Lecture 1 Introduction to GIS

Geography Definitions Writing about the earth. – Greek

Geography Definitions Geography provides "a view of the whole" earth by mapping the location of places. – Ptolemy

Geography Definitions To provide accurate, orderly, and rational description and interpretation of the variable character of the earth surface. - Richard Hartshorne

Geography Definitions A science that deals with the description, distribution, and interaction of the diverse physical, biological, and cultural features of the earth's surface. – Merriam-Webster

Geography

GIS Industry A big business

GIS jobs 2004, US Secretary of Labor Geotechnology is one of the three fields most in demand for 21st Century decision-making 2005, the US Department of Labor Began funding community college and other programs to improve the number and breadth of GIS courses and resources offered

GIS People have spatial knowledge Data entry Data quality Analyst Developer / Programmer Database manager Web developer Project manager GIS manager, GIO… - GIS jobs listing

How do we communicate? Where is the theater?

Where is the theater? Speech “Go east on 10, exit Orange, and you’ll see it on the right”

Where is the theater? Print Start out going East on SAN BERNARDINO AVE towards ALABAMA ST by turning left. Turn RIGHT onto ALABAMA ST. Turn LEFT to take the I-10 E ramp. Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto ramp. Merge onto I-10 E Take the exit towards ORANGE ST/CA-38/DOWNTOWN Turn RIGHT onto N EUREKA S Turn RIGHT onto ORIENTAL AVE. Total Distance: 7 minutes 2.37 miles

Where is the theater? Map

Where is the theater? Air Photo and map

Where is the theater? Photo

On the phone

Maps communicate Show me the capitals How to I get to….?

Rats

Percent Change, 1990 to

What do bees have to do with business?

Quick Map Exercise