Food Safety & Security at Kansas State University

Geographic Information Systems Spatial Analysis Laboratory (GISSAL)

Facility and Capabilities

The Geographic Information System Spatial Analysis Laboratory (GISSAL) at Kansas State University is a multidisciplinary center supporting spatial research, education, and outreach activities at Kansas State University. Established in August 1990 and recognized as a National Center of Digitizing Excellence by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, GISSAL combines faculty expertise, post-doctoral research associates, and trained graduate and undergraduate student technicians with advanced geospatial technology and sophisticated spatial analysis capabilities.

As a university resource, GISSAL works extensively with faculty and students from a wide spectrum of disciplines, and has recently initiated projects with national and international researchers. Since 2000, GISSAL has collaborated with over 35 academic departments, research units, or state/federal agencies across the nation and world.

Specific client services include:

• Designing and building geographic databases for physical, biological, and social/cultural thematic data.
• Constructing sophisticated spatial models and geoprocessing tools in a GIS environment.
• Provide cartographic support and advanced 2D/3D visualization capabilities for map communication and exploratory data analysis.
• Developing and implement GIS data models for specific analysis functions.
• Building and hosting web-servable interactive maps.
• Conducting on-site or traveling ESRI-authorized GIS workshops and customized geospatial training events.

Equipment/Instruments