Geography 291: Geospatial Analysis with Desktop GIS

Hi my name is Daniela Flores (she/her) I am a sophomore majoring in environmental science. I’m from Philadelphia PA, I love listening to music and going on walks.

Chapter 1

When people think of GIS, they believe it’s only software for geographers because of its ability to document and log locations. In reality, everyone uses it, and it is a helpful tool for anyone in any subject or job position. GIS can help with basically anything that is in any place that can be documented. 

With GIS we can visualize things we couldn’t when it was just with pen and paper. We can see the repercussions of potential construction in areas and how it can damage the environment without doing anything to the area. GIS reminds me of a layered cake, layering different layers of the land, soil, forest, housing/buildings to create one map that includes all the characteristics of one area. One thing I like about GIS that this chapter talked about was how when using GIS the facts and data don’t have to be as precise, there can be guesstimates to see how things would look while finalizing data or making hypotheses while mapping. GIS is also good for visual learners, they can see the separate layers of the area and learn about it in an easier format instead of reading long articles about data. With this visual format, it can be easier to solve problems as they are now imitating what someone is trying to hypothesize. With GIS we are not only able to address environmental concerns but also human concerns like crime, femicide, and social changes. GIS can help with anything you can think of, it is a powerful, and accessible tool that anyone can use. I wonder if GIS has been purposefully used to urbanize and gentrify certain areas because they seem like good areas to build businesses without identifying the places that were there before. 

Two GIS applications 

One GIS application I looked up was feminicide, I found one based in Antioquia, Colombia. This paper focuses on studying feminicide from a geographical perspective, and seeing how the relationship with drug trafficking in geographical locations impacts feminicides. 

Source: The spatial heterogeneity of factors of feminicide: The case of Antioquia Colombia

The second GIS application I looked up was Landslides in Colombia. They used GIS to estimate groundwater levels and compare them to rainfall events. They also compared it with earthquakes to see their relationship and how they could predict landslides. 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/%28SICI%291096-9837%28199609%2921%3A9%3C853%3A%3AAID-ESP676%3E3.0.CO%3B2-C

 

Hi! I am Jade Fondran, a sophomore studying Zoology and minoring in Environmental Science. I am from Euclid, Ohio a suburb of Cleveland. I have a dog, two cats, and three fish.

Before reading this article I was unaware at how prevalent GIS is in each of our lives. I was surprised to know that a company like Starbucks uses GIS in order to strategically place each of their locations. I found this specific quote explaining GIS to be interesting “It is not a piece of software, but a scientific approach to the problem: ”how do we define crisp boundaries to demarcate fuzzy and changeable phenomena?” ” I thought this was an insightful way to explain how GIS can be used for many different things.

The identity crisis of GIS began in the 1960s when Ian Mcharg was determining how to fit a highway into the landscape properly. He used overlays of paper with forests, streets, buildings, etc on each layer and determined the best route. This overlay method became the basis for GIS and other spatial analysis techniques.  This concept of overlaying paper was translated into one of the earliest GIS systems on a computer. I always find stories of how some of the first computers worked and how they were created to be very fascinating.

In a later section, What Does the Acronym GIS Stand For? The Two Faces of GIS , it explains how  important  the translation of spatial phenomena is made into digital terms. Slight differences can change the results for analysis, and it is important for GIScience. I found it interesting that GIS is multifaceted and is not just one thing. Overall, I found this reading insightful and thoroughly introduced me to what GIS is and how important it is to society.

1. “GIS Application on Endangered Sharks”

GIS is used very often when determining where animals are most threatened. Making it very important to those who work in conservation. For example, the picture I found shows areas in which habitats of certain animals are protected under the Endangered Species Act. This specific example was made by NOAA Fisheries in order to make it easier for the public to identify protected areas.

