Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Aiddata Gis International Fellowship: Ghana West-Africa, Jason N. Ready

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

My internship, or fellowship as it was commonly referred to, was funded by a non-profit organization out of Williamsburg Virginia called AidData. This fellowship took place in in the country of Ghana, West-Africa beginning in May of 2016 and continued for 14 weeks with 40 hours each week. The objective of this internship was to provide in-depth training on the use of geographic Information Systems to Private and Public sectors within the country to allow for increased efficiency, and transparency through data visualization. In accordance with the requirement of Clark Universities GISDE master’s program this paper will delve into the …

Women In The Gis Profession, Livia Betancourt-Mazur, Jochen Albrecht

Publications and Research

In many technical professions, women are underrepresented. While a gender imbalance also has been assumed to exist in the realm of professional GIS, no data existed to corroborate it. The original survey presented here was developed by the authors to add both quantitative and qualitative research about the numbers and current experience of women in GIS to address this knowledge gap. A total of 484 women responded to the survey, providing a healthy sample size and a reliable and informative data set.

A key finding is that some 42 percent of women are, overall, not grossly underrepresented in the GIS …

Urban Walkability Measures: Data Quality, Cautions, And Associations With Active And Public Transportation Across Canada, Thomas C. Thayer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) has emerged as a primary tool to study the built environment (BE) and its correlates. Accurate results employing GIS-based methods, however, depend on high-quality data sets and agreement on the appropriate nature and scale of areal units. Exploratory groundtruthing exercises illuminated possible issues of data accuracy. GIS-derived walkability measures for intersection density and land use mix were calculated for 2011 using Census of Canada data to determine whether commercially- or municipally-sourced urban data sets were better suited for BE studies. Road network data were ‘cleaned’ to remove unwalkable sections of road and to repair instances of …

The Invisible People Of The Invisible Coast: The Resilience Of People Experiencing Homelessness To Disasters On The Alabama, Louisiana, And Mississippi Gulf Coasts, Nicole Elizabeth Callais

Master's Theses

While extensive research has been conducted on vulnerability and resilience with regard to hazards, very few studies have researched the resilience of homeless populations. The Gulf Coast region is densely populated and susceptible to natural and anthropogenic hazards. Climate change studies indicate that this region will experience an increase in severe and intense tropical cyclones[1], thereby increasing the risk of experiencing adverse impacts from future coastal hazards. While local government agencies in this region have policies in place to protect communities, these policies tend to exclude any action regarding the evacuation and safety of the homeless population.

In …

Tornado Density And Return Periods In The Southeastern United States: Communicating Risk And Vulnerability At The Regional And State Levels, Michelle Bradburn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tornado intensity and impacts vary drastically across space, thus spatial and statistical analyses were used to identify patterns of tornado severity in the Southeastern United States and to assess the vulnerability and estimated recurrence of tornadic activity. Records from the Storm Prediction Center's tornado database (1950-2014) were used to estimate kernel density to identify areas of high and low tornado frequency at both the regional- and state-scales. Return periods (2-year, 5-year, 10-year, 25-year, 50-year, and 100-year) were calculated at both scales as well using a composite score that included EF-scale magnitude, injury counts, and fatality counts. Results showed that the …

Lidar-Assisted Extraction Of Old Growth Baldcypress Stands Along The Black River Of North Carolina, Weston Pierce Murch

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The remnants of ancient baldcypress forests continue to grow across the Southeastern United States. These long lived trees are invaluable for biodiversity along riverine ecosystems, provide habitat to a myriad of animal species, and augment the proxy climate record for North America. While extensive logging of the areas along the Black River in North Carolina has mostly decimated ancient forests of many species including the baldcypress, conservation efforts from The Nature Conservancy and other partners are under way. In order to more efficiently find and study these enduring stands of baldcypress, some of which are estimated to be more than …

Aaaneurysm Outreach Screening Data And Emergency Healthcare Accessibility In Louisiana: Identifying High-Risk Populations For Targeted Interventions, Amy M. Poole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abdominal aortic aneurysms are the third leading cause of sudden death in men 60 years and over. AAAneurysm Outreach provides free screenings to residents of Louisiana and beyond. Service areas were calculated for each AAAneurysm Outreach screening event location and stroke center. Data provided by the 2010 U.S. Census, the American Community Survey, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to describe demographics of the underserved populations and to identify high-risk areas for targeted interventions. Twenty-five percent of age-eligible Louisianans reside outside optimal drive-time-to-screening-event zones but within spatially clustered areas of increased prevalence rates. The maximum drive-time-to-treatment zones …

An Extendable Visualization And User Interface Design For Time-Varying Multivariate Geoscience Data, Yanfu Zhou

