GUS: 0262 Fundamentals of GIS Lecture Presentation 1: Introduction Jeremy Mennis Department of Geography and Urban Studies Temple University

Overview of GIS Two main types of data in GIS: –spatial data helpful to conceptualize as maps –attribute data helpful to conceptualize as tables (and metadata too…)

Overview of GIS Spatial data are organized into layers

Overview of GIS Spatial data layers are registered: states counties roads rivers cities

Overview of GIS Attribute data are associated with spatial features State: New Jersey Pop: 7,730,188 Gov: C. Whitman

Overview of GIS Attribute data are stored in tables State NamePopulationGovernor New Jersey7,730,188C. Whitman Pennsylvania11,881,643 T. Ridge Etc…

Overview of GIS Spatial data and attribute table are ‘linked’ together State Name PopulationGovernor New Jersey7,730,188 C. Whitman Pennsylvania 11,881,643T. Ridge Etc…

Definitions of GIS Geographic –pertaining to the surface of the earth Information –collection of data, source of knowledge System –model based on interrelated components

Definitions of GIS Component-Based Definitions: –Hardware –Software –Data –People –Organizational/Institutional Context

Definitions of GIS Function-Based Definitions: –Data input –Data management (storage/retrieval) –Data manipulation/analysis –Data output

Definitions of GIS Perspectives on GIS: –The Cartographer’s Perspective –The Information Scientist’s Perspective –The Statistician/Modeler’s Perspective

Related Technologies Spatial Information System (SIS) Geo-Information System (GIS) Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) Land Information System (LIS) Computer Aided design (CAD) Computer Aided mapping (CAM) Remote Sensing (image processing) (RS)

A Very Brief History of GIS: One Geographer’s Perspective 1950s in Geography –Quantitative revolution –Computer cartography 1960s: individual development efforts –Harvard Lab for Computer Graphics (and 70s) –Early GISs: SYMAP, GRID, ODYSSEY –Landscape Architecture –Canada GIS

1970s: The federal government –USGS –US Census 1980s and 1990s: A GIS industry –Commercial vendors, GIS on the desktop –Rapid adoption of GIS technologies 2000 and beyond…. –Ubiquitous geospatial technologies –Integration with mainstream database technologies A Very Brief History of GIS: One Geographer’s Perspective

GIS Applications Who: Government Industry Academics What: Transportation Hydrology Geology Demographics Crime Health …