improving the level
of detail obtained from the
next generation of satellites.
Japan's spy satellite programme was initiated after
North Korea launched a ballistic missile in 1998 that
flew over Japan.
used to build Konus spacecraft (for the research of
gamma-ray bursts and solar
flares), Micro Mars spacecraft
(for Mars research and
surrounding space) and
the placement of various
devices in the interests of the
Russian Academy of Sciences. The first launch is
scheduled for 2008”. Microsatellites will be launched as
additional payload to heavy
spacecraft.
Asia's pollution brews
storms over Pacific
www.inform.kz
www.cnn.com
VIETNAM
RUSSIA
Russia to launch
first micro-satellites in 2008
Russia intends to launch its
first research micro-satellites
in 2008, the Federal Space
Agency said on Monday,
March 5, 2007.
The agency said that the
Lavochkin Research and Production Center is developing
a unified Karat micro-platform for astrophysical, Earth
remote sensing and other
fundamental research microsatellites, which will operate
for at least five years.
According to the space
agency, “the platform will be
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Vietnam to launch its
own remote sensing
satellite by 2010
Vietnam plans to harness
space technology by building
its own remote sensing satellites in the next decade, a top
space official has said. Prime
Minister Nguyen Tan Dung
has recently approved a programme for space technology research and applications
that will last until 2020. The
Space Technology Institute
(STI) will be responsible for
the design and manufacture
of small satellites. It plans to
launch the first small remote
sensing satellite by 2010.
The programme is designed
to assist the country’s economic growth by making
space technology an important industry in the next
decade, and to use that
industry to survey and monitor natural resources, the
environment and natural
hazards.
Pollution from Asia is helping generate stronger storms
over the North Pacific, according to new research.
Changes in the North Pacific storm track could have an
effect on weather across the Northern Hemisphere.
Satellite measurements have shown an increase in
tiny particles generated from coal burning in China and
India in recent decades, researchers report in the latest
issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The team, led by Renyi Zhang of Texas A&M University, studied pollution and clouds between 1984 and
2005, concluding that increasing particles enhanced the
cloud updraft to generate more intense thunderstorms
than previously. Comparing 1984-94 with 1994-2005
they found an increase of 20 percent to 50 percent in
deep convective clouds.
The Pacific storm track, they noted, plays a critical role
in global atmospheric circulation, and altering this
weather pattern could have a significant effect on the climate. "The intensified storms over the Pacific in winter
are climatically significant," the researchers wrote. "The
intensified Pacific storm track can also impact the global
general circulation." A particular threat, they added, is
the potential for increased warming of polar regions.
The research was supported by National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Randolph E. Schmid, The Associated Press
(http://www.theolympian.com/101/story/68954.html)
www.vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn
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News
AUSTRALIA
Satellite images show
river pollution threatening Great Barrier Reef
Pesticide-rich plumes of sediment spewing out of Australian river mouths have
been shown to reach the
Great Barrier Reef, the
world's largest coral reef system, threatening to damage
carried a larger sediment
load than during regular
rainfall and river flow. Low
rainfall
preceding
the
increased flow means that
potentially harmful pollutants such as pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers have
had time to accumulate, having a significant impact on
the marine ecology of the
reef.
The CSIRO used images
from NASA satellites to build
up a picture of what was
happening during these
extreme events which may
have gone unnoticed above
the surface but could have
lasting consequences for
coastal waters.
www.edie.net
US to build
military satellite
communications
base in Australia
the coral and other marine
life that make up the natural
wonder. Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has published
satellite images which show
that the commonly-held
belief that river waters
would disperse before reaching the reef was not always
true.
The plumes are the result of
heavy rainfalls in northern
Queensland in late January
and early February 2007 following a long dry season.
The resulting flood waters
12
The United States will build a
new military satellite communications base in Australia according to Australian
foreign minister Alexander
Downer. The agreement, it
would appear, has been
arrived at after three years of
secret negotiations between
the two governments.
The new base, to be located
at Geraldton, 400 km north
of the city of Perth, will relay
signals and intelligence to
US forces in the Middle East
and Asia. According to
Downer, construction of the
base will start in a few
months. The United States
already operates a base at
Pine Gap, near Alice Spings,
which tracks missile launch-
es in Asia and the Middle
East, and provides early
warning. Pine Gap is also
linked to a new Space Based
Infrared System (SBIRS) of
satellites which give immediate warning of missile
launches anywhere on earth
and are a key part of the current US administration's
Missile Defence programme.
The United States is also
involved in the operation of
another base at Northwest
Cape in Western Australia,
which acts as a signals base
for US nuclear submarines in
Asia and the Pacific. Another
facility at Geraldton intercepts mobile telephone signals and communications in
a region extending from the
Antarctica to Siberia.
www.domain-b.com
lites from the Alcântara Base,
in the northeastern Brazilian
state of Maranhão. The first
launch should take place by
2009, according to the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB),
which completed 13 years of
existence on February 10th,
2007. The company is expected to earn profit of roughly
10% of the global satellite
launching market, worth
US$ 10 billion, over the next
eight years, since countries
that own satellites will need
to pay to use the base and
the launching technology.
Another goal of AEB is to
launch a third satellite, built
in partnership with China,
which will provide images of
the national territory, such
as deforested areas in the
Amazon Basin.
http://www.anba.com.br
BRAZIL
USA
Brazil, Ukraine to
jointly establish
space company
An agreement between the
Brazil and Ukraine seeks to
establish Brasília - a joint
venture company for rockets
and satellites, that should
begin operating this year.
Brazil will open up its space
base in Alcântara, in the
northern Brazilian state of
Maranhão while Ukraine
will provide its rocket
launching technology.
The objective is to enter the
competition for the global
satellite launching market,
worth US$ 10 billion. The
partnership is aimed at
launching rockets and satel-
NASA, Virgin Galactic
to Explore Future
Cooperation
NASA officials signed a
memorandum of understanding on February 21 with
a U.S. based company, Virgin
Galactic, LLC, to explore the
potential for collaborations
on the development of space
suits, heat shields for spaceships, hybrid rocket motors
and hypersonic vehicles
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capable of traveling five or
more times the speed of
sound. The memorandum is
only a framework to explore
potential collaborations. It
does not include training of
NASA astronauts, an agreement to buy seats on a Virgin
Galactic flight, or provision
of technical advice by NASA
to Virgin Galactic.
“This understanding with
Virgin Galactic affords NASA
an opportunity to work with
an emerging company in the
commercial human space
transportation industry to
support the agency’s exploration, science and aeronautics mission goals,” said S.
Pete Worden, director of
NASA Ames Research Center.
The agreement with Virgin
Galactic was negotiated
through NASA’s Space Portal,
a newly formed organization
in the NASA Research Park at
Ames, which seeks to engage
new opportunities for NASA
to promote the development
of the commercial space
economy. The memorandum
of understanding will be in
effect for two years and stipulates that neither NASA nor
Virgin Galactic will be
required to pay any fees or
provide funds to support the
areas of possible collaboration.
www.nasa.gov.in
Web-Based Emergency
Response Proposed
In the age of wireless Internet and mobile phones, casualties occuring due to lack of
communication might be
avoided. Researchers suggest
M A R C H 2 0 07
that a Web-based service,
which could be up and running in three to five years,
could improve reporting on
disasters, the coordination of
a response, the dissemination of information and promote resident-to-resident
assistance.
Ben Shneiderman, professor and founding director of
the HumanComputer Interaction Laboratory at the University of Maryland, and colleague Jennifer Preece, professor and dean of the university's College of Information Studies, outline their
idea for a community
response grid
The researchers point to the
success of Web-based social
computing services such as
MySpace and Craigslist.com,
which service millions of
users every day. If local, state
and federal agencies adopted
a similar model, they could
establish a two-way line of
communication
between
individuals and emergency
responders. The idea is to
establish a website where
community members register in advance. Such a site
could link to community
groups that already exist,
such as parent-teacher associations, tenant organizations or wildlife clubs, for
example. People would visit
the site regularly as active
members of their group,
building their community
and trust. In the face of an
emergency, alerted members
could contact fire and law
enforcement personnel via
email or mobile phone with
3D laser mapping
technology tracks dinosaurs
3D Laser Mapping has supplied a high performance laser
scanning system to assist with a European research project to map the footprints of dinosaurs. The project, jointly
undertaken by the University of Manchester and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, used an advanced RIEGL
laser scanner with integrated digital camera and satellite
positioning technology to accurately record and locate
individual dinosaur footprints. The project is tracing the
movements of dinosaurs and is assessing the effects of
weathering and erosion on the footprints.
“This project would simply not have been possible
without the laser scanning system,” said Dr David Hodgetts, Lecturer in Reservoir Modelling and Petroleum
Geology, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at The University of Manchester. “Due to the
fragile environment and the sensitivity of the site we
were not permitted direct contact and therefore all measurements had to taken remotely. Laser scanning allowed
the rapid, high resolution digital mapping of an otherwise inaccessible site.”
The project will document and record the effects of
weathering and erosion on the dinosaur relics and
provide a permanent record in order that researchers can
understand the movements of these
ancient reptiles. The data
generated by the
laser scanner will be used to
produce highly detailed and
accurate 3D models.
www.directionsmag.com
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such details as location, photos and even video. The website could also be accessed by
emergency responders, who
could, for example, send a
warning via email or text
message to registered users
living in a danger zone. Or
thanks to GPS-enabled cell
phones, they could locate
members on a geographical
map and contact them with
specifics about where to go
and what to do.
Paying to use social networking as an infrastructure
for emergency response
could be a challenge. Ben
Shneiderman and Preece
suggest that a community
response grid could be paid
for with user fees collected
by Internet service providers.
www.dsc.discovery.com
THEMIS Launched
Successfully
Taking multitasking to new
heights, NASA launched five
THEMIS (short for Time
History of Events and
Macroscale Interactions dur-
Force Station in Florida on
February 18. The launch was
delayed by one day because
of high upper-level winds.
Racing into space on the
flaming power of three rocket stages and nine solid rocket motors, the five THEMIS
probes separated from the
Delta 2 rocket more than an
hour after launch.
The satellites will disperse
around Earth to monitor
powerful geomagnetic substorms in the Earth's atmosphere that can damage communications satellites, disable power grids and shoot
high levels of radiation
down on spacewalking
astronauts and airplane passengers flying over northern
latitudes as well as intensify
the Northern Lights or aurora borealis. NASA is undertaking the mission to investigate what causes auroras in
the Earth's atmosphere to
change in appearance and
dissipate. Discovering why
the light of auroras can fluctuate and fade will provide
scientists with important
details on how the planet's
protective magnetosphere
works and on the sun-Earth
connection.
www.nasa.gov.in
Michael Goodchild
Receives GITA’s
Lifetime Achievement
Award
ing Substorms) satellites
aboard a single Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air
14
The Geospatial Information
& Technology Association
(GITA) announced on March
7 that Michael F. Goodchild
of Santa Barbara, California,
has been presented with
GITA's
2007
Lifetime
Achievement Award. The
award recognizes an individual’s outstanding contributions and long-standing
commitment to the geospatial industry.
The presentation was made
during GITA’s Annual Conference held between March
4-7, 2007, at the Henry B.
Gonzalez Convention Center
in San Antonio, Texas.
Goodchild is a professor of
geography at the University
of California, Santa Barbara;
chair of the Executive Committee, National Center for
Geographic Information and
Analysis (NCGIA); associate
director of the Alexandria
Digital Library Project; and
director of NCGIA’s Center
for Spatially Integrated
Social Science.
Goodchild received his
bachelor’s degree from Cambridge University in physics
in 1965 and his Ph.D. in geography from McMaster University in 1969. He first
encountered
geographic
information systems and
computer mapping in the
late 1960s, when it was a
struggling high-end computing application, and said he
is particularly gratified by
the response the technology
has received in universities.
Goodchild expressed his
pleasure on the fact that virtually anyone with a Web
browser can make use of
geospatial tools; but, at the
same time he said that
geospatial
professionals
have only begun to recognize
how far they still have to go
in giving everyone access to
the basic spatial literacy
that’s needed to use the tools
effectively.
“I’m immensely honored by
this award, especially as it
comes from an organization
that emphasizes the importance of education in the
broad
and
expanding
geospatial community. This
is a very exciting time to be
working in this area, particularly for the younger generation,” Goodchild said.
www.spatialnews.geocomm.com
EUROPE
Envisat
completes five
successful years
Launched from Kourou in
French Guiana on the night
of 28 February 2002, ESA’s
Envisat spacecraft marks its
fifth year in space. Having
orbited Earth more than
26,000 times, the world’s
largest and most complex
environmental satellite ever
launched has travelled a
distance of more than
1,000,000,000 kilometres,
nearly the equivalent of travelling to Jupiter and back.
Generating some 280 Gigabytes of data products daily,
Envisat
has
gathered
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500 Terabytes to date. The
amount of data returned
by Envisat’s suite of 10
instruments is providing
scientists with a global picture of our environment and
is helping to fulfil the initial
needs of the Global Monitoring for Environment and
Security (GMES) initiative
until the launch of Sentinel
satellites. Results of ongoing
research projects using data
from Envisat, as well as other
ESA satellites, will be presented at the 2007 Envisat
Symposium in Montreux,
Switzerland, from 23 to
27 April. This anniversary
is particularly important
because it marks the end of
Envisat’s nominal lifetime,
as the satellite was initially
only intended to stay in orbit
for five years. However,
given the overall excellent
standing of the satellite, the
ESA Member States have
agreed to fund the mission
operations until 2010.
www.esa.int
GIOVE-A2 to secure the
Galileo programme
ESA awarded a contract to
Surrey Satellite Technology
Limited (UK) for initial activities leading to the construction of a second spacecraft,
GIOVE-A2, for the Galileo
satellite navigation system
on March 5.
