The Sensor: February 2009
EIGS PERSPECTIVE
Look on the Bright Side: What the Economic Downturn Could Mean for the Geospatial Industry
As our country continues to struggle with what is perhaps the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression, we are seeing a number of industry leaders examine what could be a positive effect on the geospatial industry including a movement called “GIS for the Nation.” This proposal, being endorsed by a number of prominent organizations such as ESRI, GITA, AAG, URISA, and NACO, is being pushed to be included as part of the economic stimulus package. The proposal includes benefits such as creating 24,000 high tech jobs, providing funding to the private sector, supporting state and local governments with planned infrastructure projects, and creating a series of base data for responding to local and national disasters.
While it may be hard to gauge the overall impact on the geospatial industry since its use is so widespread and diverse, we agree with those who offer that this could be a unique opportunity for the geospatial industry including:
“The United States isn’t the only country planning to invest internally in order to improve unemployment figures and economic growth. The influx of funds is global, and much of the spending will take place in sectors that currently use, or could benefit from, geospatial technology. Geospatial technology provides a necessary decision support tool for infrastructure initiatives of larger geographies, such as roads, bridges and railways. The toolset can also provide a means of assessing infrastructure priorities, and making certain that spending is funneled to the highest impact projects. The geospatial community is well poised to contribute a great deal toward more efficient government operations. We need to continue to trump the cost-savings of applying geospatial tools to complex problems that require great oversight. Dollars and subsequent innovation will follow.”
Matt Ball
Editor, V-1 Magazine [source]
“In a period of nationwide economic downturn, the geospatial industry offers hope. Across the country, tens of thousands of trained [geospatial] workers are needed to fill positions that are going begging.”
Emily Stover DeRocco
Former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration [source]
“While no industry is recession-proof in these difficult times, GIS is central to the decision-making process in many industries, which cushions it to some extent from economic downturns. In the United States, our president-elect has made it a priority to stimulate our economy with a variety of sound capital infrastructure investments. These investments will require geospatial information in many forms. In addition, there is a sense among some economists that the economy will rebound the quickest in the housing, construction, energy, and infrastructure sectors, and GIS is a critical component for asset and resource management in all these areas.”
Geospatial TODAY, January 2009 [source]
“It has been a blessing during these difficult economic times to be able to focus internally to improve our ability to meet the ever changing needs of our clients. Part of our philosophy is that the cutting edge isn’t a place to be, it’s a way of life. Now, during these slower times is the opportunity to make our services, our processes, our products, and our company even better.”
Craig Harvey
COO and Executive Vice President, NVision
Mississippi’s economy is no doubt feeling the effects of the recession and these effects are bound to deepen, but let’s not forget what we faced in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history severely affected our population, politics, infrastructure, and economic growth. But Mississippi responded and rebounded from Katrina and Mississippi will once again come out better and stronger on the other end of this. In particular, we feel that specialized industries such as the geospatial industry will have a lasting effect on the future growth of our economy. As recently reported by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration, “Mississippi’s economic recovery will depend on small business.” Their most recent data show that the state has 46,437 small employers, and they employ 96.7 percent of the state’s workforce [source]. The members of our geospatial technology industry cluster indeed fit this profile and are poised to play a key role in our recovery.
DOING BUSINESS IN MISSISSIPPI
MDA’s Existing Industry and Business Division Offers Workshops for Small Businesses; Teaches Tactics for Surviving the Current Economy and More
The MS Development Authority’s Existing Industry and Business (EIB) Division, the University of Mississippi Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration Office and the Innovation Center in Biloxi have teamed up to present “Thriving in Difficult Economic Times,” a workshop designed to teach small businesses certain tactics to help survive in a softened economy and continue to expand and grow.
According to John Brandon, Associate Manager Senior of the EIB Division and workshop leader, the two-to-three-hour sessions teach participants how the economy affects business, how to look for clues in profit and loss statements and balance sheets and ten ways to market a business and be cost-effective. Additional workshops are available, including “The BUY-ology of Business,” which reviews current economic trends, how people buy and what they buy, and how to gain repeat customers.
To schedule a workshop in your area or to find out which workshops are available, please contact the EIB Division at (601) 359-3593 or e-mail eibus@mississippi.org.
IMAGE OF THE MONTH
DigitalGlobe Releases WorldView-1 Image of Inauguration
DigitalGlobe has released a WorldView-1 panchromatic image with .5 meter resolution of the Mall area during President Barack Obama’s inauguration. The image above (click for larger image) is cropped to show just the Capitol Building. A full resolution scene is available for download at the DigitalGlobe website. Additionally, DigitalGlobe is providing visual examples of the type of analysis and information that can be derived using DigitalGlobe’s highresolution commercial satellite imagery
along with open source information.
