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Instructor: Chris S. Renschler (rensch@buffalo.edu)
Collaborator: Zia Ahmed (zahmed2@buffalo.edu)
Time schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30 - 9:50 am (Wilkeson 144/145/145H (GIAL)); (3 credit hours)
Office Hours: Wednesdays 10-11 am & 12-1 pm (Wilkeson 116)
Audience: Graduate Students in Geography, Geology, Civil Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Planning or Environmental Studies, Business Administration and Management Science, or permission by instructor.
Objectives: The lectures and computer lab exercises introduce concepts, theories and applications of geo-spatial analysis and modeling tools in GIScience. The new techniques enable students to analyze and assess geo-spatial physical and non-physical processes in landscapes. However, the lectures also present and discuss methods to analyze spatial problems in Geology, Environmental Science, Engineering, Ecology, Business and Human Geography, e.g. surface/terrain analysis of spatial-temporal dynamics of fluxes due to concentrations or costs gradients in space and time).
The course includes the following topics:
- Geo-spatial data analysis and mathematic modeling in GIS
- Digital Elevation Models and terrain analysis
- Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) for environmental modeling with GIS
- Dynamic modeling approaches in GIS
Required Textbook: There is no textbook.
Required Materials: A USB memory stick or external hard drive for data backup (at least 1 GB free space must be available for this class!).
Schedule: Please note, that the schedule is not updated during the semester. It is intended to give students not enrolled in this course a course overview. Enrolled students must check the official UBlearns course homepage for latest updates.
| Week |
Dates |
Computer Exercises
& Individual Projects
(Mondays; Wilkeson 145 GIAL) |
Lectures
(Wednesdays; Wilkeson 144) |
| 1 |
Jan 12/14 |
Intro Lecture:
Geospatial Project Management
- A brief Introduction
Lecture 1:
The future of GI Science
and GI Engineering |
Lecture 2:
Data Preprocessing
Lecture 3:
Digital Elevation Models and
Digital Terrain Analysis |
| 2 |
Jan 19/21 |
Martin Luther King Day Observed |
Lecture 4:
Filter, Flowpath and
Catchment Analysis |
| 3 |
Jan 26/28 |
Lab 1 - Raw Data:
GeoProMT Intro and Data Search
(Hayman Fire |
Lecture 5:
Geospatial Analysis in GIS |
| 4 |
Feb 2/4 |
Lab 2 - Valid Data:
Raster data and DEMs
(Hayman Fire, CO) |
Students Project Idea Presentation (2 min; oral only) + discussion (2 min) |
| 5 |
Feb 9/11 |
Lab 3 - Model Input:
Arc GIS Model Builder and
Terrain Analysis with TOPAZ
(Hayman Fire, CO) |
Lecture 6:
Graphical User Interfaces:
Linking GIS and Models |
| 6 |
Feb 16/18 |
Lab 4 - GIS Model Output:
Wetness and Stream Power Index
(Lafayette Indiana, CO) |
Lecture 7:
Raster-based Geospatial
Modeling in GIS |
| 7 |
Feb 23/25 |
Lab 5 - Process Model Output:
Assessment with WEPP & GeoWEPP
(Hayman Fire, CO)
Project Proposal & Design Study*
is due Feb 23 |
Students Project Proposal Presentation (2 min; oral only) + discussion (2 min)
Design Study Feedback |
| 8 |
Mar 2/4 |
Lab 6 - Output Validation: Multiple DEMs and Topographic Parameters
(Treynor Watershed W-2, Iowa) |
Project Preparations(on your own; instructor at professional meeting) + complete all lab assignments |
| |
Mar 9/11 |
Spring Break |
Spring Break |
| 9 |
Mar 16/18 |
Project Preparations (cont.) |
Project Preparations (cont.) |
| 10 |
Mar 23/25 |
Project Preparations (cont.) |
Project Preparations (cont.) |
| 11 |
Mar 30/
Apr 1 |
Project Preparations (cont.) |
Project Preparations (cont.) |
| 12 |
Apr 6/8 |
Project Presentations** |
All Project Reports*** are due
as hard copy AND digital copy
Apr 10 2pm |
| 13 |
Apr 13/15 |
Review Assignments |
Project Report (Review Session)
3 groups with 4 students |
| 14 |
Apr 20/22 |
Project Report Q & A, Final Discussion, Conclusions, and Course Evaluation |
No-class - Project Review Assignment |
| 15 |
Apr 27 |
No-class - Project Review Assignment |
No class
All Revised Project Reports |
Activities: Students are evaluated [% of total grade] based on their performance in:
- [20%] assignments on lab case studies (incl. 2% for project idea presentation on Feb 4 (2 minutes oral presentation + 2 minutes discussion; no power point/no handouts needed)
- [10%] * design study due Feb 23 (abstract minimum of 250 words; additional details minimum of 750 words; incl. data flowchart) and project proposal presentation on Feb 25 (2 minutes oral presentation + 2 minutes discussion; no power point/no handouts needed)
- [20%] **project presentation (8 minutes presentation + 2 minutes discussion)
- [30%] ***project report (minimum of 2500 words; due by hard copy (Wilkeson 105) and electronically (UBlearns); send instructor an email by Apr 10 2:00 pm that you uploaded/submitted your report),
- [10%] project review comments (pickup for review packages starts on Apr 13 in class; filled out review sheets and marked up reports are due in class Apr 15; the review itself works as follow: 1.) students are separated randomly into smaller groups of 4-6 students 2.) the students will meet the instructor and exchange their review and comment within that small group rather than in front of the entire class), and
- [10%] attendance and participation in classes and lab sessions.
The project proposal and design study, the project presentation, and the project report are evaluated based on the following key (you have to address all five aspects):
- Introduction and Problem Definition [includes abstract or executive summary] (20%)
- [Proposed or Used] Approach and Methods (20%)
- [Expected or Actual] Results and Discussion (20%)
- [Expected] Conclusions, Recommendations, and Summary (20%)
- Graphic Support/References(20%) [here is a suggested Format for Citations; however, this is only a style recommendation, you may chose any style as long it is consistent to a specific format, e.g. according to a professional journal or as suggested by the software EndNote. Only if there are inconsistencies, I will point those out and deduct points accordingly]. Please note that the instructor may use the on-line software Turn-It-In to check submitted material for correct referencing of sources.
The topic for the project proposal and design study, the project presentation, and the project report is subject of the participant's own choice. The topic should be related to the course objectives dealing with some type of a landscape-based GIS and/or terrain modeling issue as presented in the course (that means that your project does not necessarily have to be related to natural resource or hazard management; this could be a landscape-based analysis of transportation, business, archeology, etc.; suggestions of topics by participants are encouraged and should be discussed with instructor in advance). Most of the reading material for additional information and potential projects are provided for you during the instructor's office hours or two hours and overnight loan through the Undergraduate Library in Capen Hall:
- Burrough & McDonnell "Principles of Geographic Information Systems"
- Goodchild, Parks & Steyaert "Environmental Modeling with GIS"
- Goodchild, Steyaert & Parks "GIS and Environmental Modeling: Progress and Research Issues"
- Clarke, Parks & Crane "Geographic Information Systems and Environmental Modeling"
- Wilson and Gallant "Terrain Analysis - Principles and Applications"
- Brooks et al. "Hydrology and the Management of Watersheds"
- Turner, Gardner & O’Neill "Landscape Ecology in theory and practice: pattern and process"
Note that the selection of individual project topics should be discussed with the instructor at least two weeks before their due date. Students registered at the 400 level will require less reading materials and will not be evaluated at an advanced graduate level.
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