The new satellite will be
based on the company’s
proven GIOVE-A technology.
The GIOVE-A2 satellite will
be ready for launch in the
second half of 2008.
The permanent presence of
M A R C H 2 0 07
GIOVE-A2 in orbit will maintain European rights to the
frequencies and allow continuation of the experiments
initiated with the successful
GIOVE-A
mission
and
planned for the upcoming
GIOVE-B satellite.
GIOVE-A2 will help maintain the critical International
Telecommunications Union
(ITU)
frequency
filing
secured by GIOVE-A for a further 27 months and facilitate
further development of
ground equipment along
with the monitoring of the
space environment.
The new satellite will incorporate some enhancements
over GIOVE-A which will
allow additional signals to
be generated and received on
the ground.The aim will be
to provide early in-orbit
experimentation with the
common baseline L1 open
service signals recently recommended by the European
Union and the United States.
In the future, these open
service signals will provide
free of charge position and
timing competitive with
other GNSS systems.
GIOVE-A was the first European satellite to be launched
into Medium Earth Orbit
(MEO). It carries two environmental monitors.
These units have been
operating almost continuously since its launch and
are gathering vital data
about the Galileo orbit
environment that will help
in the design of the full
constellation.
www.esa.int
Prototype space probe to
explore Earth’s deepest sinkhole
Geoscientists from the University of Texas at Austin,
USA, will visit the world’s deepest known sinkhole,
Cenote Zacatón in Mexico, to resume tests of a
NASA-funded robot called DEPTHX, designed to survey
and explore for life in one of Earth’s most extreme
regions and potentially in outer space.
Sinking more than 1,000 feet, Zacatón has only been
partially mapped and its true depth remains unknown.
During eight years of research, doctoral student Marcus
Gary and hydrogeology professor Jack Sharp from The
University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of
Geosciences, discovered that the system’s unusual
hydrothermal nature is analogous to liquid oceans under
the icy surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa. Technology
developed to explore the sinkholes could be applied to
future space probes of Europa, where scientists believe
that deep cracks and holes in the ice offer a chance of
finding extraterrestrial life. It could also be used to
explore Earth’s ice-bound polar lakes, which hold clues to
the origins of life on Earth.
The probe is designed to map underwater caves,
measure geochemical properties of the water, search for
microbes and other life forms, and bring back samples
for subsequent analysis. The probe does not rely on
instructions from humans to decide where to go or what
to do. It creates 3D maps of previously unexplored areas
as it swims along and then uses those same maps to
navigate back to the surface.
www.webwire.com
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Garmin releases
GPSMAP 5000 Series
of touchscreen
chartplotters
Garmin International Inc., a
unit of Garmin Ltd., has
announced the GPSMAP
5000 series of multifunction
displays (MFDs), superbright touchscreen chartplotters.
worldwide satellite imagery
basemap to enhance the
standard vector chart format.
Garmin also offers BlueChart
g2 Vision technology. In
addition to high-resolution
satellite imagery, g2 Vision
features true “mariner’s eye
view” which provides a true
3D map perspective above
the waterline and “fish eye
view” for an underwater 3D
bathymetric contour perspective.The g2 Vision data
card also enables auto guidance technology on compatible units, searching all the
chart attributes to suggest
the best navigational course.
For help in navigating tricky
harbors and channels, or
locating marinas and resorts,
g2 Vision cards offer a growing database of aerial reference photos.
www.garmin.com
Complete version
of CarbonTools
PRO released
The touchscreen makes
navigating menus a snap
because the “virtual buttons”
change depending on the
function, allowing boaters to
intuitively see and select the
information they want,
while eliminating the clutter
they don’t. The 5000 series’
sleek flat-screen design looks
great flush mounted and
also includes a bail mount
for upright mounting.
The GPSMAP 5212 comes
pre-loaded with detailed U.S.
coastal charts, including
detailed Explorer Charts data
for the Bahamas. The unit
also features an enhanced
16
The Carbon Project recently
announced that its CarbonTools PRO software now
includes
support
for
Microsoft Virtual Earth. The
full release of CarbonTools
PRO, an extension to the
Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework, will provide for
advanced location content
handling, mapping and sharing.
CarbonTools
PRO
includes many new features
to support open-geospatial
.NET development projects.
The software enables the
.NET developers to effortlessly add complex geospatial
data types, layers and servic-
es, using a language that is
easily understood by mainstream programmers rather
than GIS professionals.
CarbonTools PRO provides a
unified API for geospatial
interoperability with an
array of location content and
services.
This
means
Microsoft Virtual Earth,
Google Earth, Yahoo Maps,
OGC web mapping, GML,
ESRI Shapefiles and more can
be used in open-geospatial
.NET applications quite
seamlessly. It also includes a
powerful new symbology
engine for meaningful maps,
tools for working online or
offline with location content,
tools for creating and sharing geospatial-notes, over
twenty code samples to
jump start development and
all the source code for Gaia 3
- a powerful application for
accessing, visualizing and
sharing location content.
CarbonTools PRO with Virtual Earth is also the foundation of ((Echo))MyPlace, the
first ever geosocial networking application that uses
IPv6 based, peer-to-peer networking.
www.thecarbonproject.com
Autodesk
introduces slew of
products
Autodesk has introduced
AutoCAD 2008, AutoCAD LT
2008, Autodesk Design
Review 2008, Autodesk
Impression 2008, AutoCAD
Map 3D 2008 and AutoCAD
Raster Design 2008 at its
World Press Day event held
recently.
AutoCAD 2008 is the latest
version of the world's most
widely used computer-aided
design (CAD) software. The
latest update to AutoCAD
software focuses on improving designers' ability to
quickly and easily document
their designs, with a level of
control that helps ensure
that their drawings look as
professional as they require.
AutoCAD LT 2008 is the latest version of 2D drafting
application.
While AutoCAD software
offers 3D conceptual deign
tools, advanced rendering,
network
licensing
and
deployments and more,
AutoCAD LT is wholly
focused on 2D drafting productivity for individual
users. AutoCAD LT 2008 features the improvements to
drafting tasks that are found
in AutoCAD 2008.
Autodesk, Inc. also unveiled
its AutoCAD Map 3D 2008
and AutoCAD Raster Design
2008 geospatial software
products at its World Press
Day event. The latest products further improve the
integration of geospatial
data by planning, engineering and operations personnel
in utilities and municipal
governments.
These two applications,
combined with Autodesk
MapGuide Enterprise Webbased GIS software and
Autodesk Topobase infrastructure design and management systems, offer customers and developers alike
the right GIS solution.
www.pressreleases.autodesk.com
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NAC Smart Tag Turns
Microsoft Office into
Layman's GIS
NAC Geographic Products
Inc. recently announced the
release of the NAC Smart Tag
DLL for Microsoft Office - an
integration of the Natural
Area Coding System with
Microsoft Smart Tag technology. NAC Smart Tag is a tag
based on a Natural Area
Code (NAC). Once you install
the NAC Smart Tag DLL on
your computer, moving the
cursor on it will pop up its
action menu and you can
click it to get the map of the
NAC immediately.
Because of the convenience
of using NAC Smart Tag to
specify any accurate location
or area in the world, police
officers, journalists and other
authors can include NACs in
their reports or emails so
that readers of the documents can conveniently get
the maps of the exact locations whenever they want.
All salespersons can store the
NACs of their customers in
an Excel spreadsheet or an
Access table which can be
used as an efficient tool to
map any customer location
on the list without the support of any GIS software.
NAC Smart Tags in Office
documents can even be
saved with the contents in
web pages which can be
directly published on the
Internet to significantly
reduce the work of referencing accurate locations for
location sensitive stories.
Search engines can even use
the NACs to sort stories
M A R C H 2 0 07
according to their locations.
Therefore, the free NAC
Smart Tag turns Microsoft
Office into powerful and
easy-to-use GIS software for
general users.
www.nacgeo.com
Leica Geosystems
Releases Orthophoto
Production System
Leica Geosystems Geospatial
Imaging has launched Leica
Ortho Accelerator (LOA),
offering
a
streamlined
orthophoto production environment. Leica Ortho Accelerator was developed to
speed up the rate and accuracy with which digital
orthophotos are produced. It
is a CuePac add-on to
GeoCue, a geospatial process
management system. With
orthorectification
and
mosaicking capabilities, LOA
takes advantage of the distributed and scheduled
workflow processing capabilities provided by GeoCue.
LOA features include:
• LOA is highly scalable, with
benefits for large and small
organizations
• Distributed processing
increases throughput, allowing
operators to focus on other
tasks
• Distributed processing harnesses the processing power
of several CPU nodes to
achieve greater throughput
• Using processing nodes
instead of full photogrammetric workstations represents
lower costs
• Real-time and accurate status updates of all processing
computers as the project progresses.
www.geospatial-online.com
GIS Institute ad
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Intermap to
provide 3D data
for Microsoft's
Virtual Earth
Intermap Technologies Corp.
has announced an agreement to provide Microsoft
Corp. with NEXTMap Britain
digital elevation data for use
within Microsoft’s Virtual
Earth platform. The agreement enables Microsoft to
development of applications
and solutions that rely on
accurate digital elevation
models that can serve a multitude of business and consumer needs around the
world. These applications
would have otherwise been
unachievable
prior
to
Intermap’s creation of these
3D data sets. Additionally,
Intermap is now aggressively mapping Europe under
their NEXTMap Europe program. The collection of the
entire country of Germany is
now complete and the
remainder
of
Western
Europe is scheduled for completion by the end of 2007.
The continental U.S. is being
mapped concurrently with
the European initiative and
is scheduled for completion
by the end of 2008.
site began in 2000 at a cost
of 265 billion won ($285 million) and is about 90 percent
complete, except the launching pad. Hyundai will build
the launching platform on a
turn-key contract with the
Korea Aerospace Research
Institute. The construction
involves building surface
and underground platforms
as well as fueling systems
and a control room. According to the firm the launching
pad will be able to accommodate two rockets and will be
jointly designed with a Russian counterpart.
The establishment of the
Naro Space Center is the first
step by South Korea to
become a major player in
space exploration. Naro is to
be the 26th launching site in
the world.
www.intermap.com
Hyundai Heavy to build
South Korea's first
satellite launch pad
create and deliver a Live
Search Maps product powered by the most current and
accurate digital terrain
model of Great Britain.
Intermap’s 3D digital terrain
model data will serve as the
base layer or foundation for
the placement and alignment of aerial photography
and other geospatial layers.
Images are draped over
Intermap’s three-dimensional foundation to create a
unique and accurate user
viewing experience.
The agreement also sets
the stage for the future
18
The world's largest builder of
marine vessels, Hyundai
Heavy Industries, is now
looking skyward, with a plan
to build South Korea's first
space rocket launching pad.
It has won the contract to
build a rocket launching
platform at the Naro Space
Center on the coast of South
Cholla Province, South Korea
by 2008.
South Korea is in line to
become the ninth nation to
launch a space vessel when
it lifts off a 100-kilogram
satellite into orbit from the
Naro site as early as next
year. The construction of the
De Beers grants
contract to new aerial
survey company –
Southern Mapping
Barely two months into
operation, the Southern
Mapping Company has been
granted a contract by mining
giant De Beers to conduct
lidar aerial surveys of its
own Namaqualand diamond
mine and its newly formed
joint venture with government, Alexkor diamond
mine. The Southern Mapping
Company will conduct lidar
aerial surveys of the Kleinzee
and Koingnaas areas that
form part of the Namaqualand Mining community.
According to Hugh Jones,
Chief Surveyor at De Beers
Namaqualand
Mines,
“through the three-dimensional imaging of the earth,
De Beers will benefit by the
invaluable
information
when planning the mining
operations. The lidar aerial
surveys will assist in accurately quantifying the rehabilitation liability and will
provide De Beers with an
accurate DTM of the disturbed area, enabling mass
haul diagrams or quantities
to be computed and costed.”
The Southern Mapping
Company’s newly leased aircraft has been fitted with the
latest in aerial surveying
equipment, the ALTM 3100
EA, which is an airborne
laser terrain mapper worth
over $1-milion that provides
high resolution, high accuracy digital elevation data
from a laser. The ALTM's
rapid coverage and data output sees 1,000 km2 covered
in less than 12 hours, and the
DEM data is available within
24 hours. In addition to accurate colour Ortho-images
and digital raster pictures for
visual interpretation, the
information
obtained
through the lidar aerial survey will also assist De Beers
in developing a rehabilitation and closure master plan
for Namaqualand Mines.
www.moneyweb.co.za
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Education
GIS Education:
Training, Placement
and Prospect
An Indian Perspective
Satyaprakash
A
ccording to a study conducted in
2006 by geospatial media agency in
association with Antrix Corporation, the GIS market
(domestic and export) is expected to grow from USD
209 million in 1995 to USD 613 million by 2010 at a
CAGR of 14.5%.
Further it has been estimated that the domestic market in India
amounts to about USD 122 million in the year 2005 and is
expected to reach USD 396 million by 2010, at a CAGR of 17.57%.