ITEM OF INTEREST
NASA landed on Mars, photographed distant worlds, added to the International Space Station, took part in a lunar 
science mission with India and made major progress toward returning astronauts to the moon as the agency celebrated its 50th birthday in 2008. Here on Earth, NASA researchers recorded the continued decline of Arctic sea ice, won awards for aviation breakthroughs, discovered the cause of storms that brighten the Northern Lights and helped create state-of-the-art swimsuits worn by Olympic gold medalists.
Read about NASA’s top ten accomplishments in 2008.
DID YOU KNOW?
A Proposal for National Economic Recovery: An Investment in Geospatial Information Infrastructure, Building a National GIS
Did you know the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) and the Department of the Interior have developed recommendations to develop a National GIS? To create a national GIS, it is necessary to update and consolidate the many currently existing individual agency map layers into an integrated whole. USGS would lead this effort and combine information into a consistent geospatial foundation (approximate cost, $450 million).
FEATURED ARTICLE
Geospatial in Mississippi Launches for MARS
On January 15, 2009, the official launch of MARS, the second generation, was held on the Ridgeland campus of Holmes Community College. The MARS program (Mississippi Area Remapping Strategy) is a geospatial high school adoption program with 8 high schools across the state of Mississippi. Eighty-five students, teachers, mentors, and representatives from state departments and agencies were in attendance.
During the spring of 2009, the selected high schools will work with designated university/community college partners to design and complete a community-based geospatial information science and technology (GIS&T) project. The participating MARS high schools receive computer hardware and software, technical support and training, GPS units, and resource books to support the projects.
MARS 2009 includes high schools from Batesville, Brandon, Byhalia, Decatur, Greenville, Kiln, Leakesville, and Woodville. Volunteering their time and expertise to guide the high school teams are members of the IHL Geospatial Council including Alcorn State University, East Central Community College, Jones County Community College, MARIS, MS Delta Community College, Northwest Mississippi Community College, The University of Mississippi, and the University of Southern Mississippi.
The projects will focus on a diverse array of community needs such as using geospatial technology to map culturally significant sites, E-911 mapping, urban hazard tree assessment, and mapping of infrastructure and facilities. MARS community partners include organizations such as chancery clerk’s office, chamber of commerce, tax assessors, forestry commission, regional medical center, planning and development district, fire department, and city engineer’s office.
MARS is funded by EIGS in cooperation with the IHL Geospatial Council. Northwest Mississippi Community College serves as the statewide coordinator for the MARS program.
Seen and heard
“He started with the comprehensive GIS curriculum and certification offered by ESRI business partner Digital Quest Inc. While many courses claim to be turnkey, this excellent collection of curriculum materials provided (Professor John) Bayerl with everything he needed to teach the course – tutorials, datasets, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, assessments, projects, lab materials, and lecture notes.”
Excerpted from “One Teacher’s Vision: Taking GIS education into the 21st century”
in ArcUser, Winter 2009.
Digital Quest, Inc. is a member of the EIGS geospatial cluster
GEOSPATIAL RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
Northwest Mississippi Community College Program Provides Students With a Competitive Edge
The Civil Technology Program at Northwest Mississippi Community College prepares students for entry-level positions in the civil engineering field. The curriculum includes surveying, road design, construction materials testing and GPS/GIS. The program has recently become more involved in GIS as the Engineering / Surveying industry (with GIS trained personnel) is beginning to use GIS applications in most of their projects. The Civil Technology program is increasing GIS training time in order to give students a competitive edge.
This semester the Civil Technology GPS/GIS Surveying and Advance Surveying classes will be working on their first GIS project with an archeologist conducting a topographical survey, GPSing state plane survey controls, and collecting GIS data on an old grave yard. Students plan to integrate their project’s GIS information into the local county’s GIS system in order to make their information available to the public. Interested parties of this project hope to register this graveyard as a historical point of interest.
For additional information, contact: Tommy Watson, Northwest Mississippi Community College’s Civil Technology program, 662-562-3364, twatson@northwestms.edu.
CONGRATULATIONS
Diamond Data Systems Receives the 2008 World Class Team Supplier Award from Northrop Grumman
EIGS member company, Diamond Data Systems, LLC. (DDS), has received the 2008 World Class Team Supplier Award from Northrop Grumman (NG) Corporation for its recent work for the Command Navy Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC). According to Northrop Grumman “DDS’s detailed knowledge has been essential in performing the services required by Naval Operations.”
