GIS and the Earth System

This is a 3 AU cross-listed course available to ASE undergraduates under the course code ES2082 and to graduate students under the course code ES7029. The course is co-taught by Prof. Judith Hubbard and Dr. Kyle Bradley. Typical enrolment: 30-50 students. This course is a practical introduction to the use of GIS in the Earth and Environmental Sciences.

This course introduces the use of GIS (Geographic Information Science) as a tool in Earth Systems Science, with a focus on ESRI ArcGIS software. Topics include: navigating within the program, importing, exporting, and manipulating datasets, creating attractive, useful maps; doing calculations; changing the reference frame; building a workflow to accomplish a task; creating 3D models from photographs, and searching online to solve problems and adjust workflows. The course will use topics and datasets from Earth Systems Science to illustrate and practice these tasks. The course will primarily use two software packages: ESRI ArcGIS and Agisoft Metashape, and will also introduce Google Earth Pro and QGIS.

Pre-requisite: You are expected to have basic scientific knowledge about the Earth from ES1003 or equivalent, as well as a basic introduction to programming from ES2001 or equivalent, which may be taken concurrently.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Import datasets into ArcGIS

• Find new GIS datasets online

• Understand the differences between different geographic projections and datums, identify which projection is relevant, and change projections and reference frames

• Georeference and digitize maps

• Create hillshades and slope maps to represent topography

• Create maps that illustrate relevant data clearly and attractively, including scale bars, legends, appropriate color schemes, and different types of symbols

• Measure values from maps and use these in calculations

• Perform calculations on spatial datasets

• Describe how GIS can be used in Earth Systems Science

• Develop GIS workflows to solve specific problems using online help systems

• Create a 3D model using photogrammetry (using Agisoft Metashape)

• Create topographic datasets from aerial photographs (using Agisoft Metashape)

• Export data from Agisoft Photoscan into ArcGIS

• Navigate and manipulate datasets within QGIS and Google Earth Pro

• Create an attractive and informative web presentation using ArcGIS StoryMaps

Selected 2020 final projects (ArcGIS Storymaps)

Final projects from previous years (3D models) - see the wide range of models in 3D in Sketchfab.

"The labs are really 'real world' problems, and there was a lot of thought put in to enhance our learning."

"Very committed, easily approachable, and has lots of knowledge."

"Judith makes the class really lively, especially on a Monday morning."