These figures present a really bright picture of the GIS Industry
in India. As per an article by Chirasrota Jena (Business Finder:
extending GIS, www.expresscomputeronline.com, December 11,
2006) the awareness level about the Geomatics in India is relatively low, although many government and semi-government
agencies and some corporates have started realising the power
of this technology.
TH E STU DY
The growth of this Industry in India is directly linked to the
20
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quality and quantity of personnel being
Although
the
trained and educated in the field of Geo-
coverage is across
Informatics.
the country, it can
To get a first hand view of the quality of
be seen that most
the education and their placement in the
of the participants
industry, we took GIS Institute as a
attending course
testing bed. GIS Institute is the education
at the GIS Insti-
and training division of GIS Develop-
tute are from the
ment, and is conducting courses in the
National Capital
field of Geo-Informatics for the last six
Region (NCR) of
years.
India. This is a
In this article we have made an attempt
locational
phe-
Fig. 2 Pie-chart showing regionwise distribution of participants
to analyse the quality of training of the
nomenon as the
participants, their employment opportu-
institute is locat-
nities, how they are placed, how do they
ed in NCR. Region-wise analysis of all the
because there does not exist good career
look at the overall GIS Industry and do
participants showed that almost 60% of
opportunities just after leaving school
they see any future prospect?
them were from the northern region,
(class 10), and one should have at least
whereas west and south contributed only
graduate level of education, before look-
9% each towards (Figure-2).
ing at a career option in Geo-Informatics.
TH E ANALYSIS AN D R ESU LTS
We analysed the data of all the participants of the GIS Institute from January
2004 till December 2006. The participants were asked different questions
regarding their educational background,
geomatics study, work experience, salary,
growth and satisfaction level. Participants contituted 227 former students
from GIS Institute and their geographical
spread is shown in the Fig-1.
This might be because there are many
75% of the participants were satisfied
institutions in the south conducting GIS
with the quality of education whereas
and Remote Sensing courses (see box)
25% were not.
and also there are some institutions in
the west, whereas there are few Institutions offering courses in the field of GeoInformatics from the northern region.
Also there are not many institutions in
the eastern region providing training/
education on these technologies, participation from the
eastern region was
22% of the total.
Amongst
the
all
participants
66% were postgraduate
when
Fig. 3 Distribution of participants based upon
their basic educational qualification
they opted for the
training, where as
they were equally
divided
under
graduate and postgraduate diploma
(Figure-3).
There
were no participant undergoing
GIS training after
completing school
Fig. 1 Map showing the distribution of participants
M A R C H 2 0 07
level
education.
This
might
be
PLACE M E NT
GIS Institute also caters to the placement
of the participants and analysing the
data for the type of jobs the participants
got after completion of the course, almost
67% of them joined private organisation
whereas 25% opted for government jobs
(Figure-4). A majority of this 25% are
those who were either sponsored from
their departments or came on leave to
undergo training in Geo-Informatics, as
their job profile demanded expertise on
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GIS Education and Training at Indian Institute of Remote Sensing
P.L.N. Raju, V.K. Dadhwal and C. Jeganathan
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (National Remote Sensing Agency), Dehradun, India
While map reading and use has a long history,
a paradigm shift has occurred in dynamic
information extraction from maps and attributes data in the form of GIS application. In less
than four decades since early GIS concepts
were demonstrated, many developments have
taken place in computer technology, spatial
database management systems, and mobile
and communication technology. Such a widespread use is also dependent on presence of
GIS literacy in all segments of users, namely
technical support, intelligent users, and integrators of information as well as students who
wish to pursue GIS as a career.
organizations/ software companies in USA
alone are offering undergraduate / graduate
programs in geoinformatics (http://spatialnews.geocommunity.com/
education/links/usa.html). Amazingly there are
more than 3,10,000 have registered at ESRI
virtual Campus itself from 187 countries, which
itself speaks its spread in few years time
(Michael Phoenix, 2004). As a marketing strategy, ESRI Inc. may not divulge the actual numbers of personnel who are actively engaged in
getting online training from virtual campus
(http://campus.esri.com/ ).
GIS Education in India
Geoinformatics Education :
The World Scenario
Many universities, institutions, colleges, software companies and research organizations
are providing Geoinformatic training/ education based programs in remote sensing, GIS,
global positioning system, geodesy, surveying
and cartography etc.
According to Rhind & Raper (2004), there are
around 2 million GIS users at present and
about 2000 universities run courses on GIS.
Hundreds of other courses are additionally run
by non-academic organizations, such as software vendors. According to estimates, world
over as many as one lakh fifty thousand students enroll for GIS as a specialized program
or one of the subject. Surveys conduced in 19
countries indicate that there are 78 post graduate programs, 38 alone in UK itself and 54
undergraduate programs. GIS education has
also moved to schools at primary levels,
notably in Sweden, Australia, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark and US. There are
more than 100 institutions/ universities/
GIS has emerged as a new discipline in the
education field in India. Majority of GIS education in India is offered at postgraduate level as
part of M.Tech., M.Sc. and diploma courses in
various disciplines such as Engineering (Civil,
Electronics, IT, Computer Science and applications, Mechanical and electrical, etc.) and Science streams (Geography, Botany, Agriculture,
Soil science, Geology, Ocean sciences, Environmental sciences and Forestry, etc.). However, some universities are offering GIS, with different nomenclature at graduate level, like
Anna University, Andhra University and Pune
University etc.
IIRS started offering GIS education in India,
first as Land Information System training way
back in 1991 and later as focused GIS courses (1995 onwards) in disciplines such as agriculture, soils, land use, forestry and ecology,
geosciences, water resources, coastal and
marine sciences and geoinformatics technology as well. With increasing popularity and
demand, IIRS started postgraduate diploma
and masters programs (visit http://www.iirs-
Table 1: IIRS educational programs
22
S.No.
Type of
Program
S.No.
Discipline/
Specialisation
Accredited by
Duration
1
M.Tech.
Remote Sensing and GIS
Andhra University
24 months
2
M.Sc.
Geoinformatics
ITC, The Netherlands
18 Months
3
M.Sc.
Geoinformatics in
Geo-Hazards
ITC, The Netherlands
18 Months
4
M.Tech*.
Remote Sensing and GIS
Andhra University
24 Months (min)
nrsa.gov.in for more information). There are
more than 20 institutions/ universities following this trend, and offering exclusive Geoinformatics/GIS postgraduate courses, which started in the last five years or so, in addition to
Remote Sensing and GIS courses at postgraduate level that are being offered for many
years. (P.L.N. Raju et.al, 2004)
IIRS Educational Programs
The prime objectives of IIRS are training, education and research in the field RS & GIS for
national capacity building programs and professional excellence. There are four types of
educational programs (Table 1) that are being
offered at IIRS including CSSTE-AP RS & GIS
program.
EDUSAT utilization for training
The use of Remote Sensing, Geographic Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS) and associated geo-spatial technologies is increasing rapidly, creating an
urgent demand for trained manpower. IIRS is
currently utilizing the EDUSAT facility for conducting training on RS, GIS and GPS for universities spread across the country.
Under the EDUSAT facility, IIRS has established a Teaching end Studio and Up-linking
facility in the campus under national beam
coverage of EDUSAT and link with users. As
part of the first training program twelve universities/institutions are participating in 6 weeks
training on Remote Sensing and GIS. Presently more than 45 universities have been set
with Satellite Interactive Terminals (SITs) under
Consortium for Educational Communication
(CEC), UGC network (www.cec-ugc.org/)
where they can also participate in the proposed training program. This facility will be
expanded gradually to cover larger number of
universities /institutions in the coming years.
Acknowledgements
We are thankful to Director, NRSA and Chairman, NRSA GB for leadership and guidance to
expand IIRS role in education and training at
national and international level and to run IIRS
programs. Special thanks are also due to
National Natural Resource Management
System (NNRMS), Department of Space
(DOS) for sponsoring the new initiative
called EDUSAT based training program for
Universities.
NOTE: The detailed version of this article with complete references can be found at
www.gisdevelopment.net/magazine/asia/years/2007/mar
M A R C H 2 0 07
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84% of the
respondents
are optimistic
about the
growth of GIS
Industry in India
software in the Industry and what we
could find was that AutoCAD/ AutoCAD
Map still dominates the GIS Industry,
with as high as 92% of the respondents
using it, followed by ArcView 3.x and
ERDAS Imagine at 67%. ArcGIS and MapInfo was used by approximately 58% of
the respondents whereas other software
were equally placed. Figure-5 shows the
distribution of different GIS and Remote
Fig. 4 Distribution of participants based on
their job type, after completion of the course
Sensing software usage across the industry, in the NCR. As per the software usage
Geo-Informatics and there was no train-
data available at GISjobs.com, Autodesk
satisfied with the job or not. We did a
ing available in their respective depart-
products are used by around 59% of the
check and could find that around 75% of
ments. The private organisations in
respondents and ESRI products by 67%,
the respondents feel that their job satis-
which they were employed were concen-
while MapInfo is preffered by 40% and
faction level (on a scale of 10, with 10
trated in the NCR region, except a few,
ERDAS Imagine by 31%.
being the best) is more than 6 and below
where they were placed either in the
southern region or in the west.
SOFTWAR E USAG E
One of the aims of this study was to look
at the usage of GIS and Remote Sensing
9 and only 8% are very dissatisfied with
SALARY
Recently (February 2007) discussions on a
blog was going on whether the Indian
GIS Industry is low paying job and
whether the people in the Industry, are
their current job status. Another question
we asked was about the “Feel Good” factor of the GIS Industry and 84% are optimistic about the future prospect of the
GIS Industry in India and are looking at
Indian Universities/Institutions teaching Geo-Informatcis
As the awareness about GIS technology
and application, in both private and public
sectors, is increasing, this has created a
demand for personnel educated and
trained in the principles and practices of
GIS. Today, GIS provides students with
opportunities to find suitable jobs in this
growing field. As a result, number of educational programmes, at the undergraduate and post-graduate level in GIS
and related technologies are being
offered by various universities and
institutes across India. Apart from
the regular courses at the universities, many institutes like the Indian
Space Research Organisation
(ISRO), National Remote Sensing
Agency (NRSA), Space Application
Centre, Ahmedabad, Survey Training
Institute, Hyderabad, National Thematic
and Mapping Agency (NATMO) conduct
short term and long-term courses and
workshops.
Although GIS and/ or Remote Sensing is
an integral part of syllabus of some of the
postgraduate courses in Geology/ Geog-
M A R C H 2 0 07
raphy/ Earth Sciences in many Universities, we have compiled those Universities/ Institutes which offer courses
exclusively on Geo-Informatics. This data
has been compiled based upon the infor-
mation available at the University Grant
Commission's website,
http://www.ugc.ac.in and inputs from others. All those Universities/ Institutions are
also shown graphically.
It can be seen most of the Universities/
Institutions offering courses on GIS & RS
are concentrated in the southern part of
India. Among the southern states, Tamil
Nadu has the most number of institutions conducting course on GIS &
Remote Sensing. On the other hand,
in the northern states most of the
Universities and Institutions are
teaching GIS & Remote Sensing as
part of a curriculum in Geography/
Geology/ Earth Sciences/ Natural
Resources and not as a separate
course. However, there are some Institutions which are offering courses in different applications of GIS and Remote
Sensing. Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun, Uttarakhand is the leader
by offering several courses and educating
a significant number of students and professionals in the field of GIS and RS.
23
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State
3:03 PM
Page 24
University/Institution
Website address
Courses Offering
• Andhra University, Visakhapatnam
www.andhrauniversity.info
ME/M.Tech in Remote Sensing
• Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kukatpally, Hyderabad
www.jntu.ac.in
• Osmania University, Hyderabad
www.osmania.ac.in
• National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad
www.nrsa.gov.in
• Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati
www.svuniversity.in
M.Tech. In Geotechnical Engineering
• North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology, Itanagar
www.nerist.ac.in
M.Tech in Environmental Science and Engineering.
• Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and GeoInformatics,
Gandhinagar,
www.bisag.gujarat.gov.in
Conducts training for various government departments, organizations and Institutes
M.Tech in GeoInformatics and Surveying Technology.
M.Sc. In GeoInformatics.
Andhra Pradesh
M.Tech in Geotechnical Engineering.
Arunachal Pradesh
Gujarat
Jharkhand
Karnataka
Kerala
• M.S. University of Baroda, Faculty of Tech & Engg, Vadodara.
www.msubaroda.ac.in
www.cept.ac.in
• Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi
www.bitmesra.ac.in
M.Tech in Remote Sensing
• Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, Mangalore.
www.mangaloreuniversity.ac.in
M.Sc. In Geoinformatics
• Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta, Shimoga
www.kuvempuuniversity.org
M.Sc. In Remote Sensing & GIS
www.ksrsac.gov.in
M.Tech in Remote Sensing.
• Centre of Information Science and Technology (CIST), University of
Mysore, Mysore
www.uni-mysore.ac.in
P.G. Diploma in Geoinformatics
• Bangalore University. Jnanabharathi, Bangalore
www.bangaloreuniversity.net
P.G. Diploma in GeoInformatics
• Centre for Environment and Development, Thiruvananthapuram
www.cedindia.org
Diploma courses in RS & GIS
www.cusat.ac.in
P.G. Diploma Course in GIS
www.iitk.ac.in
P.G. Diploma in Geoinformatics.
• Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal
www.bubhopal.nic.in
M.Sc./M.Tech. Remote Sensing and M.Sc. in
GeoInformatics.
