Spatial Structures for the Social Sciences (S4) will be hosting a GIS Training Institute for Brown PhD students in June, 2009.

Acquire the Skills, and Learn the Tools, for Managing Spatial Data, Conducting Geographic Analysis, and Communicating Spatial Patterns.

Attendance is free and all graduate student participants are invited to become S4 Fellows; once registered all participants must complete the two week Institute and submit a research report for publication on the S4 website.

AGENDA: June 1st -- June 13th

This two week institute will immerse students in Geographic Information Systems as well as help each participant integrate spatial data and GIS software into his or her ongoing graduate research.

Expertise from across the university will be brought together to provide training and background in GIS and related tools and techniques; some of the topics that will be covered include:

The Essential Elements of Geographic Information Systems
Asking Spatial and Geographic Questions
Accessing, Managing, Using, and Analyzing Spatial Data
Sources of Spatial Data
Spatial Analysis: An Introduction
GPS: Recording the World, One Place at a Time (Creating Spatial Data)
Mapping Data:
- The Art and Science of Cartography Communication
- Statistical Mapping
Discipline Specific: Demography, Ecology, Social Cohesion/Capital, Community Health, Epidemiology
Web-based GIS

Core Instructors

John Logan: Spatial Analysis, Demography, Research with Spatial/Geography themes
Seth Spielman: GIS, Spatial Analysis
Crystal Linkletter: Spatial Analysis, Spatial Statistics
Youshe Li: Web-based GIS, Geocoding, Georeferencing and Digitizing
Thomas Stieve: ArcGIS training
Lynn Carlson: DEM and Field data

Locations: Rockefeller Library (Hecker Training Center), PSTC (Seminar Room and computer lab) SSRL (Maxcy Hall), CIT , EarthLab