Source: Shawn Hutchinson, 785-532-3414, shutch@k-state.edu
http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/hutchinsonbio.html
K-STATE ORGANIZATION EDUCATES AND INFORMS ABOUT GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
MANHATTAN -- The next meeting of the Kansas State University Flint Hills Environmental Systems Research Institute Users Group will be 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, in Room 207 of the K-State Student Union. The primary topic of discussion will be "Geographic Information Systems Services and Applications for the Web."
The group was formed on International Geographic Information Systems Day in November 2007. The new campus and regional organization seeks to promote geographic information systems' applications in university research, extension and teaching; facilitate interaction among users of the technology at K-State and in surrounding communities; and provide an arena for discussing common issues such as data, methods and hardware.
"Membership is open to all students, faculty, staff and regional community members who use geographic information systems or have an interest in learning more about the technology," said Rick Chubb, the organization's founder and geographic information systems application development manager in K-State's office of mediated education.
The Environmental Systems Research Institute is a leading company in the development of geographic info software and technology and produces the ArcGIS suite of geographic information systems software products available at K-State. Similar user groups are located across the globe and meet throughout the year to share information, tips on software usage and professional development news.
"Group meetings are an ideal venue for geographic information systems users at all skill levels -- from freshman undergraduate to university distinguished professor -- to meet and exchange information on both GIS tools and its underlying science," said Tom Vought, a K-State doctoral student and graduate research assistant in the department of geography.
While K-State has a long history of teaching and conducting research with geographic information systems, the university has experienced a recent boom in geospatial technology capabilities thanks in large part to two grants awarded through the K-State Targeted Excellence program, said Shawn Hutchinson, associate professor of geography and director of the Geographic Information Systems Spatial Analysis Laboratory.
More information on the K-State Flint Hills Environmental Systems Research Institute Users Group and geographic information systems at K-State is available at the K-State geographic information systems commons Web site: http://gis.ksu.edu