• Jiwaji University, Gwalior
www.jiwaji.edu
• Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal
www.manit.ac.in
• Center of Studies in Resource Engineering(CSRE), Indian Institute of
Technology, Mumbai
www.csre.iitb.ac.in
Post Graduate Course in Natural Resources Engineering
www.unipune.ernet.in
M.Sc. In GeoInformatics and P.G. B.Sc. In Applied
GIS & RS.
• Karnataka State Remote Sensing Application Center, Bangalore
• Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi
• University of Pune, Pune
www.symbiosisgeoinformatics.in
• Symbiosis Institute of GeoInformatics, Pune
Maharashtra
Meghalaya
Delhi
MSc. Geo Technology & post B.Sc. P.G. Diploma in Geotechniques
• Center for Environmental Planning and Technology, Ahmedabad
• Indian Institute of IT & Management - Kerala (IIITM-K), Trivandrum,
Madhya Pradesh
Series of Training Courses will be conducted
• K J Somaiya College of Science and Commerce, Mumbai
www.somaiya.edu
Series of training programmes in GIS.
M.Sc. In Remote Sensing & GIS
M.Tech in Remote Sensing and GIS.
Master's programme in Geoinformatics
P. G. Diploma& Certificate Courses in RS and GIS
• Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Pune
www.cdac.in
Diploma in Geoinformatics.
• Rashtrasantha Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur
www.nagpuruniversity.org
M.Sc./M.Tech Remote Sensing.
• Santa Gadge Baba Amaravati University, Amaravati
www.sgbau.ac.in
M.Sc. In Advaced Remote Sensing in Geosciences,
• North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya
www.nehu.ac.in
Diploma and Certificate Courses in GIS
• School of Planning Architecture, New Delhi
www.spa.ernet.in
Master's programme in Environmental Planning
• Sikkim Manipal University, Delhi
www.sikkimmanipal.info
M.Sc. In Geo-informatics
• Jamia Millia Islamia Central University, Delhi
www.jmi.nic.in
Advanced Diploma in Remote Sensing and GIS Applications,
• Berhampur University, Berhampur
www.bamu.nic.in
M.Sc. In Biological Oceanography & Remote Sensing
Orissa
M.Sc. In Physical Oceanography & Remote Sensing
• Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai
www.mkuniversity.org
• SRM institute of Science and Technology, Chennai.
www.srmuniv.ac.in.
M.Tech. Remote Sensing and GIS
• Institute of Remote Sensing, Anna University, Chennai
www.annauniv.edu
• Annamalai University, Annamalainagar
Tamil Nadu
M.Sc. Environmental Remote sensing & GeoInformation
Technology
B.E. In GeoInformatics
• PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore
www.annamalaiuniversity.ac.in
P.G.Diploma in Remote Sensing and GIS
• Centre for Remote Sensing, Bharathidasan University,
Tiruchinapally
www.psgtech.edu
U.G. And P.G. Programmes in Geotechnical Engg & GIS.
www.bdu.ac.in
M.Tech Geological Remote Sensing & Geo Informatics and
M.Sc. Geo Informatics
• Gandhigram Rural University, Dindigul
www.ruraluniv.org
M.Sc.in Geoinformatics.
• Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai
www.iitm.ac.in
Master's programme in Surveying
• Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad
www.mnnit.ac.in/
M.Tech in Remote Sensing and GIS
• Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
www.amu.ac.in
Diploma in Geomatics & about to start M Sc in
Geomatics.
• Bundelkhand University, Institute of Earth Sciences, Jhansi
www.bundelkhanduniv.org
M.Sc.GIS & Remote Sensing
• University of Allahabad, Allahabad
www.allduniv.edu
P.G. Diploma in Remote Sensing and GIS
• Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun
www.iirs-nrsa.gov.in
M.Tech in Remote Sensing and GIS, M.Sc. In Geoinformatics
• Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee
www.iitr.ac.in
M.Tech GIS
• Vidyasagar University, Midnapore
www.vidyasagar.ac.in
P.G. in Remote Sensing and GIS
• Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
www.iitkgp.ernet.in
• The University of Burdwan, Bardhaman
www.buruniv.ac.in
Short term couuse on RS & GIS
M.Sc. in Geographic Information System & Remote Sensing
• University of North Bengal, Darjeeling
www.nbu.ac.in
M.Phil. in GIS & Remote Sensing Applications,
• University of Calcutta, Kolkata
www.caluniv.ac.in
P.G. Diploma in GIS
• Madras University, Chennai
Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand
West Bengal
24
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Fig. 5 Software usage in the GIS Industry
good growth opportunities in the times
were some respondents who had prior
experience is INR 1,65,000/- and for
to come. Although the salary is propor-
experience and domain knowledge, are
people with around 10 years of experi-
tional to the amount of time you have
drawing annual salaries in the range of
ence, it is approximately INR 2,60,000/-.
spent in the industry, your skill sets and
INR 5,00,000/- to 7,00,000/- (Figure-6).
other factors, besides academic qualifica-
Another analysis of the salary data shows
tions and domain knowledge, we could
that 75% of the respondents are in the
find that around 60% of the respondents
annual salary range of INR 60,000/- to
were drawing annual salary in the range
2,00,000/-, which is on the lower side,
of INR 1,00,000/- to 3,00,000/- (most of
considering the fact that the skill sets
the respondents are in the Industry only
required is intense and expenditure on
for maximum three years, for which the
the training is on the higher side.
data has been analysed). However, there
We also compared the salary data at the
GISjobs.com website (Salaries are
submitted and displayed in the currency unit native
to the region the
submissions
are
LOOKI NG AH EAD
The respondents are very optimistic
about the status of GIS Industry in the
coming years and think that planning,
decision making, Land Information System, Property tax and infrastructure
could be the key for growth of the domestic market. Also, with the availability of
data through Google Earth and free
Google API, the application section will
dominate in the coming years and we
could see lot of application being developed for mobile devices, besides desktop
application, because 3G is going to be
dominated by map based services!
from) and could
find that average
annual salary for a
personnel
Fig. 6 Annual Salary Distribution
M A R C H 2 0 07
of
around 5 years of
Satyaprakash
Associate Editor
[email protected]
25
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Perspectives
This is an attempt to present the views of eminent academicians representing different regions
of Asia, namely, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia, on the status of GIS education
in their respective countries.
I
Dr. M.M Yagoub: Currently, there are three public universities
and more than ten private universities in the UAE. The public
UAE University was the first one to establish a GIS program in
the Department of Geography in 1999. Many other Universities
n the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries like
such as the Higher College of Technology, Zayed University,
Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, GIS
Ajman University, American University in Dubai, American
courses and training programmes are offered by research-inten-
University in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Hosn are start-
sive government agencies and universities. The community col-
ing to incorporate directly or indirectly GIS in their curriculum
leges do not offer GIS courses. In South Asia, India is the undis-
e.g. as part of Urban Planning and Surveying Engineering or a
puted leader in GIS education and training among the SAARC
module with IT Courses.
nations. Most of the degree courses on geoinformatics are
There is strong support from the government to the GIS educa-
offered by universities in South India, while in North India, GIS
tion and this is clear from the diffusion of GIS across the coun-
is generally taught as part of Geography, Geology, Urban Plan-
try. The main reason behind this support is the high demand for
ning, Civil Engineering etc. Today, GIS education has become
more professionals trained in GIS by governmental and private
important in the South East Asian countries, especially for man-
employers. The undergraduate GIS education in the UAE is
agement and monitoring of natural disasters like tsunami,
available to average income family students "almost free of
earthquakes, floods and landslides in the region.
cost" provided that the student has scored well in the high
The all-pervading view, therefore, is that GIS will soon become
school certificate examination (70% and above), is good in Eng-
an integral part of the school and college level curriculum. The
lish, and has basic IT skills. It is almost a similar situation across
geospatial industry, in turn, is expected to grow at a rapid pace
the region. The "Master of Remote Sensing and GIS" programme
with the influx of trained GIS professionals in the coming years.
in UAE is expensive for average income family students. How-
The following are the views expressed by Dr. M.M Yagoub
ever, students receive grants from the government to cover the
(UAE University, UAE), Prof. M.S Nathawat (BIT Mesra, India), Dr.
tuition fee.
Phisan Santitamnont (Chulalongkorn University, Thailand) and
Prof. M.S Nathawat: I consider that GIS education in India is at
Prof. Mohd Ibrahim Seeni Mohd (UTM, Malaysia) on the status
a young stage and it is gradually approaching towards maturi-
of GIS education in their respective countries.
ty as more and more educational institutes are offering degrees
in this field. One can find a wide spectrum of courses being
STATUS OF R E M OTE SE NSI NG AN D
G IS E DUCATION
• Is there any governmental support for GIS Education in your
region in the form of grants?
• Is GIS Education affordable for the average income family student?
28
offered by the universities such as B.E./M.E.Geoinformatics,
M.Tech.Remote Sensing, M.Tech.GIS, M.Sc.GIS, M.Sc.Geoinformatics, M.Sc.Remote Sensing & GIS, B.Sc.GIS etc. apart from
number of diploma and certificate courses offered by more than
40 universities in India.
M A R C H 2 0 07
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Governmental support to GIS education is provided by grants
under various schemes of University Grants Commission (UGC)
& Department of Science and Technology programmes. Department of Space, under its NNRMS programme, also offers courses
/trainings in RS-GIS to university teachers.
GIS education is affordable for the average income family students. Many institutes also offer fellowships/scholarships to the
needy students. They also have a wide choice of universities and
institutes for selecting a course suitable to their qualifications
as well as resources, which were not available a decade ago in
India.
Dr. Phisan Santitamnont: There has been tremendous
advancement in the development of Remote Sensing and GIS in
Thailand. Aerial photographs for the whole of Thailand are
available at the scale of 1:25,000. A new curriculum on GIS has
been designed for students. More courses on computers and GIS
have been introduced for students. A compulsory course on
Geospatial Database is running at the university level.
Although, government grants are not available towards GIS
education to a great degree, the government agencies are supporting GIS education through Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).
GIS education is quite affordable for students in Thailand.
Most of the GIS courses are taught in government universities.
But, for students who come from a sound economic background,
private universities also offer GIS courses. The cost of GIS education in private sector is nearly five times higher than that of
government-run universities in Thailand.
Prof. Mohd Ibrahim Seeni Mohd: In Malaysia, UTM is the only
university that offers B.Sc. programmes in remote sensing and
CAR E E R PROSPECTS
Dr. M.M Yagoub: There is a steady growing trend of employment including as GIS analysts and geographical and environmental specialists in utility management, town planning,
telecommunication, oil industry, transportation, military, and
policing. In addition to this , graduates are also working in the
field of education such Geography teachers, GIS instructors, and
lecturers.
Prof. M.S Nathawat: As awareness in geoinformatics utilizations, almost in all sectors, is increasing day by day, so are the
career prospects.
Dr. Phisan Santitamnont: The prospects for GIS professionals
are good. Many GIS projects have been launched by the government agencies and provincial authorities, creating demand for
GIS experts. The participation of Thailand in GEOSS through
GISTDA has given rise to the demand for satellite data archives
and services, value added image-maps and web-based satellite
data browsing system.
Prof. Mohd Ibrahim Seeni Mohd: The number of students who
enroll into our programmes are in line with the requirements of
the job market. Graduates in Geomatics have no problems in
getting jobs since this course is an established professional
course that has been offered for the past 35 years. However,
Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics courses are fairly new and
the market has only started to grow over the last 15 years. As far
as the trend goes, most of the graduates do not face much difficulty in getting jobs in various government agencies, local
authorities and private sectors since these sectors have started
to implement projects that utilize remote sensing and GIS
related technologies.
Geoinformatics. In other universities, remote sensing and GIS
are offered as subjects in their Bachelor and Diploma programmes. For postgraduate programmes, five universities offer
M.Sc. and PhD programmes in these fields. I think the present
state of education is quite satisfactory.
TRAI N I NG I NSTITUTES
• Are they run by private or government agencies?
• If yes, are the courses affordable for the common student?
Dr. M.M Yagoub: There are a number of private companies
that run short courses in remote sensing and GIS. However,
prices of the courses are considered too high for any body not
under sponsorship.
GIS education is affordable for the average
income family students.
Many institutes also offer
fellowships/scholarships
to the needy students.
M A R C H 2 0 07
Examples of these companies include Hansa Luftbild, Hyder
ACER, GISTEC, Global Scanning Technology, International Surveying and Mapping, Khatib and Alami, MAPS GeoSystems,
NorPlan, Scott Wilson, Bentley Middle East, Intergraph Middle
East, and Space Imaging Middle East. With the development of
Internet, more and more institutes worldwide have started to
offer degrees in geo-science through distance learning programmes.
Prof. M.S Nathawat: Number of educational/training institutes is increasing in the country. The cost of training at private
institutes is high compared to the universities.
29
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G IS E DUCATION P OLICY
Dr. M.M Yagoub: In UAE there are a good number of graduates
with a Bachelor's Degree. Soon (by the end of 2007) there will be
a moderate number with Master's Degree in Remote Sensing
and GIS. Based on this reality I suggest starting a one year Diploma and an introduction to remote sensing and GIS course at the
school level.
Prof. M.S Nathawat: Two steps are required to promote and
develop GIS education in India.
• Development of a uniform course curriculum.
the past year especially due to the involvement of the Open
Geospatial Consortium (OGC).
