1 GST at NOVA For presentation at Fulbright/Moscow conference Higher Education for Tomorrow’s Professionals Michael J. Krimmer, PhD

2 What is GST?

The Need for GST Skills… Projected annual revenues = $30 billion for the GST market in 2005 (Gaudet et al.) The market is estimated to grow to more than $700 billion by 2017 (Research & Consultancy Outsourcing Services, 2005) GIS education/training was third on President George W. Bush's High Growth Job Initiative “The tremendous growth potential of GST is limited by the educational system's ability to provide future workers with the conceptual and technical expertise…needed by government and industry” (Sullivan et al., 2008)

Local Area GST Needs EmployerOpeningsNorthern VA Sites SAIC80Chantilly, Belvoir, Arlington Herndon, McLean, Sterling CACI29Fairfax, Belvoir, Reston, Chantilly, Springfield Northrop Grumman23Belvoir, Chantilly, Reston BAE Systems22McLean, Sterling, Belvoir, Arlington, Herndon, Alexandria Booz Allen Hamilton16Reston, Herndon, McLean, Springfield Boeing15Springfield, Fairfax Lockheed Martin12Reston, Chantilly, Belvoir, Arlington General Dynamics9Chantilly, Arlington, Belvoir Total206 a/o 10/2009

GST Pay GIS Assistant –(GIS-0303/06): $14 - $17 per hour Intelligence Officer/GIS Analyst –(IA-0132/B03): $56,411+ Interdisciplinary/GIS Coordinator –(GS-0150/13): $85, listings Source: “GIS”, accessed 13 Oct 2009, 1520EDT

GST Candidate Education Baccalaureate: –Geography, or GIS –Database management –Computer programming (python) –Technical or science-related discipline Masters degree highly desired Entry level positions for high school & community college

GST Candidate Job Skills Information Technology –Database management –Computer programming (Python) –Web design/services Urban planning, transportation, civil engineering, surveying Health sciences (or biologic sciences) Marketing/business Physical sciences (geography, geology, chemistry, environmental science, physics) PC and Internet skills are essential Ability to obtain security clearance

8 The Community College in 2010 What is NOVA? –Largest educational institution in VA –2 nd largest community college in US –“The most economical state college in Virginia” (WJLA-TV, May ’08) Traditional: undergrads matriculating to 4-year institution Newer: workforce development Newest: “Grad school” of the 21 st Century –“Career switchers”

9 Who are NOVA GST Students? “Typical” student: –Adult with bachelors degree (or higher) –1/3 with IT background (programming, dBase management) –Engineers, surveyors well-represented –Career switchers or job enhancement –Grad students “in waiting”: GMU, VA Tech Community College: the “New Grad School?”

10 Where are NOVA GST Students?

11 Reston Center Hardware: –20 student workstations (primary classroom) –Dual Xeon processors, 2 GB RAM, 512 MB video card, 250 GB storage –Dual 19” flat panel monitors –Dedicated Server 2 x Quad Core Xeon processors, 32 GB RAM, 2TB storage Software: –ESRI ArcGIS (ArcINFO license) –ESRI ArcGIS Server –ITT ENVI 4.6 –IDRISI Andes

12 NOVA GST Offerings… Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced GIS –Each class includes labs & student term project Cartography for GIS Intro to Remote Sensing GIS Applications in Environmental Science GIS Internships GIS for Continuing Education GIS Career Studies Certificate

13 NOVA’s GIS Certificate

14 GST Program Growth at NOVA Job/ PromotionBA/BS Grad School 833 TBL = 39 Lab CSC

15 Reston Trails Digitize existing maps Build geographic database Add county data Correct with imagery

ArcGIS interactive map: railroads & cities Internship project with Fairfax County middle schools Social Studies and GIS Westward Expansion in the US

17 Comparison of Republican Candidates vs. Democratic Candidates Funds Raised Totals: Democrats: $108,837,196 Republicans: $82,355,375 General Election 2008

18

19

20 NOVA GST Faculty Mr. Aaron Showker, NGA Ms. Lee Ebinger, USDA Ms. Melody Peppard, ITT Solutions Ms. Marsil Zook, Loudoun OMAGI Mr. Brian Wooley, Loudoun OMAGI Dr. Michael Krimmer, NOVA

21 Community College GST Resources…

22 NOVA “On-line” Intro and Intermediate GIS courses available GIS Basics and 3-D GIS planned Courses needed: –Intro to Remote Sensing –GIS for Environmental Science –GIS & Data –GPS

23 NOVA Webpages

24 Virtual Geo Club

25 iGETT Integrated Geospatial Education & Technology Training –GIS and Remote Sensing to meet workforce needs Provided resources to facilitate course enhancement and program development…at…two-year colleges across the country –2 summer institutes (3 weeks) –Full-semester, on-line training course –3-year licensing for ArcGIS & ENVI, plus technical support –Instructional materials, GPS unit –Stipend for summer institute

26 GTEVCC GTEVCC--Geospatial Technician Education through Virginia’s Community Colleges Project $894,228 National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Establish academic pathways in geospatial technologies Pathway models, curriculum, professional development materials, web portal Virginia Space Grant Consortium, VA Geospatial Extension VA Tech, VCCS, John Tyler CC, Tidewater CC, VA Western CC

27 The Geospatial Career Pipeline Initiative (GCPI) $492,000 DOL grant, Feb 09 – Feb 12 Increase the number of people entering the geospatial industry –Targets 105 people for education, training, workplace skills development and progress toward national certification –Develops faculty and courses for GIS education in Virginia high schools –Internships & job placement –Articulation agreements –Builds and expands distance learning for geospatial education –A framework for training and education that can be adopted by other educational institutions GCPI

28 GCPI Strategic Partners Loudoun County Office of Mapping & GIS Dewberry & Davis, LLC Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) NASA ESRI National Council for Geographic Education Chantilly HS Academy (Fairfax) Heritage High School (Loudoun) Roanoke Valley Governor’s School (Roanoke) Virginia Western Community College James Madison University George Mason University Virginia Tech Employers Subject matter experts

29 GCPI Milestones Delivered GST lab, GPS units, software, text & materials: Roanoke Valley Governor’s School, Chantilly High School On-line courses: –Intro to GIS revised –Intermediate GIS rolled out –3-D GIS under development Developed web-based resources: –NOVA GST web pages –Virtual Geo club Developmental testing for “cloud computing” High school dual-enrollment GIS curriculum approved by Fairfax School Board GIS articulation agreement NOVA (AS) to JMU (BS) in formal coordination

30 GCPI Next Steps “Cloud computing” beta test AAG (American Association of Geographers) Annual Conference (April, Washington, DC) –Community college and high school students attend & poster presentations –Host GST community college panel Instructor workshop for dual enrollment class –Jun 24-30, NOVA Reston Center Stand up 3 rd GST high school lab Articulation agreement with GMU

31 Tech Based Learning, Next Steps “Cloud computing” for GST –30 concurrent “seats” (via Citrix) –GIS and Remote Sensing software –Dedicated network storage Objectives: - Obviate student requirement for high-end computer with expensive software -Teach GST in any computer lab with Internet -NOVA control software (e.g., version, course materials, etc.) -GIS Certificate “on-line” (except internship)

32 Why NOVA for GST? Convenience –Location, class times, class format Cost Timely, relevant coursework Community support and resources Quality education and instruction –“Leading-edge” instructors –Articulation—geared toward success