In celebration of Geography Awareness Week, Thomas University will join in a worldwide GIS Day on Wednesday, Nov. 14, with its own event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on TU’s Forbes Campus. During GIS Day, participants will learn about how GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is used through demonstrations of real-world applications.
 
Activities will include presentations and a map gallery, a drone demonstration by Summerhill Creative, geocaching and a GPS mapping demonstration. Guests will learn how GIS is used daily in communities for city planning, emergency management, and cultural and resource mapping. GIS Day at TU will showcase TU’s Geospatial GIS Program and the City of Thomasville GIS.
 
“We are excited to partner with Duane Treadon from the City of Thomasville to share the great GIS applications the city is conducting that benefits the public,” said Dr. Christine Ambrose, assistant professor of conservation biology and director of TU’s GAPP (Geospatial Analysis, Planning and Preservation) Center.
GIS is considered the “science of where.” It’s information about the world that is stored and explored with a computer.

“GIS is a framework to capture, display and analyze location data to help make powerful decisions,” Ambrose explained. “GIS is used every day for mapping, decision making and planning our future. For example, GIS helps determine where best to build a hospital, predict areas of flooding or plan the most efficient bus route. Hundreds of thousands of organizations in virtually every field use GIS to make maps that communicate, perform analysis, share information and solve complex problems around the world.”

At TU, students gain knowledge about GIS through hands-on courses in which they integrate GIS into specific projects.

“Students learn about GIS from courses offered through the GAPP Geospatial Center at Thomas University,” Ambrose said. “Currently a GIS minor is offered with plans to offer a Certificate of GIS Science in the future. A hallmark of the GIS courses at Thomas University are the community-based mapping projects that benefit students with real-world experience and help local organizations with analyzing, planning and implementing various projects.”

During GIS Day, TU students will be on hand to share about their projects.

“I think participants will be fascinated with the many relevant applications of GIS in our lives and in our community,” Ambrose said. “Every day, millions of decisions are being powered by Geographic Information Systems (GIS). From reporting power outages, emergency management, city planning, to analyzing crime patterns – GIS is used to make more informed decisions.”

Participation in TU’s GIS Day event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by emailing [email protected] or calling 229-226-1621 ext. 1000.