FUTU R E OF G IS E DUCATION
Dr. M.M Yagoub: Introduction of remote sensing and GIS in the
UAE is a part of global geo-science revolution as well as the
result of a regional impact by the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC). Remote sensing and GIS are not isolated islands, but
affected by other factors like computer literacy, Internet, and
awareness about the technology. Schools in the UAE are start-
• Increase in Government support and encouragement for use of
GIS in all its departments so that a real demand for trained
human resources be created .
ing to introduce computers in their classes, which will have a
Dr. Phisan Santitamnont: GISTDA and ITC, Netherlands should
society through schools, colleges and universities. Some aca-
together promote courses on geoinformatics. Open Source GIS
demic institutes in the UAE are now offering degrees in remote
softwares need to be encouraged. There is also a need to develop
sensing and GIS.
new courses for creating a geospatial database.
direct impact on remote sensing and GIS. With Web-GIS, it is
expected that GIS education will reach a large portion of the
Prof. M.S Nathawat: The GIS industry at large demands a criti-
Prof. Mohd Ibrahim Seeni Mohd: In order to operationalize
cal number of well-trained persons at all levels in a reasonable
remote sensing and GIS technologies successfully in various
time frame. Hence, it is a right time for policy makers to think
agencies, we need well trained graduates who are capable in
and keep up pace with the demand and development of the
implementing these technologies in the related fields. In order
technology. The increasing support by the appropriate agencies,
to attract more students to pursue degree programmes in these
will lead to more universities coming forward to establish new
fields, the career path for these graduates should be established
departments and courses in geoinformatics. Indian policy mak-
by creating posts/ schemes especially in the government sector.
ers & geoinformatics practitioners must be well prepared to
face the challenges of the new knowledge-driven millennium,
E NCOU RAG I NG OR DETR I M E NTAL FACTORS
TOWAR DS E DUCATIONAL I N ITIATIVES
Dr. M.M Yagoub: An important factor affecting on penetration
of remote sensing and GIS in the UAE is the economy. The revenues from oil has put UAE in a better position than other developing nations for laying down the infrastructure for remote
sensing and GIS (hardware, software, data, salary, etc.). Privatisation of some governmental departments in the UAE also
affects the penetration of geo-science. Management authorities
in these departments recognized the potential for the use of
geo-science as a system that provides integration framework,
expedites customer services, makes the information database
more accessible, provides a strong foundation for executive
decision support, and has the ability to help in achieving privatisation objectives.
Prof. M.S Nathawat: UGC, DST and ISRO are supporting the
development of capacity building in this sector. The future looks
bright. The detrimental factors are slow changing mindset and
low adaptability of the technology by a section of government
employees and policy makers, who are apprehensive because of
the transparency provided by this technology using which anyone can evaluate and monitor the progress of development.
Dr. Phisan Santitamnont: In Thailand, there has been a lot of
promotion for Open Source GIS software. It has evolved a lot in
30
where knowledge of Geoinformatics will be the driving force
behind the overall socio-economic development of the nation.
Dr. Phisan Santitamnont: GIS will play a more important role
in education and development in Thailand. Google Earth has
made a big impact in Thailand. People are now more aware
about maps and satellite imageries. The Digital Thailand programme initiated by GISTDA to provide content for Google
Earth will create demand for geography and GIS. There is also a
GIS Master Plan for Thailand in the pipeline which would be a
foundation for the country's spatial data infrastructure will
encourage students to take up courses in geoinformatics. Ministry of Education is taking steps to build GIS into the high
school curriculum within the ambit of geography.
Dr. M.M Yagoub
Director-Masters, Programme on RS and GIS UAE University, UAE
[email protected]
Dr.-Ing. Phisan Santitamnont
Assistant Professor
Survey Engineering Department, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
[email protected]
Dr. M.S Nathawat
Professor and Head, Department of Remote Sensing, BIT-Mesra, India
[email protected]
Prof. Mohd Ibrahim Seeni Mohd
Dean, Faculty of Geoinformation Science and Engineering UTM, Malaysia
[email protected]
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Country Pages
Status of Surveying and Mapping in Laos, Philippines
Gathering Momentum
Saurabh Mishra
map in digital forum. The latest printed map covering the whole
of Lao PDR is the result of survey carried out from 1980 to 1981,
L
twenty-six years ago. It was a part of mapping project supported
aos - Southeast Asia’s smallest nation with immense
natural resources including tropical wood, hydroelectricity, rubber, minerals, and agricultural land, and the
progressive Philippines - the third largest English speaking
country with its liberalised trade regime in areas of telecom,
mining, oil sector and power (us-asean.org) - offer multifarious opportunities for GIS tecnologies to grow. The article
gives a glimpse of geospatial scenario of the two ASEAN
nations.
by the then Soviet Union. Vietnam, Japan and Finland have
sponsored aerial photography and other mapping activities in
the country as part of several development projects. (Table 1)
The main policy document that exists in geospatial domain is
the Decree on Surveying, Aerial Photography and Mapping
Activities in the Territory of Lao PDR, No. 255 / PM. By another
policy, Decree No 73/PM, dated 14th July 1994, NGD is given the
power to promulgate regulations and supervise surveying, aerial photography and topographic mapping. The Decree states
that all surveying activities in Lao PDR, should conform to a sin-
LAOS PDR
gle unified system. However, there is not yet a technical instruction on the practical implementation. The Decree also empha-
The National Geographic Department (NGD)
sises that all surveying, aerial photography and topographic
NGD is the authority in charge of land surveying, mapping, and
mapping needs approval from the NGD and after completion of
geodetic control networks. The department has recently
survey projects the results shall be submitted to NGD. Only few
compiled a country wide 1:100,000 scale topographic map, and
organisations have adhered to the Decree that is why it is a
in addition larger scale maps (1:25,000 and 1:10,000
cumbersome exercise to get an overview of the geographical
and 1:5,000) of the agricultural plains and areas of high impor-
datasets available in Laos today. In 1997 Laos got a new geodet-
tance. With the main interest of GIS users in high quality digital
ic datum with recourses from the Land Titling Project. It is
maps equivalent to 1:50,000 scale covering the whole of Laos,
referred to as Lao National Datum 1997 and has the origin in
NGD is now working on updating the country wide topographic
Vientiane, Nongteng, Astro Pillar. NGD is recommending all
land surveys in the country to use this datum.
Other major organisations that generate GIS data are:
• Science, Technology and Environment Organisation (STEA)
Table 1: Overview of Maps in Laos PDR
Year
Origin, Support Details
Scale
• Forest Inventory and Planning Division (FIPD)
1963 - 67
US Army Map
Service
404 map sheets based on aerial
photography
1:50,000
US Army Map
Service
Based on Transverse Mercator projection and the Everest
1:250,000
ellipsoid, 29 sheets
1:10,000
1:25,000
Maps series based on Gauss
1:100,000
projection using the Krassovsky
1:200,000
ellipsoid were established.
1:500,000
1:10,00,000
• National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute
(NAFRI)
1963 - 67
Union
1975 - 1980 Soviet
Assistance
Union
1980 - 1981 Soviet
Assistance
Aerial photography of the whole
country
1:30,000
1:60,000
1993
JICA
Aerial Photography covering an
area south of Pakxan
1:25,000
1995
JICA
Topographic maps, 112 sheets
1:25,000
1996
JICA
1998 - 2003 Finland
GIS base map,163 sheets
covering 90% of the country
1:100,000
Digital map of the Vientiane Plains
covering 3600 km2, 500 sheets
Digital maps of the townships of
Luangprabang, Thakhek,
Savannakhet, Pakxe
Total 200 km2, 32 map sheets
1:5,000
• Information Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
• Ministry of Transport, Communication, Post and Construction
(MTCPC)
• Mekong River Commission (MRC)
Recently it has been announced
that the STEA will establish a new
National Database Centre with
support from the Indian Government.
Source: Draft Report ‘GI in use in Lao PDR‘ by Anders Åberg
32
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PH I LI PPI N ES
RIA for
digital
data. A Memoran-
National Mapping and Resource
Information Authority (NAMRIA)
dum of Data Shar-
NAMRIA is the central mapping agency
and usage is done
of Philippines, which is an archipelago of
on the basis of
about 7,100 islands. Other agencies for
terms and condi-
generation of cadastral and topographic
tions in the mem-
data are - 1) the Land Management
orandum. Broadly,
Bureau (LMB)/Land Management Service
reselling is banned
(LMS) which are the technical agencies
and the agency or
handling the cadastral survey and gener-
organisation
ating large-scale maps of lands classified
found
as alienable and disposable (A&D); 2) the
may be "blacklist-
Land Registration Authority (LRA); and 3)
ed". It is basically
the Department of Agrarian Reform
on the project basis that work on digitisa-
(DAR) as a special cadastral agency.
tion and creation of large-scale datasets
NAMRIA currently is digitising the
ing is entered into
doing
it
Major users of spatial Information in Philippines
take place.
1:50,000 paper maps. There are 653 sheets
Local governing units have been provid-
on 1:50,000 scale for the whole country.
ed 1:10,000 scale data but that too on
The digitisation work has started with
their specific project requirements. Large
the data on eastern side of the country
scale data is available mainly for urban
since the region is more prone to floods;
areas. NAMRIA coordinates with Nation-
around 50% of work has been completed.
al Remote Sensing Center (NRSC) for their
There is no clear policy of the country as
remote sensing data needs specific to a
far as data acquisition or generation is
given project. The NRSC and NAMRIA
concerned. There exist only operational
Photolaboratory
guidelines. The major policies/laws that
through the ‘Republic of the Philippines-
govern surveying and mapping opera-
Australia Remote Sensing Project’.
were
established
tions and generation and dissemination
of GIS data are - 1) Executive Order No. 192
(Reorganization Act of the Department of
Environment,
Energy,
and
Natural
Resources); 2) DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) Administrative Order No. 31 (Guidelines in
Implementing EO 192); 3) EO 45 (Adopting
the Philippine Reference System of 1992
as the Standard Reference System for Surveys in the Philippines, as amended by EO
280 and EO 321); 4) DENR Administrative
Order No. 2005-13 (Revised Guidelines for
the Implementation of the Philippine Reference System of 1992); and 5) DENR
Administrative Order No. 2006-12 (Guidelines on the Development and Manage-
NATIONAL SPATIAL DATA
INFRASTRUCTURE
Since 1993, the Philippines has been
undertaking activities that will pave the
way for the establishment of a NSDI. It
started with the creation of an Interagency Task Force on Geographic Information (IATFGI) on April 15, 1993 by virtue
of Memorandum Order No. 01-93 which
was issued by the National Statistical
Coordination Board (NSCB). With NAMRIA as Chair and the NSCB as Co-chair, the
IATFGI was initially composed of the following seven member-agencies:
• Housing and Land Use Regulatory
Board (HLURB)
ment of a Standard Seamless National
• National Statistics Office (NSO)
Digital Topographic Database). Organ-
• National Computer Center (NCC)
• Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH)
isatons and departments apply to NAM-
M A R C H 2 0 07
• Deptt. of Sc. & Tech. (DOST) through the
Philippine Volcanology and Seismology
• Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM)
• National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA)
PRIVATE INDUSTRY
The major sources of base maps for the
private companies are NAMRIA, the
National Statistics Office (NSO), Commission on Elections and city/Municipal
Planning Development Offices. The major
private intiative in this field was when
Intermap Technologies in 2004 generated data of whole of the Mindanao, one of
the three major island groupings, the other two being Luzon and Visayas.
Philippine Geomatics Association,
Inc.(PhilGEO) is the prime organisation
representing the private companies operating in the country. It started as the
association of seventeen (17) companies
but now has thirteen (13) members.
Industry has some qualms on government policy; Dennis Nevara of Cybersoft
and ex-Preisdent of PhilGEO comments
“There should be an essential requirement of the non-native company to tie
up with local players if it plans any project in the country; we too can deliver.”
With inputs from Christoph Feldkoetter (Mekong
River Commission), Anders Aberg (Swede Survey),
Dennis Nevera (Cybersoft) and Linda SD Papa
(NAMRIA).
Saurabh Mishra, [email protected]
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Education
Trends in Geospatial
Education for Working
Professionals
This article outlines the structure of the geospatial courses offered at various levels of
education in Malaysia.
Abdul Rashid Bin I Mohamed Sharif
M
alaysia is well positioned to
take full advantage of the capabilities of the geospatial science and technology.
Geospatial education is available at the polytechnics, Universities, training centers in the private sector and also within government agencies. Polytechnics generally award diplomas
while the universities provide training at the bachelors and post
graduate levels. This article will outline the structure of the
geospatial courses available in the country offered at various
levels of education.
The far sightedness of the country's planners had ensured that
sufficient number of Malaysians, particularly academicians,
received the right training in the geospatial discipline from
some of the best schools in the world. As a result of this visionary thinking, Malaysian universities and main geospatial agencies have the core group of personnel to provide leadership and
training to students interested in pursuing academic degrees in
the geospatial arena. Today, Malaysia is beginning to attract a
significant number of students from abroad who come here to
pursue Masters and PhDs in the fields of geosciences.
34
BASIC E DUCATION OPTIONS
At the bachelor's degree level, UTM and UiTM are the main players that help provide the nation with well trained and educated
graduates who form the bulk of the workforce. In addition to
these locally trained graduates, a minority group of Malaysians
who studied geospatial courses abroad also form an important
group of contributors to the industry.