2. “GIS application on plants”

GIS application can be used frequently when dealing with agriculture. For example, it can be used to help determine crop growth while analyzing fertilizer, soil type, and terrain. This map shows “Fertilizer application assessment based on data from field equipment, processed with EOSDA Crop Monitoring.” GIS software is very important in many aspects of agriculture and benefits all who utilize it in order to have the most efficient practices.

https://sites.owu.edu/geog-291/wp-content/uploads/sites/208/2025/01/print.pdf

Sources:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/new-app-makes-endangered-species-habitat-easy-find

https://eos.com/blog/gis-in-agriculture/

GEOG291 Introduction

 

Hello! My name is Panagiota Banti but people call me Naya! I am an international student from Greece and I am double majoring in Computer Science and Data Analytics. My favorite food is sushi and I love going to the gym and hanging out with my friends. On campus, I am also a cheerleader and part of the Computer Science and Programming Club.

 

To begin with I don’t have any knowledge about GIS. This passage helped me understand a lot about GIS from its history to questions a tool like this might raise. The passage successfully explained the history of GIS and how it evolved to become an important tool in many different fields. GIS is used for mapping and not only. It analyzes cities, social trends, health patterns, and environmental issues. However, there are some issues concerning society that haven’t been discussed thoroughly. 

This type of technology has many uses but it raises the question of what its true purpose is because it is used in different ways across various fields. GIS can be said that is shaped by a combination of social and academic ideas and its data is used to help with important decision-making. Therefore, we understandand analyze the world around us and GIS plays a fundamental role in our everyday lives without knowing it. I was fascinated by how many uses GIS has that we didn’t know of. I thought that GIS is solely used for environmental or geographical reasons and therefore, learning about all its uses is something that surprised me.

 

Something that I found interesting is the privacy concerns GIS raises data privacy and centralization of powerbecause GIS can track everything and keep private information. Even more concerning is the fact that there is no privacy safeguards for this issue. 

Another interesting thing that I didnt know about is that GIS is something that younger people know already when coming to college and that shows again how important this tool is starting to be in our everyday lives, and the same goes in academia. There are still challenges in collecting and organizing data from GIS but this issue seems to be in progress. 

 

GIS Applications

 

1. Contaminated sites 

GIS applications in contaminated sites are essential for, monitoring, and managing environmental contamination. Hazardous materials such as heavy metals, chemicals, radioactive substances. The research I found was how GIS protected people from contaminated water. 

https://mcwec.org/2023/11/using-gis-technology-to-protect-people-from-contaminated-water-part-1/

1. Crime 

GIS helps law enforcement agencies make data-driven decisions by giving them visual representations of crime trends which makes it possible for them to recognize patterns, distribute resources effectively, and create focused treatments.

https://crimetechweekly.com/2015/10/20/what-is-geospatial-crime-mapping/

1. Hi! My name is Will White. I am a junior here at Ohio Wesleyan. I am a Business Management major and also a member of the Ohio Wesleyan’s Men’s Lacrosse team where I play goalie. I am from Pelham, New York which is right outside of New York City.

 

 

1. Chapter 1 of Nadine Schuurman’s GIS: A Short Introduction outlines the growing significance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in modern life and its diverse applications across fields like urban planning, agriculture, epidemiology, and commerce. GIS’s ability to integrate spatial data and generate meaningful insights has made it indispensable, though its identity remains fluid and multifaceted. Schuurman highlights the dichotomy of GIS as both a technical tool (“GISystems”) and a broader field of inquiry (“GIScience”).One key takeaway is how GIS has evolved from simple computerized cartography to a sophisticated analytical tool. For example, it enables urban planners to visualize traffic impacts or epidemiologists to track disease outbreaks, emphasizing its capacity to combine spatial analysis with intuitive visualization. Schuurman also stresses how GIS has shaped daily life, from determining waste collection routes to optimizing retail locations like Starbucks. What stands out is the tension between the technical and philosophical aspects of GIS. While it excels in creating visually accessible data representations, the author argues that GIS users must understand the underlying assumptions and potential biases in data encoding and boundary definitions. For instance, how we classify spatial phenomena—such as community boundaries—can drastically affect analysis outcomes. Schuurman also touches on the collaborative and ethical dimensions of GIS, mentioning feminist perspectives and Public Participation GIS (PPGIS). These approaches seek to democratize GIS technology, emphasizing inclusivity and questioning whose interests GIS serves. Overall, this chapter provides a balanced introduction to GIS, celebrating its technical achievements while encouraging critical reflection on its societal impacts. It effectively sets the stage for readers to explore GIS’s complexities beyond its surface applications, prompting questions about its role in shaping how we interact with and interpret the world.

