Resources for Teaching and Learning
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| From Gizmodo |
The Guardian: How a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol – visual guide - Writes Gretchen Peterson on Twitter: "A visual guide to what happened yesterday. The maps are simple and effective. Note they include an overview map, easy to read scale bar, a credit to openstreetmap, and the use of red to both highlight and underscore the seriousness of the matter." Via @PetersonGIS.
Motherly: Top baby names inspired by American geography - I was not aware how many state and city names are attached to children. Growing up I knew one person with such a name: Virginia Norfolk. I went to camp with her. Really.
JAMA Open Network: Exposure to Common Geographic COVID-19 Prevalence Maps and Public Knowledge, Risk Perceptions, and Behavioral Intentions - The Research Letter is open access and UMN has a nice summary. "Data maps that often go hand in hand with news stories tracking COVID case numbers can be effective at imparting knowledge of case rates, but they do little to change perceived infection risk and opinions toward public health recommendations, ..."
Geographic Data Science Course: Dani Arribas-Bel writes on Twitter: "Wrapping up the term means new iteration of the GDS course. This time it's a biggie! Videos, new content, and new backend. All for the same right price (£0) and just as open (entirely)." Uses python. Via @darribas.
XKCD: 1/10,000th Scale World - An instant classic about scale.
Programs and Courses
Lamar University: Lamar University announces master’s degree in geospatial sciences - "Beginning in the spring of 2021, Lamar University’s Department of Earth Space Science and Lamar University Geospatial Center will offer a Master of Science degree in geospatial sciences. The program will include a 30-credit hour thesis-based option or a 36-credit hour non-thesis option and is designed to train individuals to work in any sector of geospatial sciences." The university is part of the Texas State system.
senseFly: senseFly launches eBee e-learning platform and operator certification program to advance drone knowledge - senseFly, a company that sells fixed-wing drones, launched an "e-learning platform and dedicated Certified senseFly Operator Program, developed to equip unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators with the knowledge and skills required to carry out drone missions more accurately, safely and efficiently."
Radford University: Radford University & Academic Partnerships Team Up to Offer Affordable and Quality Online Programs in Nursing and Business - While this is mostly about an online nursing program, there's also this: "Through this partnership, Radford University will also expand its outreach of the Vinod Chachra IMPACT Lab by offering cybersecurity and geospatial intelligence certificates ...." Academic Partnerships is a "facilitator of online program management services."
Events and Opportunities
Press Release: Cortex, T-REX & GeoFutures to Collaborate on National Geospatial Speaker Series - "The new “GeoInnovation National Speaker Series,” which will launch virtually February 3 and feature as its first speaker Chris Tucker, Chairman of the American Geographical Society and author of “A Planet of 3 Billion.” Future speakers will include VADM Robert Sharp, Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Dr. Stacey Dixon, NGA Deputy Director, and Tony Frazier, Senior Vice President of Maxar."
MapSwipe: MapSwipe allows any individual to support humanitarian response. MapSwipe is an open-source mobile app; volunteer "players" swipe through satellite images looking for features (i.e.: buildings, roadways, waterways, etc.) and tap once when they have located them. It's part of the Missing Maps Project and from what I understand, a fun and helpful way to pass time when you might play a game on your device. Via Thad J. Dymkowski on NEARC-L.
On and Off Campus
Texas A & M: Students, Faculty To Map Veteran Cemeteries - "The $249,832 contract will provide support to faculty and graduate students from Texas A&M’s College of Engineering, Department of Geography and Department of History. Researchers will develop Geographic Information System (GIS)-based applications to allow public contributions to memorialize veterans interred in three VA cemeteries: Houston National Cemetery and San Antonio National Cemetery in Texas, and Alexandria National Cemetery in Virginia. The one year contract was awarded on Sept. 16."
UC Santa Cruz: UC Santa Cruz offers virtual tours of Younger Lagoon Natural Reserve - "Prompted by the temporary suspension of in-person tours due to COVID-19, the new virtual tours are available in English and Spanish." The virtual tour StoryMaps were developed by UCSC undergraduate Ernesto Chavez-Velasco, a senior majoring in environmental studies, who works at the reserve.
Meanwhile in Education
Penn State: Big Ten course sharing initiative to continue in spring - The Big Ten Academic Alliance Online Course Sharing Program is designed to enhance the educational opportunities for students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative, which launched in fall 2020 and will continue in spring 2021, allows Penn State students to take one online course each semester at another participating Big Ten institution at no additional cost. I hope this is a trend across academia!
People
University of Arkansas: UAFS Instructor First in State to Earn National Geospatial Certification - "University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Instructor Lisa Cady earned elite recognition from the National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence, making her among the first 21 educators in the nation to earn Geospatial Science and Technology Educator Certification. "
DownEast: The SoPo Cartographer Who Turns Maps Into Art - South Portland's Molly Brown has a PhD in geography and includes location in her art.
Arizona Daily Sun: Planets for the public: USGS launches interactive digital map effort - USGS research physical scientist Sarah Black created a map of the landing site for the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover; it was the first map she converted to an interactive, online format since joining the USGS planetary mapping team this summer.
Meanwhile in our industry
Geological Society of London: "UK and Ireland Geology app ...could be a useful online learning tool. Some great images and geological features" writes Jason Sawle. Via Addy Pope.