The local educational institutes play a positive role in producing the technicians, technical assistant, and geospatial engineers/surveyors at the bachelor's level. As this group of new
graduates enters the workforce, there are opportunities for
them to further enhance their knowledge and skills if they
choose to pursue a fulltime higher degree. However, the realities of today's competitive work environment does not allow for
a large number of staff to pursue higher education on a full time
basis. There is thus, a need for fresh thinking into the formulation of special programs to cater to needs of the workforce. One
such program is the Masters in RS and GS offered after office
hours and during the weekends at the Universiti Putra
Malaysia. Such programs allow the employees to improve their
knowledge, skill, and competitive levels while holding onto to
their full time salaried jobs.
In addition to this, mature students also have the opportunity
to explore new projects which have a potential for their company or to extend one of the projects undertaken at the office to a
Masters level research project. This not only helps the company
where the student works but also paves the way for practical
projects to be brought into the academia. Government agencies
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and the industry too gain as they do not
number of students from organizations,
"lose" employees to full time post-gradu-
then prior arrangements maybe made for
ate education. On the contrary, the
special teaching camps, where teaching
employers gain as these mature students
contact hours for a traditional semester
become better workers with the state of
may be covered in a shorter period.
Masters
program has to
be made viable
for the working
students
the art knowledge and training received
Funding Arrangements: Government
in the Masters program. Considering this
funding in terms of study loans with long
scenario, we certainly need to explore
term repayment period, grants to univer-
how to make such Masters program
sities to conduct teaching for profession-
viable and suited especially for the work-
als and low interest rate private sector
ing students. Some of the major factors
funding will be a boost to the success of
that impact a program of this nature are
these programs for the matured students.
Keeping in view the fact that the
Institutional Relationships: Healthy
Malaysian government is actively pursu-
Location of Program: The program for
and positive relations between the
ing the IT agenda, especially with the
the matured students needs to be within
government/private agencies with the
support given for the Multimedia Super
a reasonable traveling time from the
universities will see a healthy growth
Corridor, it is envisaged that greater
workplace/homes of the maturated stu-
in the professional matured students
support and enthusiasm for the Profes-
dents. Students should be able to get to
program since employees at the govern-
sional Masters program will lead to more
their classes within a reasonable amount
ment/private agencies will have a
internationally competitive Malaysian
of time after office for the evening and
sense of confidence that their education
geospatial products .
night classes.
is being valued by their employers.
discussed below.
Time of Courses: The courses should be
University lecturers will also be able to
held during the weekend. In circum-
gain primary data sources to aid their
stances where there are a significant
research projects.
Abdul Rashid Bin
Mohamed Sharif
Universiti Putra Malaysia
[email protected], [email protected]
ESRI Usermeets Ad
Page 35
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Educational Resources
Online Study
Resources: Remote
Sensing and GIS
This article is an attempt to list some of the websites that cover the fundamentals of Remote
Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS).
Ananya Ghosh
http://www.mapcruzin.com/learn_to_map
The website aims at teaching GIS and basic digital mapping
T
he following presents a list of websites which
can act as a guide on basics of GIS, and
Remote Sensing. Although there are hundreds of websites available on these topics, we have tried to compile those, which we think could come handy for anyone looking for basic information on geomatic techniques and technologies . Please note that the websites
listed below have not been arranged in any particular
order.
through an ebook tutorial.
http://libinfo.uark.edu/gis/tutorial.asp
This tutorial is designed for ArcGIS Desktop version 9
ArcInfo™ Functional Level (includes ArcView® and ArcEditor™
functionality) that allows a user to get started with ArcGIS™
applications without actually having to go through the ESRI
tutorial exercises.
http://hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/maps/gis/tutorials.html
The introduction to GIS tutorial consists of a three-part movie
accompanied by hands-on exercises.
G IS TUTOR IALS
http://gislounge.com/ll/tutorials.shtml
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/products/sccoasts/html/gistut.htm
The above website provides lessons on a wide range of subject
This tutorial has been developed for those working on coastal
matters for learning GIS.
resource management and are not familiar with the more technical aspects of GIS and remote sensing data.
http://www.pasda.psu.edu/tutorials/gisbasics/
The aforementioned webpage contains a module designed for
http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/gis_poster/
those wanting to understand what GIS is, how it works, and
This website elaborates upon what is GIS. It talks about how
what one can do with it. This tutorial features many sections,
does a GIS work, data issues (capture, integration, structures,
for instance, what is GIS? - A basic overview of the primary com-
modelling and output), characteristics of GIS, applications of GIS
ponents of a GIS; how it works - A glimpse at what makes GIS
in different fields, preparing 3D models using GIS, Web GIS and
works; GIS data types - differences between raster and vector
lastly, future of GIS.
data; what is not a GIS - concepts often confused with GIS; and
uses of GIS - an overview of how various industries use GIS.
http://www.gisdevelopment.net/tutorials
36
The tutorial gives a very basic information GIS, remote sensing,
http://people.revoledu.com/kardi/tutorial/GIS/index.html
aerial photogrammetry and image processing.
The tutorial introduces GIS along with features for
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using Arc GIS (Arc View, Arc Editor or
tutp2gis.html
Arc Info).
This website provides answers to
http://gis.nitle.org/resources/GIST.htm
questions
The modules have been designed to
how can I use
explain the fundamentals of making
GIS?, who makes
maps with ESRI's ArcGIS software. Each
GIS
Module is a stand-alone unit, complete
why is GIS not
with
used by the gener-
step-by-step
instructions
and
like
softwares?,
data to guide one through the use of
al
ArcGIS 9.1.
how do I find spa-
public?,
and
tial data?
http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/gis/tutorial.php
The pages are designed to provide some
R E M OTE
SE NSI NG
basic GIS knowledge and to offer support
for GIS applications.
imagery, interpreting Doppler velocity
http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Front/tofc.html
patterns, and Doppler radar applications.
This website is hosted by NASA. It covers
http://www.geomatics.ucalgary.ca/~habi
various topics related to remote sensing
http://www.ggy.bris.ac.uk/personal/Jona
b/r_tutorials.html
that include the elements of remote sens-
thanBamber/teaching/ccrs_tutorial/tuto-
This tutorial provides overview of GIS
ing, history, photogrammetry and image
rial/tutore.html
under various headings, namely, Intro-
processing as well as remote sensing
The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing
duction, benefits, and contributing disci-
applications.
offers this tutorial on remote sensing
technology and its applications.
plines; GIS as a set of interrelated subsystems; impact of recent technological
http://satftp.soest. hawaii.edu/space/
advances and needs on GIS; GIS in Cana-
hawaii/vfts/oahu/
http://www.profc.udec.cl/~gabriel/tutori-
da; future of GIS; and the role of national
rem_sens_ex/rsex.spectral.1.html
ales/rsnote/contents.htm
and international GIS.
The website provides introductory tutori-
This web resource provides detailed
als on remote sensing.
lessons on fundamentals of remote
sensing,
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcr
sensors,
remote
sensing
aft/notes/intro/intro.html
http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~jeff/115a/
methods, platforms, data used in remote
These materials were developed by Ken-
An introduction to aerial photo interpre-
sensing, image interpretation, image
neth E. Foote and Margaret Lynch,
tation and remote sensing can be found
processing, and applications of remote
Department of Geography, University of
at this website.
sensing.
with GIS as an integrating technology, its
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcr
context, concepts, and definitions.
/RemoteSensing/
aft/notes/remote/remote_f.html
Texas at Austin, 1995. The website deals
http://www.main.nc.us/GIS/guide/using/
The topics covered in the website include
The information in this website is
introduction and history of remote sens-
organized under foundations of remote
ing, radiation, electromagnetic spectrum,
sensing, aerial photography, digital
absorption bands and atmospheric
image processing besides, thermal,
windows, spectral signatures, pixels and
hyperthermal
bits, color images and remote sensing
(microwave) scanning. An USGS glossary
methods.
has also been provided.
scanning,
and
radar
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guid
es/rs/
This is a website which introduces the
Ananya Ghosh
basics of radars, features of radar
Sub Editor
[email protected]
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Picture this...
Mud Bath
O
NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data
provided by NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and
U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/nat
ural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14120
38
n the island of
Java, a “mud volcano” has been
spewing thousands of
cubic meters of mud every
day since late May 2006.
According to BBC news,
British geologists believe
that oil and gas drilling
ruptured pressurized limestone rock and enabled
water and mud to reach
the surface. The oil company and others have suggested that the event
could be related to the
May 27 earthquake near
Yogyakarta. Regardless of
the cause, the volcano has
become a major hazard,
creating a huge mud lake
that buried villages and
agricultural land.
These images from the
Advanced Spaceborne
Thermal Emission and
Reflection Radiometer
(ASTER) on NASA’s Terra
satellite show the progression of the mud flow from
September 3, 2006, (middle) to February 10, 2007
(top). The bottom image,
acquired on March 11,
2005, shows how the area
looked before the mud
flow began. In these
infrared-enhanced, “falsecolor” images, bare ground
appears gray, water
appears dark blue, and
vegetation appears red.
Robust vegetation appears
bright red. Although
clouds partially obscure
the February 10 image, the
mud flow’s advance can
still be detected. In this
image, the mud flow has
spread beyond the toll
road toward the east.
Areas of robust vegetation
in this image are smaller,
although that could be
partially due to a difference in season.
A scientific survey published in the Geological
Society of America’s February issue of GSA Today
stated that the mud volcano could release
between 7,000 and
150,000 cubic meters of
mud every day for years.
According to Reuters,
there was concern that
mud might pollute the
water, damaging the
area’s shrimp industry. In
an attempt to slow the
mud flow, the Indonesian
government has approved
a plan to drop concrete
balls linked by heavy
chains into the mouth of
the volcano, according to
news reports.
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Education
Learning Through
Bb@GIS Institute
An instructor’s view of UNIGIS Professional Course
Satyaprakash
“
T
he teaching process here is not only didactic but
also very practical which allows us to indulge in
team spirit and experiments”
The above is one of the few of the comments of the students
undergoing the UNIGIS course at GIS Institute.
ABOUT
GIS Institute is the education and training division of
GIS Development Pvt Ltd. Distance learning course of UNIGIS is
being conducted at the GIS Institute facility in Noida as a fulltime course, for the first time, for which the participants will be
awarded UNIGIS Prof (Post-Graduate Diploma in Geo-Informatics).
This six months course comprises 8 modules covering basics of
GIS, its technology, processes, applications, database management and programming.
The eight modules, being covered, during the course are,
• GIS Introduction
• Data Modeling and Data Structures
• Data Sources and Data Acquisition
• GeoDBMS
• Spatial Statistics
• Application Development
• Geographical Analysis
• Visualization and Cartography
and the software being used are ArcGIS, ArcInfo with Spatial,
3-D, Network and Geo-Statistical Analyst and GeoMedia Professional, besides LandSerf, CaseStudio and Visual Basic.
40
ALTHOUG H
The course has been designed in Blackboard environment and is
hosted at the University of Salzburg, Austria. Through a valid
userid and password, the material is made available to the participants, worldwide and at all the times, over Internet. However, the same is made available to the participants through the
Blackboard Backpack (Bb), where the participants have the
option of downloading the reading materials, exercises, assignments and additional materials, if Bb is installed on the desktop,
which they can use as per their convenience. The updates to the
courses is made available to the participants, as soon as they are
completed and Bb updates the material on the desktop, as soon
as the participant logs on to the campus.
The course is a well designed one where lot of research has
gone in the preparation of study materials, exercises, assignments and additional resource materials. The modules are
divided into lessons. Lessons are taught using presentations and
supporting notes. Assignments evaluates the participants of
their understanding of the lessons and exercises are the extended assignments although they are not evaluated for grading, as
it is done for assignments.
Additional resources and reading materials are available
through “Hungry Minds”, where the interested participants can
actually explore more resources and can enhance their knowledge further, beyond the mandatory presentations. Besides the
free course of ESRI Virtual Campus, the participants also get
access to other courses, which are otherwise paid. Apart from
these materials, there are prominent people from the industry
and academia, who are available as online faculty and any
query to them is resolved within a couple of days.
GIS Institute provides all the necessary hardware and software, besides Internet connection and full-time faculty. The faculty helps the participants in making them understand and
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learn the lessons and query resolution.
3-D through problem solving in ArcGIS.
choose either of them and as per their
The faculty at the University of Salzburg
The last section is Visualization and Car-
interest and requirement. One aspect of
also skype with the participants twice in
tography, where they learn the different
GIS, which the course does not take into
every module, so that unresolved query,
concepts of presenting the data in a much
account is data-capture. A section on this
if any, could be attended.
more effective way, so that “Map Speaks”.
with the finer points and processes could
This course is oriented towards imparting GIS education to the participants and
not just the training on GIS and the software. In the initial modules, the participants are exposed to the basic methodologies and processes which are the
essential requirements of Geomatics.
Once they have undergone through the
basics, they are given exposure to the
software for database design and some
visualization software. When they find
themselves comfortable in using these,
they are left to explore GeoMedia Professional through “Help”.
This gives them an idea of the various
processes in the workflow of GIS and the
different analysis techniques and results.
In the next stage they are required to
explore ArcGIS and continue learning
conceptual knowledge on GoeDBMS and
GeoStatistics.
GeoDBMS
is
taught
through Oracle and SQL and GeoStatistics
through GeoStatistical Analyst extension
of ArcGIS. Upon completion of these modules, they are exposed to the conceptual
programming through Visual Basic and
its integration to ArcGIS through COM
and DLL programming.