 

 

1. GIS plays a crucial role in crime analysis by helping law enforcement visualize and understand crime patterns. Through mapping hotspots, it highlights areas with high crime concentrations, enabling targeted patrols and resource allocation. For example, police in Los Angeles have successfully reduced crime rates by focusing efforts on these mapped hotspots. Additionally, GIS supports predictive policing by analyzing historical data and environmental factors to forecast where crimes are likely to occur, allowing proactive measures to prevent incidents. A crime density map of Washington D.C. illustrates how GIS identifies areas with frequent incidents, guiding more effective strategies. Overall, GIS enhances crime prevention and contributes to building safer communities

 

 

https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/law-enforcement/strategies/crime-analysis?utm_source

 

Introduction

Hi, my name is Will Siegenthaler. I’m a junior majoring in Economics. I play lacrosse, enjoy playing basketball, and like to read in my free time. This is my first experience with GIS, and I’m looking forward to learning more about its applications and relevance in different fields.

Schuurman Chapter 1

Before reading Chapter 1 of Schuurman, I didn’t know much about GIS or its history. It was interesting to learn how GIS was initially viewed as just a computerized version of mapping and how its broader applications weren’t recognized early on. I found the discussion about how spatial analysis differs from traditional mapping to be particularly thought-provoking, especially the idea that GIS can layer and analyze data to answer complex questions.

The chapter also emphasized how GIS became a multi-disciplinary tool, used by geographers, architects, and others. It was surprising to read about the initial resistance to GIS, especially from cartographers who preferred traditional methods. Over time, though, it has proven to be far more powerful than paper-based systems.

One point I found compelling was how GIS can reflect user biases, including gender biases, which can have far-reaching implications. It raised questions for me about how the technology can be refined to minimize unintended biases. Overall, the reading showed me that GIS can be a valuable tool in fields like economics, urban planning, and environmental science, which I hadn’t considered before.

GIS Applications

1. Crime Mapping and Analysis
   GIS is widely used in law enforcement to map and analyze crime patterns. Heatmaps created with GIS help identify crime hotspots, allowing police departments to allocate resources more effectively. For example, predictive crime mapping uses historical data to forecast where crimes are likely to occur, helping to improve public safety and reduce crime rates.

Source: ESRI Blog – Crime Mapping and GIS

1. Urban Planning and Smart Cities
   In urban planning, GIS supports the development of smart cities by helping planners analyze land use, infrastructure, and population density. For instance, GIS can optimize public transportation routes, map energy consumption, or assess areas prone to flooding. These tools enable planners to make data-driven decisions that enhance the quality of life in urban areas.

Source: GIS Geography – GIS in Urban Planning

 

Hey! My name is George Naples and I’m a Junior from Youngstown, Ohio. I am double majoring in Environmental Studies and Geography.  In my free time I enjoy collecting vinyl records, going to concerts, learning about cars, and watching TV. I also have an almost 2 year old golden doodle named Arlo.

