Q. Please define the University Consortium for Geographic Information
Science (UCGIS) for our readers.
A. UCGIS is a non-profit consortium founded in 1995 by
29 research institutions in geographic information science (GIScience).
As of June 1998, the total number of members has grown to 55, comprised
of 45 Universities, 1 National Laboratory, 4 Non-profit organizations and
5 Private Organizations. [See sidebar, p. 871] GIScience is broadly
defined as the multidisciplinary development and use of theories, methods,
technology, and data for understanding geographic processes, relationships,
and patterns. The transformation of geographic data into useful information
is central to GIScience.
Q. What is the mission of UCGIS?
A. UCGIS seeks to:
• Serve as a unified and effective voice for the geographic information
science research community;
• Foster multidisciplinary research and education in geographic information
science; and -
• Promote the informed and responsible use of geographic information
systems and geographic analysis for the benefit of society.
The mission of UCGIS is not to compete with other professional societies
and organizations in the conduct of pubications, conferences, etc.
More information on UCGIS mission, members and activities can be found
at www.ucgis.org.
Q. Who are the UCGIS members?
A. They are primarily public and private universities
that have multi-disciplinary GIScience programs, (see membership list on
WWW). Professional associations are also eligible for full membership,
as are the National Research Laboratories. The American Congress
on Surveying and Mapping, the Association of American Geographers, the
American Geographical Society, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory are
members. Last year an Affiliate Membership category was approved
and ESRI, Sedona GeoServices, Intergraph, Smallworld, and Sun Microsystems
are now affiliate members of UCGIS.
Q. What are the UCGIS activities?
A. In order to provide a broad voice for the GIScience
community, UCGIS has spent a great deal of effort in determining priorities
in GIScience research and in GIScience education. Ten research priorities
were developed in 1996 and a set of education priorities in 1997.
[See sidebar, p. 872] Published summaries have been widely circulated
in the academic, governmental and private communities to help focus research
and education efforts and funding. In June 1998, the research priorities
were re-evaluated at a four day meeting in Park City, Utah. In order
to expand the dialogue, government and private sector representatives participated
in these discussions. UCGIS is also becoming effective in developing
community and campus-wide participation in GIScience activities across
the nation.
Q. Why were imaging sciences left off of the list?
A. Imaging sciences were not included on the list because
there was no unified voice to address this area of concern. Collectively,
institutions did not present that unified voice on there own. This
is where ASPRS can help.
Q. What is UCGIS doing to promote its concerns?
A. In order to promote the community, UCGIS has become
a regular participant at Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) meetings.
It is the academic stakeholder in NSDI stakeholder discussions facilitated
by the FGDC. Representatives of UCGIS make regular calls on federal
agencies to discuss the intersection of agency needs and UCGIS capabilities
and activities.
UCGIS has also taken the message to the Congress, organizing
it’s second Congressional Breakfast in April 1998, where Senator Susan
Collins (R-ME) and Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) both spoke in support of
GIScience. This breakfast was attended by seven members of Congress
and 43 congressional staffers. UCGIS identified the need for $30
million and an NSF line item for GIScience. As a result, Senator
Collins requested that the Appropriations Committee allocate $20 million
to GIScience.
Q. Why should ASPRS consider joining UCGIS?
A. The goals and directions of ASPRS and UCGIS are similar.
Both the GIScience research agenda and the academic community are very
important to APSRS. Joining UCGIS is another avenue for ASPRS to
have a voice in the national debate on these topics. ASPRS and its
members have an important stake in consensus priorities in research and
education. They are influencing funding for research and education
programs, as well as the numbers, quality and skills of universities graduates.
The interests and concerns of the ASPRS GIS, photogrammetry, and remote
sensing communities need to be heard strongly in these debates. ASPRS
participation would serve as a catalyst to focus not only its own UCGIS
representatives but those of ASPRS members at UCGIS institutions.
To be effective in working with Congress, a broad coalition can be much
more effective than ASPRS or UCGIS alone.
Q. What is the role of Remote Sensing, Photogrammetry and Global
Positioning System Technologies in the UCGIS agenda?
A. Some have stated that UCGIS is not concerned with photogrammetry
and/or remote sensing. UCGIS has made conscious efforts to focus on fundamental
research and educational topics that encompasses all of the geographic
information science areas, including remote sensing, photogrammetry, digital
cartography, GPS, spatial statistics, etc. Remote sensing and photogrammetry
are a large and integral part of the UCGIS activities within spatial data
acquisitions, spatial analysis and the spatial data infrastructure. However,
by having greater input to the UCGIS priority setting process, this area
emphasis would become more visible with ASPRS involvement. Spatial
Data Acquisition and Integration is one of the UCGIS research priorities
that is strongly concerned with remote sensing and photogrammetry, but
most of the other 9 are relevant to ASPRS members’ research.
Q. Would UCGIS activities compete with ASPRS?
A. UCGIS has a very specialized mission in representing
the GIScience and education community, compared with the broad mandate
of ASPRS. UCGIS meetings are small and focused. The recent Assembly
in Park City had just over 100 people and no exhibits activities.
The UCGIS strategic plan calls for monitoring of related publications activities
of other groups and encouraging participation by UCGIS members. While the
UCGIS focus and activities are specialized, developing consensus
positions and working with Congress and federal agencies are big jobs requiring
most of the UCGIS attention and resources.
Q. How would ASPRS join UCGIS?
A. Applications for membership are taken twice each year,
and the next application date is September 30, 1998.
Q. What is the membership application process?
A. Applications are considered in the summer and fall.
The initial fee is $3,000 and covers dues for the calendar year ($3,500
for summer applications which includes 18 months dues). Annual dues
are currently $1,000. Members are required to link their web site with
the UCGIS site.
For more information, contact me, or UCGIS Executive Director Tom Palmerlee, or visit our web site at http://www.ucgis.org.
…………
About the Author
Dr. George F. Hepner works for the University of Utah and is an ASPRS
Board Member. He is also a founding Board Member of UCGIS.
University Consortium for Geographic Information Science
Member Institutions
Academic Institutions
Boston University
Brigham Young University
California State University System
Clark University
George Mason University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Hunter College, City University of New York
Louisiana State University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Michigan State University
New Mexico State University/ University of New Mexico
Ohio State University
Oregon State University
Pennsylvania State University
Rutgers University
San Diego State University
State University of New York at Buffalo
Syracuse University
Texas A&M at Corpus Christi
University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Colorado
University of Connecticut
University of Delaware
University of Georgia
University of Idaho
University of Illinois
University of Maine
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of Nebraska
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
University of Oklahoma
University of Pittsburgh
University of South Carolina
University of Southern California
University of Utah
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin -Milwaukee
University of Wyoming
Virginia Commonwealth University
West Virginia University
NON-PROFIT INSTITUTIONS
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping
American Geographical Society
Association of American Geographers
RESEARCH LABORATORIES
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
AFFILIATE MEMBERS
ESRI, Inc.
Intergraph Corporation
Sedona GeoServices, Inc
Smallworld Systems, Inc.
Sun Microsystems Computer Company
Copyright © 1999 American Society
for Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing
5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 210, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-2160
http://www.asprs.org,
for assistance select here.
(19 January 1999)