The next two modules are on Analysis
and Visualization. In the analysis section,
the participants learn the different analysis techniques viz., Network, Spatial and
be introduced in the initial modules
HOWEVE R
The minimum entry qualification for the
course is Bachelor's, but at times, it is felt
that it should have been post-graduate
degree or degree with at least 2/3 years of
working experience. At times, the concept of GIS and mapping are really difficult for the graduates to understand and
comprehend. Also this slows down the
pace of the course as such participants
take more time to understand. This
course also requires reasonably good
Internet bandwidth and speed. At times,
if this is not there, the initial time, when
one downloads the entire module, nonavailability of this becomes a constraint.
Software availability in India to students
is another point of concern. Although
UNIGIS and the University of Salzburg
has mutual understanding of providing
educational one year licenses of ArcGIS
and GeoMedia to the participants, these
could not be made available to participants, due to some customs related issue.
Availability of free one year educational
license to the participants shall help
them in getting more exposure time to
the software. In GeoDBMS, although theory for Oracle is there, but practical exposure to this should also be included with
stripped down version of Oracle.
Visual Basic programming
and
GeoDBMS has been
included in the
course as mandatory.
However,
these could be
made elective with
another module of
Advanced Analysis, so that the participant
could
using some industry standard software
viz., Autodesk AutoCAD Map or Bentely
Microstation or even ArcGIS.
TO CONCLU DE
The course is comprehensive and up-todate, however, scope of some modifications in the structure and modules is
always there.
SOM E COM M E NTS...
Amit Sutwane
• Every module of this is sequentially
placed
• Assignment is the most advantageous
part of this course
Bipasa Das
• The teaching process here is not only
didactic but also very practical which
allows us to indulge in team spirit and
experiments
Kamal Kumar
• The tough part of the course has actually been managing my time to complete
all the assignments
Shahab Moeni
• It gives intense knowledge on particular
topic in term of “hungry minds” material
• We evaluate through online “Quiz”
Rakesh Kumar
• Every time I visit University website, the
course content is updated automatically
through Backpack
Joyjeet Dey
• I can share my doubts with other
friends who are doing this course as well
DK Sivakumar
• With an aim of becoming a complete
“Geo-database Manager” and “GIS Analyst”, I strongly believe that this course
surely lift me to high rises in my future
Satyaprakash
Associate Editor
[email protected]
M A R C H 2 0 07
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Tech Watch
Mobile Social Networking
M
obile Social Networking is the latest phenomenon to hit the LBS segment companies
are trying to develop applications for mobile phones
and mobile social networking.
The likely potential of this innovation is such that experts are
calling it the killer application for 3G. The reason could be simple. People prefer to connect with their friends on mobile than
on a computer. Who would wait to get home and switch on the
computer to share the latest hot hangout with friends. The 'traditional' combination of web and cell phones provided a limited
SOCIALIG HT'S STICKY NOTES
Launched in the fall of 2005, Kamida Inc.'s Socialight service
requires you to tell it where you are by sending it a text-message with your location. Once you "check-in" by doing so, it
allows users to share geo-tagged “Sticky Notes” for other people
who have checked into the vicinity.
There are 3 ways to access Socialight using your mobile phone.
The first is using SMS (text messaging) - Socialight Text. You
send an SMS to Socialight, and you get a response with a customized message. The second is the socialight.com mobile web
site and the third is the Socialight Mobile Java application.
FAM I LY LOCATOR
Sprint Nextel has launched a family oriented location based
service called Sprint Family Locator. The service allows the users
to track the location of their family members. The company is
marketing the service as a way to give "Peace of Mind" to parents. It should be noted that Sprint Family Locator can only find
phones that are in their coverage area and are turned on.
The application uses GPS technology to determine the location
of authorized mobile phones, which it then displays on an interactive map. Sprint Family Locator also provides an intuitive
interface for text-message communication and account management. These features are accessible from both a registered
mobile phone and the secure Sprint Family Locator Web site.
scope. Now adding GPS technology is giving a whole new
dimension to the wireless social-networking by allowing users
to know each others location. In this issue of TechWatch, we are
listing some of the Mobile Social Networking sites/ services,
which are different from each other in terms of services they
offer.
LOOPT
Loopt, a California based company has built a "social mapping"
service that turns your cell phone into a friend finder with
detailed maps that show the exact location of a person. Once
users download the Loopt application to their cellphones, and
invite and verify their friends, they can click on the application
icon to view a map that will display their friends' locations as
green dots.
H E LIO'S B U DDY B EACON
Helio, a wireless company is offering devices named
Heat and Drift that offer GPS technology on mobile, enabling
Helio's Buddy Beacon application. GPS-powered Buddy
Beacon application, also dubbed “Friendar”, is a useful tool
when you want your friends to know your location or vice-versa. Other features include GPS-enabled Google Maps and Get
Local Guidance.
E NTOU RAG E
Rave Wireless, a USA based provider of mobile applications and
mobile phone programs that strengthen college and university
communities, is using GPS technology to power a new service
called "Entourage". It allows users to make their location available to friends in their Rave address book. Rave Entourage is a
social networking service that enables users to create communities and determine the locations of community members who
want to be located.
M OLOGOGO
Mologogo (named for Mobile Location Go! Go!) is a free service
that will track you and your friend's GPS-enabled cell phone
from another phone or on the web. The service combines realtime tracking system, location based search and alerts, mobile
maps, social networking and location-aware chat. The Mologogo user himself controls the data and can specify who sees his
location.
Harpreet Rooprai
Sub Editor
[email protected]
42
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Blogs: GIS Education
A compilation of blogs on GIS education.
I
nstead of starting with a regular yada yada,
what a blog and blogging is all about, lets jump
in to the world of geospatial blogs. With this issue,
the team at GIS Development will bring to you a
compilation of blogs to keep you abreast with the
latest development which cannot be covered in a
single issue of this magazine. The aim is to bring to
our readers, the contributions that others are putting
up through their blogs.
experts, internet TV shows, and other media resources. One of
the several posts in this blog is by Mr.Steve Hargadon titled - ‘A
Great "Mashup:" Mapping Literary Journeys’ . Mr.Steve is from
California, United States and he is actively working in the promotion of Open Source technologies in K-12 education. He
writes about the site 'GoogleLit Trips' in which Google Earth has
been used in explaining the classical literature like The Grapes
of Wrath, Candide, Macbeth, The Aeneid and others to the students by plotting out three-dimension versions of the journeys
made in those novels.
He also writes “In addition to the Google Earth file that has
been created for each book, there are short podcasts and screen
In this issue we have brought out some blogs on education,
shots for each one that give a brief description of what you will
and it was also interesting for us to learn about how various
find when you open it in Google Earth...”.We call this real educa-
people, including teachers are using GIS tools to teach Geogra-
tion.......
phy at Primary/ Secondary education level.
Interested? visit :
http://www.infinitethinking.org
I N FI N ITE TH I N KI NG MACH I N E
This blog is aimed at K-12(North American
designation for primary and secondary
education) educators and students, “to
show how today's digital tools can
impact student learning in meaningful ways”.
The blog has been designed to help
teachers and students thrive in the 21st
century. It showcases innovative instruction
methods through content in the form of ideas from leading
44
This blog also features a video on the important role that
"maps" play in the 21st century. The video can be viewed or
downloaded in Quicktime format at the following link
http://www.infinitethinking.org/2006/11/cerfs-up-maps.html
G EOG RAPHY MATTE RS
Geography matters is a blog from ESRI,
to discuss how geography and GIS can
improve many facets of our lives from
sustainability to education to business
and economic development. Under the
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Education Tag, we have posts on the
some topics of interest within GPS along
etc. for students at secondary schools/col-
importance of GIS for Librarians and
with relevant links to other useful
leges/universities. Apart from this, there
Museums, and GIS Education in Marine
resources.
are a variety of articles arranged in cate-
Exploration. The most important point
This blog has much more to explore, so visit the
gories. Users can select the category of
has been placed in the post “Geography
link http://www.juicygeography.co.uk/ for some
their choice to browse through related
Matters Visually: Why Not Use Videos in
juicy education stuff!!
the Classroom” which explains that
Geography teaching is no more confined
to paper maps and textbooks;Videos are
excellent resources as “Geography is by
its nature a visual discipline and the prudent use of movies in the curriculum can
make geographic issues, technologies,
and careers come alive for your students.”
Visit http://blogs.esri.com/roller/ for more information
J U ICY G EOG RAPHY
Juicy Geography
is a blog that has
resources
for
educators. The Google Earth blog highlights projects like “San Francisco: Visualizing a Safer City”.
This project is about making the students to use a variety of spatial data to
carry out a planning exercise to make San
Francisco safer during major earthquakes.
More details on this project can be found at
http://www.juicygeography.co.uk/googleearthsanfran.htm
The “GPS for Geography Teachers” post,
targets primary/ secondary school teachers - to know what is GPS and teach students about it. The post also suggests
Visit the link
DIG ITAL G EOG RAPHY
This is a blog
about ICT for
Geography
teachers, using new technologies in the
Geography curriculum. A variety of tags
include 3D visualization, Google Earth,
Google Earth lessons, ICT, Student work,
Teaching resources and videos.
The post "BBC Bitesize podcasts" leads
you to a range of Geography revison
“audiobite” podcasts that have appeared
at the BBC Bitesize site.
Visit at http://www.digitalgeography.co.uk/
ALL P OI NTS B LOG
This already popular blog within
the Geospatial
community has a lot of posts to dig in to.
One thing we find interesting is a post on
"LBS on Campus" which talks about how
students are tracking the location of the
shuttle bus on their cell phones through
the implementation of location-aware
services (LAS). Here is a quote from the
article--- "Shop around. If the difference
between a $60 book and an $80 book is a
nice map, students would rather buy the
cheap book and Google a map."
To Subscribe:
http://www.gisdevelopment.net/news/rss.asp
M A R C H 2 0 07
http://gisuser.blogspot.com/search/label/education for more information.
G EOTECH NOLOG I ES I N
E DUCATION
This blog tries to relate the
news on spatial data,
training events, books,
ideas, curriculum and the
benefits to the education
segment. It discusses the
challenges, benefits, spatial data, training events,
books, ideas, curriculum, and other topics
related to the use of Geotechnologies
(GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing) in education.
The author of this blog is Joseph Kerski
from United States. He works as a Geographer at the USGS and is also an instructor for primary and secondary schools as
well as universities. He conducts research
on how and why teachers implement GIS
into their curricula, and the effectiveness
of GIS in teaching and learning.
Visit him at
http://geotecheducation.blogspot.com/
The education section in this blog can
G IS I N E DUCATION
This blog has regularly updated feature
stories, articles, updates in GIS and
Remote Sensing. A compilation of University/College/Academic sites offering
courses on Geographic Information System (GIS) is also available. The universities list has been categorised according to
the regions, namely, Asia Pacific, Europe,
Middle East and the Americas. It has
some other sections like Conferences and
Seminars, Software updates, NASA News,
Remote Sensing updates etc.
be considered as an important informa-
Visit the blog http://gis-education.blogspot.com
Visit All Points Blog at
Add GIS
Development
news to your
blogs through
RSS feeds
posts.
http://www.allpointsblog.com
ANYG EO
There is a digest of
information in the GISuser blog AnyGeo by
Mr. Glenn, the Founder
& Managing Editor of GISuser.com.
tion on conferences, scholarships, awards
Harsha Vardhan, [email protected]
45
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Report
OSGeo at Map World Forum 2007
en up by organizations like NRSA/DOS, GSI, SACON. NIC, KELTRON, etc were also shown in the presentation. He also mentioned the challenges and opportunities in the Indian context,
especially with the establishment of Village Resources Centers
and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, which are mandated to provide a
range of services and information including geospatial information. He encouraged all the participants of the workshop to
actively participate and contribute in developing a shared
OSGeo-India actively participated and was well repre-
O
vision for the community. Representatives of China, Japan and
sented at the Map World Forum 2007, held in Hyder-
Vietnam also gave an overview of the efforts of their respective
abad,India during January 22-25, 2007. The major activ-
chapters.
ities that the organization organized at this premier interna-
OSGeo-India put up an Exhibition Booth during the Map World
tional forum of geospatial community were - (i) OSGeo Work-
Forum, to showcase its efforts, the launch of the India Chapter,
shop and (ii) OSGeo Exhibition Booth. In addition, the first meet-
dessiminate information on OSGeo-India, demonstrate some of
ing of the Executive council of OSGeo-India was held.
the ongoing projects, and provide for a personal interaction
The OSGeo workshop was conducted on 24th of January. The
between Chapter members and the geospatial community. It
main aim of this workshop was to provide a platform to dissem-
received a great response from the visitors. Many of them com-
inate and educate the geospatial community of the enormous
mended our effort and objectives. A few of them also invited the
opportunities that FOSS4G provides, the advances and the level
Chapter to organize some events like tool demonstration and
of technology development in order to provide effective geospa-
training in different parts of the country. A sizeable number of
tial solutions. During the workshop different models of develop-
people have agreed to continuously interact with OSGeo as
ment and use of FOSS tools and its potential in the domains of
users, partners, developers or promoters in their own respective
academia, government (mainly for organizations mandated
organizations.
with national development, and e-governance), and business
The other important event that took place on the sidelines of
were presented. The workshop also had the presence of other
the Map World Forum was the first meeting of the Executive
countries from Asia, namely, China, Japan and Vietnam.