AGT Named One of the Best Places to Work in Mississippi
EIGS member company, Applied GeoTechnologies, was named as a finalist for one of the Best Places to Work in Mississippi by The Mississippi Business Journal. The program was established as an opportunity for great employers to be identified and recognized for raising the bar of excellence in our state’s business climate.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Real-World Lessons in GIS
ArcUser, Winter 2009
GIS Tutorial for Homeland Security is a step-by-step workbook that shows emergency responders how to develop maps and integrate data to respond to emergencies and threats. It was designed specifically for public safety officers, government officials, and students in the fields of criminal justice and public administration. This book can serve as a classroom text or a self-study guide. The authors of GIS Tutorial for Homeland Security, Susan Radke and Eddie Hanebuth (of EIGS member company Digital Quest), have extensive experience in developing GIS course material.
- Purchase the book through ESRI press or Amazon.com.
A Report of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee
Federal Geographic Data Committee (released January 2009)
In January of 2008, the Secretary of the Interior formed the National Geospatial Advisory Committee to provide advice and recommendations related to the management of Federal and national geospatial programs. The committee, comprised of 28 experts from all levels of government, academia and the private sector, developed a white paper to describe the changes and advancements the community has witnessed over the past three-plus decades and to set a context from which in part will serve as the basis for future deliberations. The white paper is intended to capture the major milestones and identify several of the major issues that lie ahead.
ESRI Press Book Shows Why Government Sees GIS as a Great Investment
GISCafe.com
GIS for Decision Support and Public Policy Making, a new book from ESRI Press, describes how geographic information system (GIS) technology can help streamline these operations and deliver smart solutions that save time and money. The book also shows how GIS can be integrated into many other aspects of governing and policy making such as planning for residential development, revitalizing neighborhoods, and updating emergency management plans.
World GPS market report released
GISDevelopment.net (released January 12, 2009)
The recently released ‘World GPS Market Forecast To 2012’ has come up with a comprehensive review on the market trends, drivers, challenges, and opportunities that are vital for the success of GPS industry across the world. Analysis is presented for major geographic markets such as the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, and other Asian countries like India and China. The report gives a detailed analysis on the end-user applications, including In-Vehicle Navigation, Survey/Mapping, Machine Control and others.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
A new ‘pair of eyes’ in space
BBC News – UK
They are the “eyes in the sky” that spy on Afghan poppy growers and mapped the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Now, two new satellites are to be added to the five-strong DMC constellation, and made freely available for research. Deimos-1 and UK-DMC2 will supply imagery to support global environment monitoring projects when they launch later this year.
Facts of the Matter
Honolulu Star-Bulletin – USA
The use of both remote sensing and terrestrial measurements to monitor the earth’s chemical and thermal vital signs has led to an unprecedented awareness of and interest in global changes as they relate to the well-being of the planet’s ecology.
US To Help Israel Shut Down Smuggling Tunnels
NPR – USA
Oden says that if he were advising the effort to find tunnels, he’d try to use several different techniques at once, starting with remote sensing. “No geophysical technique works all the time, so you try using several and compare notes between them,” he says.
EIGS IN THE NEWS
Mississippi’s Statewide GIS Software Site License Program Preparing Workforce for Growing Geospatial Industry
GISCafe’, January 13, 2009
The Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions (EIGS) and the Geospatial Council of the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) are pleased to announce that the state of Mississippi has funded the geospatial statewide software site license program for the 2008-09 academic year. As one of Mississippi’s most notable and successful activities in the geospatial arena, the geospatial software program provides remote sensing and Geospatial Information System (GIS) software learning packages for use at all Institutions of Higher Learning and Community and Junior Colleges at no cost to the individual institutions.
NVision hits payroll milestone
Mississippi Businesss Journal, January 27, 2009
NVision Solutions Inc. recently surpassed a milestone. It now has more than 50 employees on its payroll. Since its incorporation in March 2002, NVision has experienced success and growth at a steady pace, and in July 2007 expanded its offices to the newly opened Stennis Technology Park in Hancock County.
Mississippi Partnership Addresses Workforce Development for the Geospatial Industry
U.S Department of Labor ETA website, January 30, 2009
On January 15, 2009, EIGS and the Geospatial Education Council of the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) announced the official launch of MARS, the second generation, was held on the Ridgeland campus of Holmes Community College. The MARS program (Mississippi Area Remapping Strategy) is a geospatial high school adoption program with 8 high schools across the state of Mississippi. Eighty-five students, teachers, mentors, and representatives from state departments and agencies were in attendance.