   

In reading Schurrman’s first chapter of GIS: A Short Introduction, I expected a far more textbook, scientific explanation of the software. As most of my previous studies have leaned toward the field of Human Geography, this was a pleasant surprise. After all, Geography can always bend and be applied to what you are researching so this shouldn’t be too shocking. Although this summary was not limited to developments from a Human Geography perspective, the necessary scientific explanations were present. It created an easily digestible culmination of the uses of this versatile software. The simultaneous development of GIS in completely separate countries was very interesting to read about. This entirely emphasizes the importance of this software and the necessity of it being developed. The use of overlays from the original physical pieces of paper to what we now know as overlays was something that I had never considered. The section in which Schurrman defined the difference between ‘mapping’ and ‘spatial analysis’ was a critical section to explain the importance of GIS. “Mapping represents geographical data, with varying degrees of fidelity, in visual form.” Spatial analysis generates more data upon the geographical location than that of mapping can provide.I was pleasantly surprised to learn of how many unique uses GIS has in modern application. The application that caught me the most off guard was when Starbucks was mentioned. I have worked at Starbucks for almost five years consecutively at this point, and this company does not come off as tech-savvy in the slightest. I had heard that Starbucks considers a number of factors when finding locations for new stores such as median household income, traffic volumes, etc, however I did not get the impression that this process would have so much overlap with my academic goals. This diversity of uses within GIS makes perfect sense when understanding the definition of spatial analysis. 

For the first application of GIS, I searched “household income GIS.” I was presented with an entire mapping of the continental United States with information for every census district in 2023. In order to have a small, more digestible population of data, I chose my hometown. Youngstown, Ohio is part of the midwest rust belt. This means that the inner cities are known for levels of poverty reaching far past the national average. While the data does still determine that this trend of poverty has not changed, it does show an improvement from what these incomes were when I was growing up. When I was growing up in the mid to late 2000s, I remember household incomes averaging around $20,000. This data showed that the area in the city with the lowest median household income averages around $12,000. While this specific piece of data does not indicate any growth , the rest of the city shows averages  from $20,000 to $40,000.

   
https://owugis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=9e256998acd64827a2ec22574c4bd923

For my second application I searched “Heat map GIS.” I once again chose to focus on my hometown. This map showed different statistics of urban heat in metropolitan areas. This issue with heat is linked to underinvestment not only economically but also infrastructurally. This map shows that the same areas with low household income averages are shared by areas that have urban heat challenges. However, they are not entirely the same. This is due to the lack of any inhabitance in large portions of Youngstown after Black Monday in 1977 which caused a mass exodus from the city. Youngstown has worked tirelessly over the last 45+ years to ‘clean up’ the city. This included demolitions of completely abandoned neighborhoods. The heat map certifies that these efforts have made an improvement. However, the impoverished neighborhoods of the inner city where a majority of the population still resides needs a solution.

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?layers=d77c640241d84b6889ab290cd4cb755b

I’m Izzy Fry! I am a Freshman Environmental Science and Zoology major, and I’m on the field hockey team. I’m from Dublin, OH.

It’s really cool to learn about all the applications of GIS because I didn’t know it had so many uses in various fields. I also did not know that the technology and concepts were developed in the 1960s. It is also interesting to learn that in the early days manual maps were preferred for the process of overlaying information even into more modern times. It was really interesting to get a little bit of a window into the history of cartography while learning about GIS. I had also not thought much about how the availability data and scale of a GIS based project can impact what is actually able to be produced. It was also very interesting to learn about how GIS can be used in terms of public health, specifically in the example of a cholera outbreak and locating the cause. Additionally, agricultural uses for GIS are very interesting because of the possibility of considering so many variables together. I’m excited to learn more about the possibilities of GIS.

I learned that GIS can be used in zoology for a variety of projects including gaging habitat suitability. This particular map is from “Modeling habitat suitability for endemic Grizzled leaf monkey (Presbytis comata) using geospatial machine learning approach” performed in Indonesia in 2022, by a team of researchers. This is very interesting because without GIS technology it would be very difficult to visualize this data especially in a comparative manner.

I also learned GIS can be used for resources that are important to humans including water quality. This map is from “GIS Mapping for Distribution of Ground Water
Quality in Udaipur” also performed in 2022. Which is interesting in terms of global health, public safety, and animal habitats.