Council of OSGeo-India. The council had a good discussion on
Prof. Deekshatulu giving the inaugural address mentioned the
how it would like to take the efforts forward and develop on the
advantages that FOSS tools provide for a large country like
response at this first major activity. It has bought on board rep-
India, and in particular emphasized the advantages of the use of
resentatives of academia, government and industry to help
FOSS4G tools in the different decision making bodies of the
make it an inclusive effort and has also consciously provided for
country using these tools with remote sensing. He also applaud-
a pan-India representation to the Chapter. Representatives of
ed the timing of this effort and hoped that it will help mobilize
China, Japan and Vietnam attended the meeting as observers,
the geospatial community in the country to spread the use of
and there was a discussion on how to build interaction and syn-
these technologies to a much wider public audience. Mr. Geoff
ergy between the different Chapters.
Zeiss of Autodesk shared the changes in the business ideas and
All these efforts of OSGeo-India were made possible by the
how partnering with Open Source is of mutual benefit. He also
generous financial support that was extended by GNOME Foun-
emphasized the need for concerted efforts towards Open Stan-
dation and OSGeo.org. OSGeo-India would like to thank these
dards and Open Content in addition to Open Source, which can
organizations for the support, that not only made the logistics of
help create further business opportunities and how it can help
the event possible but also helped provide travel support for the
in building a Spatial IT ecosystem. Dr. Roy informed the audi-
delegates from Asia. It is hoped that such efforts will go a long
ence about the efforts in the establishment of OSGeo-India and
way in fulfilling the objectives of our respective organizations,
the plans including outreach, which it has set for itself in the
while looking forward to a continued interaction in the future.
K S Rajan, OSGeo-India
short and mid-term. Some of the ongoing Indian initiatives tak-
46
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A Change in Climate in Congress: To Act or Not To Act
It seems that the climate for global climate change legislation
may be changing in Congress, as several new bills have
already been introduced to address climate change.
Scouting for Geologists Coming later this month!
The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts provide an important way for
young people to discover geology.
GEO: Geoconnexion International Magazine (March 2007)
http://www.geoconnexion.com/geo.php?PHPSESSID=016f
340430c665f3c4e5ee01b29b651c
GIS as strategic tool
The energy industry depends upon innovation to enable better
decision-making. Both companies and regulatory agencies can
now tap into the potential of geography for planning and management.
Print Publications
GIM International (March 2007)
http://www.gim-international.com/index.php
Geomatics Education in Croatia
The author provides detailed background information and preliminary evaluation of the courses offered at Faculty of Geodesy at the University of Zagreb.
Geomatics Education in Latvia
The author provides some background and discusses the new
Geomatics programme to be launched in academic year
2007/2008.
Kadaster: Ambitions and Goals
The author sketches the ambitions and goals of the Netherlands Cadastre (Kadaster) against a background of European
policy, ICT developments and customer expectations.
Car Navigation
Car navigation systems significantly ease safe arrival at a destination. However, one side effect is a dramatic increase in
heavy goods vehicles passing through rural villages and suburbs, significantly reducing quality of life for people living along
these roads.
Laser Scanning Technology Challenged
In this month’s Insider’s View Prof. Heinz Rüther puts some
critical points on the shortcomings of laser-scanning technology in the spatial documentation of heritage sites.
GEO TIMES (March 2007)
http://www.geotimes.org/current/printTOC.html
Putting Utah on a Petroleum Map
Since the 1890s, companies have been exploring and producing petroleum in Utah. Though oil production has waned in
recent years, a renaissance may be underway thanks to the
2003 discovery of a new oilfield in central Utah.
Integrating Biofuels into the Fuel Supply
Chevron is expanding its energy portfolio by enhancing
research on biofuels.
Digging deep in the Gulf of Mexico
The offshore region is possibly the last unexplored frontier in
oil production, especially in the United States. But with new
technologies, energy companies are increasingly finding new
oilfields.
Put to the Nuclear Test: Seismology and the International
Monitoring System
The nuclear explosion by North Korea put the International
Monitoring System to the test, as seismologists tried to pinpoint where the explosion occurred and if it was indeed a
nuclear explosion.
No More Ivory Tower: Communicating Geoscience to Society
A graduate seminar on communicating science to the greater
public can facilitate learning about both the importance of
broader impacts and provide practical experiences in which
students can engage the general public.
Data Preservation: Old Samples Produce New Knowledge
Raw data collections are of particular value to the geosciences, but the ability to preserve and maintain geoscience
data and collections has not kept pace with the growing need
for information.
48
Land in New Space
From Italy to Poland, land management accounts for about
80% of all government activity one author explains. Tools for
managing land and cadastral records require strong integration capabilities.
Views of the Earth
Persistence of Vision Raytracer (POV-RAY) produces crystal
clear visualisations that beckon human eyes and minds.
Visualising in real time
Danish fish research vessels are using real-time GIS
approaches to understand the ocean. Continuous data flows
enable 3D visualisations coupled to other navigation measurements.
Unique In Europe
What covers 1 million square meters, costs 800 million Euro
and opens in the spring of 2007 - and is ecologically friendly?
The new Deutsche Messe Stuttgart was no small surveying
project.
Mergers and Acquisitions
When enterprises change hands, so too do data and IT
requirements. Learn about one company's approach based on
using a ‘GIS Data Hub’.
Changing perspective of photogrammetry
A review of several trends, stressing the rapidly changing
hardware for airborne digital imaging.
Pathways for growth
As GIS has been around for many decades, can we really
expect major innovation, or do we rather look at slow, incremental evolution?
GeoWorld (March 2007)
www.geoplace.com
Move the Discussion from Interoperability to Infrastructure
Interoperability is, at best, an ill-defined objective, and
I believe it’s time to focus our energies in a different
direction: "infrastructure."
Understand Resolution to "Think with Maps"
One of the most fundamental concepts in the paper-map
world is geographic scale: the relationship between a
distance on a map and its corresponding distance on Earth.
Mobile Location Services Revisited
There have been advancements with small devices and voice
recognition and text-to-voice for mobile phones, but there
have been barriers to acceptance.
Feed the FLAME - Utility Integrates Field Applications
Utilities have historically planned, designed and deployed
each of their major IT systems into the utility enterprise
independently. As a result, these systems often sit in solitude,
incapable of sharing their information with the rest of the
enterprise.
Youth Empowerment through Environmental GIS
The Kids GIS project aims to equip youths with geospatial
skills and technology to address issues related to the health of
the natural environment.
Landslide Susceptibility -- Mapping in a Permafrost
Environment
Landslides, a constantly occurring natural geological process,
can be devastating. The February 2006 mudslide that swept
the village of Guinsahugon in the Island of Letey, Philippines,
buried hundreds of villagers.
Professional Surveyor (February 2007)
http://www.profsurv.com/teasers.php
Farming the Easy Way
Measuring fields with GPS technology and applying it to the
guidance of farm vehicles allows for more precise agriculture,
saving time, money, and headaches.
Second Thoughts: Our Surveying Societies
It's more than just the science!
3D Scanning: Field Productivity Factors in Laser Scanning,
Part 2
For professionals who are investigating laser scanning systems, understanding various field productivity factors for these
systems can be very valuable.
Whole New Ball Game
A project to laser scan a baseball stadium in texas shows how
educated clients are driving the demand for high definition
surveying.
Feature: Laser Scanning Hits the Road Running
High-definition scanning proves useful in measuring roadways
— here are the ins and outs.
GIS Development Middle East (January - February 2007)
http://www.gisdevelopment.net/magazine/middleeast/2007/jan-feb/index.htm
Support System for Gas Distribution Network
The paper details on the design and implementation of gas
distirbution network.
Spatial Data Models For The E&P Industry
This paper gives an insight into the initiatives by various
organisations in enabling Geospatial Data Standards for the
Exploration & Production industry.
GIS Education in GCC Region
This article tries to identify the current status of GIS education
at geography departments in various universities of GCC (Gulf
Cooperation Council) countries.
ARCGIS Image Server
A product that has literally redefined how imagery is managed,
processed, and distributed.
Online Publications
GISuser (March 2007)
http://www.gisuser.com/content/section/3/28/
Hackers Tap Into the Functionality and Simplicity of Google
Maps Developers are tapping into a wealth of online mapping and
webservices, integrating the data with other databases, and
creating very simple, yet effective web services driven by the
Google Map API.
The GISuser's Guide to locating and downloading Free
USGS data
Before you begin working with USGS data, make sure you
are familiar with some of the pieces of information.
POB Online (March 2007)
(http://www.pobonline.com/CDA/Articles/Column)
Surveying GIS-Why Should I Record My Survey?
How many times have you heard the question “If not the surveyor, then who?” It’s certainly a fair question. Unfortunately, it
goes unanswered all too often, even by the surveying community.
The Technology Benchmark-Price Fixing vs. Cost Fixing
I travel heavily in my duties as a consultant and trainer and
have discovered a theme that runs through almost every surveying firm I visit.
The GPS observer-GLONASS and GPS Updates
An Update on GLONASS: Those of us who use satellite
receivers for surveying can purchase a pair of receivers that
process signals from GPS satellites only or from both GPS
and GLONASS constellations.
The Business Side-Will the Real Company Please Stand Up?
In this column, I will address two issues faced by companies
that contract surveying and engineering services.
M A R C H 2 0 07
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EDITORIAL CALENDAR - YEAR 2007
Month
Theme
Country Pages
January
The Year Ahead - Viewpoints on issues, needs,
trends, future plan, etc.
India
February
Community G IS
Sri Lanka
March
G IS Education
Philippines, Vietnam, Laos
April
3D Mapping
Malaysia
May
Photogrammetry
Japan
June
Infrastructure
Korea
July
High Resolution Imaging & Remote Sensing
Indonesia
August
Open Source G IS
China
September
LiDAR
Thailand
October
Enterprise G IS
Singapore
November
Landuse Planning/ Urban Renewal
Pakistan
December
Business G IS/ Economics of G IS
Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar
Send in your contributions to [email protected].
Please follow the Editorial Guidelines (http://www.gisdevelopment.net/magazine/index.htm) while preparing your articles.
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PLANNER
29 - 30 May
August 2007
Where 2.0 Conference
San Jose, California, USA
4 - 10 August
www.conferences.oreillynet.com
28 - 30 May
International Conference on Integrated
Navigation System
Saint Petersburg, Russia
www.elektropribor.spb.ru/enfrset.html
XXIII International Cartographic Conference
Moscow, Russia
www.icc2007.com
14 - 16 August
Map Asia 2007
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.mapasia.org
28 - 31 May
5th International
Symposium on Mobile Mapping
Technology
Padova, Italy
28 - 29 August
www.cirgeo.unipd.it
ISPRS Workshop on
Updating Geospatial Databases
with Imagery
Urumchi, Xinjiang, China
April 2007
www.isprs-wg41.nsdi.gov.cn
9 - 11 April
June 2007
Map Middle East 2007
Dubai, UAE
5 - 9 June
www.mapmiddleeast.org
16 - 18 April
September 2007
5th International Symposium on
Digital Earth
San Francisco, USA
13 - 14 September
Location Asia 2007
Hong Kong, China
www.isde5.org
Location Intelligence 2007
San Francisco, USA
www.locationintelligence.net/conference
23 - 25 April
2nd National GIS Symposium & Exhibition
Khobar, Saudi Arabia
www.saudigis.org
29 April – 3 May
BE Conference 2007
Los Angeles Convention Center , California
www.be.org
May 2007
6 - 8 June
Rivers 2007
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
24 - 27 September
www.rivers07.eng.usm.my
www.foss4g2007.org
BE Conference Europe
Hilton London Metropole,
London, UK
25 - 28 September
ION GNSS 2007
Ft. Worth, Texas, USA
www.be.org
www.ion.org
12 - 13 June
24 - 28 September
Location India 2007
Bangalore, India
58th International Astronautical
Congress and International Space Expo
Hyderabad, India
www.location.net.in/india
www.iac2007.org.in
12 - 18 June
21st Pacific Science Congress
Okinawa, Japan
13 - 17 May
October 2007
www.psc21.net
FIG Working Week
Hotel Kowloon Shangri La, Hong Kong
www.figww2007.hk
14 - 18 May
Spatial Sciences Institute Biennial
International Conference
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
www.ssc2007.com
28 October – 2 November
18 - 22 June
12th World Lakes Conference
Jaipur, India
27th ESRI International
User Conference
San Diego, California USA
www.taal2007.org
www.esri.com
20 - 22 June
www.jsurvey.jp
Intergraph 2007
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
www.intergraph2007.com
July 2007
23 - 25 May
15 - 20 July
Geoinformation for Disaster Management
Toronto, Canada
Cambridge Conference 2007
Cambridge, UK
www.gmoss.jrc.it
November 2007
5 - 7 November
Geoinformation Forum Japan
Pacifico Yokohama, Japan
21 - 24 May
50
FOSS4G Conference
Victoria, Canada
10 - 14 June
9 - 11 May
GIS for Urban Environment Summit 2007
Johannesburg, South Africa
www.location.net.in/asia
www.cambridgeconference.com
ISG/GNSS 2007
Johor, Malaysia
www.isg-gnss07.com
13 - 16 November
International Workshop On Earth
Observation Small Satellites For
Remote Sensing Applications
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.bilten.metu.edu.tr
M A R C H 2 0 07

Satyaprakash Saurabh Mishra Abdul Rashid Bin, Mohamed Sharif

Transcription

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