Loyola University Chicago

• GIS for Faculty Research
• GIS Links
• CUERP Research and GIS
• What is GIS
• Why Use GIS
• Internal Mind Mapping

CUERP takes advantage of the capabilities of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the availability of numerous public datasets to conduct interdisciplinary research. By incorporating spatial data layers and scientific datasets, in addition to the layering of information from multiple disciplines, it is now possible to undertake projects that were too complex without these technologies.

The Center provides Loyola with a GIS lab which is housed in the Quinlan Life & Science Building.  A full-time GIS Specialist and computers are available for faculty and graduate students to use for research.  The GIS lab serves many functions by:

• Creating a space for CUERP-affiliated faculty and graduate students to use ArcGIS and other relevant expertise and available software for research projects
• Enhancing research questions from conception to conclusion using geographic analysis
• Offering a comprehensive geospatial database useful in size and scope for researchers and community partners

   

What is GIS

Geography is information about the Earth's surface and the objects found on it, as well as a framework for organizing knowledge. GIS is a powerful, state-of-the art technological tool used to manage, analyze and disseminate geographic knowledge.

GIS links characteristics or attributes of features to their location (such as people to addresses, buildings to parcels, or rivers within a network) and layers that information to demonstrate how it all interrelates. You choose what layers to combine based on your purpose.

Whereas other technologies might be used only to analyze aerial photographs and satellite images to create statistical models or draft maps, these capabilities are all offered together within GIS.

With its array of functions, GIS should be viewed as a tool that can play a crucial role in a comprehensive decision-making process.

Source: ESRI

      

Why Use GIS

• Map where things are: GIS can find places that have the specific features you're looking for.
• Map quantities: GIS can map quantities of features to find places that meet desired criteria, or to see the relationships between places. This gives an additional level of information beyond simply mapping the locations of features.
• Map densities: While you can see concentrations by simply mapping the locations of features, in areas with many features it may be difficult to see which have a higher concentrations than others. A density map lets you measure the number of features using a uniform unit of area, such as acres or square miles, so you can clearly see the distribution.
• Find what is inside: Use GIS to monitor what's happening and to take specific action by mapping what features exist inside a specific area.
• Find what's nearby: Find out what's occurring within a set distance of a feature by mapping what's nearby.
• Map change: Map the change in an area to anticipate future conditions, decide on a course of action or to evaluate the results of an action or policy.

Source: ESRI

   

   GIS for Faculty Research

CUERP is pleased to have the means to assist faculty as they come together for collaborative research projects and grant proposals by having GIS tools and expertise at their disposal.

GIS hardware includes powerful Dell workstations, wide-format flat-screen monitors and large-format color printing. Software includes:

• ArcGIS: Builds GIS and performs spatial analysis and data management functions
• ERDAS Imagine: Digital image processing for satellite images and aerial photos
• Google Earth: Share data and results in near real-time among research teams

In order to build a comprehensive GIS data library, geospatial datasets are obtained from national, state, regional and local agencies and geospatial data getaways. Some national, regional and local sources include:

• Center for Neighborhood Technology
• Natural Resource Conservation Service
• Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission
• Regional counties and municipalities
• State departments of natural resources
• U.S. Census Bureau
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Geological Survey

For more data sources, see the GIS Links page

CUERP’s GIS Specialist conducts seminars to introduce faculty and graduate students to the basics of GIS and how these tools can enhance their CUERP research. Topics for the series include:

• Introduction to GIS
• GIS for research: Formulating the research project
• Collaborative research using GIS
• Using spatial databases and different data types
• Remote sensing applications
• Output: Presenting results

   

CUERP Research and GIS: Modeling Risk of Aquatic Invasive Species

CUERP Faculty Fellow Dr. Kenneth Johnson, Dr. Nancy Tuchman and Dr. Marty Berg are examining the rising incidence of invasive species in lakes in the upper Midwest. Gathering data from demography, biology, water science and geography, GIS plays a major role in the project. By incorporating the spatial data layers and datasets from each category, a GIS spatial analysis model will help to predict the likelihood of invasive species appearing in inland lakes.

   

Hands-On Experience for Students

CUERP assists Loyola students in obtaining cutting-edge interdisciplinary research experiences and skills to better prepare them for research careers and community leadership responsibilities.

Collaborating on environmental research, GIS Specialist David Treering and CUERP faculty guide students in hands-on data collection and formatting for application in geospatial analysis and modeling. Through the internship experience, students learn how to use GIS as a rigorous research tool that interfaces environmental data from multiple disciplines.

   

Reaching out beyond the campus, CUERP will share this specialized format of knowledge and expertise with community partners that may have limited access to such resources.