Hey, my name is Adam, I’m a freshman majoring in Neuroscience(maybe) and Pre-med(maybe). I love to read and my girlfriend. I took 292 last semester so I’m taking the courses in reverse!

Schuurman’s introduction is primarily concerning the history and applications of GIS. The former half, history, was so so so boring to me because I don’t really care about how GIS came to be. Regardless, I did learn some new terms that I find worth mentioning. First, it’s worth mentioning that GIS can stand for two different things: “Geographic Information Science” and “Geographic Information Systems.” To me, it seems that these terms can be used interchangeably, but it can be helpful to differentiate between the two. GISystems generally refers to the hardware and software that is used to represent geographic data, while GIScience refers to the study of how the systems work, are used, and impact society. The latter half was a bit more interesting to me. It was an interesting exploration of how pervasive GIS is in so many fields. In health fields, for example, we can use GIS to model the spread of diseases or analyze the access communities have to care.

Searches:

Search 1: First, because I like reading, I decided to look up “GIS libraries” and stumbled across an article by American Libraries Magazine. The article details how librarians are increasingly using GIS to enhance their services and provide resources. It speaks to how librarians have created digestible interactive maps to make complex information easier to understand for readers.

Search 2: In my second search, I decided to go in the direction of its use in disease control and awareness. I came across the World Health Organization’s website and found some of their data on COVID-19. On this page, there is a map that shows reported cases of COVID-19 globally.

My name is Trey Weber. I am a Junior on the Lacrosse team here. I’m a Finance major and I’m minoring in Economics. I am from Denver, Colorado. In my free time I like to ski and work on cars with my dad. 

Chapter 1 of Nadine Schuurman’s GIS: A Short Introduction introduces Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in a straightforward and relatable way. She explains that GIS is more than just software for creating maps; it’s a powerful tool for analyzing and understanding spatial data. From city planning to tracking environmental changes, GIS plays a role in solving everyday problems and answering big questions about the world around us. Schuurman gives a brief history of GIS, explaining that it emerged in the 1960s in different parts of the world. This simultaneous development shows how widespread the need was for tools to manage and analyze spatial information. She also highlights the difference between mapping and spatial analysis. While mapping visualizes existing data, spatial analysis uncovers new insights by examining patterns and relationships within that data. For example, mapping might show where hospitals are located, but spatial analysis can reveal gaps in healthcare coverage. A key takeaway from the chapter is the distinction between GISystems and GIScience. GISystems are the tools and software, like ArcGIS or Google Maps, while GIScience is the theory and research that guide how those tools are used. This distinction helps readers understand that GIS isn’t just technology, it’s a way of thinking and solving problems. Another important point is how data representation in GIS impacts understanding. Choosing symbols, colors, or map designs can influence how people interpret the information. Schuurman stresses the importance of clear and standardized design to avoid confusion. In summary, Schuurman’s first chapter lays the foundation for understanding GIS as both a practical tool and a scientific approach. It’s a great introduction that shows how GIS can help us navigate and make sense of the complex and interconnected world we live in.

My first search was “crime gis applications”. Here I found crime info for the city of Denver. It breaks down the type and location of certain crimes around the city. This gives an idea of what areas may be dangerous or have lots of theft. This can help people to plan where they may want to live. It also can be used by law enforcement to survey different areas and allocate officers strategically. 

Source: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/17dcc405627742ad8f48988310b5a4d0 

My second search was “wolf telemetry gis applications”. I found that wolves are key to keeping ecosystems balanced. With GPS collars and GIS (Geographic Information Systems), scientists are uncovering the secrets of wolf behavior and movement like never before. GPS collars show where wolves roam, helping identify migration routes and hunting areas. GIS maps reveal what wolves need to thrive, guiding conservation efforts. Also, by mapping wolf activity near human areas, we can predict and prevent problems. GIS helps outline pack territories, revealing how wolves interact and share space among each other.