Department of Computer Science and Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Geoscience data has unique and complex data structures, and its visualization has been challenging due to a lack of effective data models and visual representations to tackle the heterogeneity of geoscience data. In today’s big data era, the needs of visualizing geoscience data become urgent, especially driven by its potential value to human societies, such as environmental disaster prediction, urban growth simulation, and so on. In this thesis, I created a novel geoscience data visualization framework and applied interface automata theory to geoscience data visualization tasks. The framework can support heterogeneous geoscience data and facilitate data operations. The interface automata …

An Intra-Site Spatial Analysis Of Fort St. Joseph (20be23) In Niles, Mi, Katelyn Deann Hillmeyer

Masters Theses

In the field of archaeology, surveying and mapping have played key roles in documenting and analyzing site data. With the advancements in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this integration of spatial data is made easier and better visualization can be attained for site layout and artifact distributions both horizontally, in space, and also vertically through a temporal component. The ongoing excavations at Fort St. Joseph (Smithsonian trinomial- 20BE23), near Niles, Michigan, makes it an excellent site for exploring the evolution of applied GIS methodology and the adjustment of among ongoing static database applications to new spatial methods of investigating site distributions. …

Introduction To Gis Using Open Source Software, 7th Ed, Frank Donnelly

Open Educational Resources

This tutorial was created to accompany the GIS Practicum, a day-long workshop offered by the Newman Library at Baruch College CUNY that introduces participants to geographic information systems (GIS) using the open source software QGIS. The practicum introduces GIS as a concept for envisioning information and as a tool for conducting geographic analyses and creating maps. Participants learn how to navigate a GIS interface, how to prepare layers and conduct a basic geographic analysis, and how to create thematic maps. This tutorial was written using QGIS version 2.14 "Essen", a cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux) desktop GIS software package.

Les Rues Des Tableaux: The Geography Of The Parisian Art Market 1815-1955, Léa Saint-Raymond, Félicie De Maupeou, Julien Cavero

Artl@s Bulletin

Building upon a preliminary socioeconomic analysis of the art dealers in Paris between 1815 and 1955 (ARTL@S Bulletin 2, n°2), this paper presents the findings of a spatial study of the Parisian art market in this period. Using serial geographical data drawn from a single, consistent source – the Bottin du commerce – we mapped the spatial evolution of art dealers over 140 years, using a geocoding system with composite locators. The article explores the different spatial dynamics of this market, and seeks to shed light on the links between the evolution of the Parisian economy as a whole and …

Planning For Bike Share Connectivity To Rail Transit, Greg P. Griffin, Ipek N. Sener

Journal of Public Transportation

Bike sharing can play a role in providing access to transit stations and then to final destinations, but early implementation of these systems in North America has been opportunistic rather than strategic. This study evaluates local intermodal plan goals using trip data and associated infrastructure such as transit stops and bike share station locations in Austin, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois. Bike sharing use data from both cities suggest a weak relationship with existing rail stations that could be strengthened through collaborative, intermodal planning. The study suggests a planning framework and example language that could be tailored to help address the …

Using Data To Build Community: Exploring One Model Of Geographically Specific Data Use In The Non-Profit Sector, Robert L. Fischer

Faculty Scholarship

Non-profit organizations strive to identify and build community in a variety of ways. A new development to assist non-profit organizations with this critical task is the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) that incorporate data assembled from area non-profit organizations. In this article, we investigate the reasons why non-profit organizations adopt these systems, their inclusion of various stakeholders in site launch, and the challenges for sustaining GIS use. Based on in-depth interviews conducted with sites that have adopted a prominent GIS application – the Urban Institute's Community Platform – we find that although non-profits may implement GIS with the expressed …

Quantifying Transit Access In New York City: Formulating An Accessibility Index For Analyzing Spatial And Social Patterns Of Public Transportation, Maxwell S. Siegel

Theses and Dissertations

This paper aims to analyze accessibility within New York City’s transportation system through creating unique accessibility indices. Indices are detailed and implemented using GIS, analyzing the distribution of transit need and access. Regression analyses are performed highlighting relationships between demographics and accessibility and recommendations for transit expansion are presented.

Habitat For Humanity's Lower 9th Ward Development Initiative, Derreck Blake Deason, Michelle M. Thompson Phd, Gisp

Derreck Blake Deason

Applying Gis Technology In Airport Management, Eleanor Clark

Honors Projects

This honors project involved applying two disciplines to aid in advancing the efficiency of airport management at the Toledo Express Airport. I utilized my geography and aviation knowledge and geographic information system (GIS) skills to create a GIS, a webmap, and a 3-in-1 map-based program that had the capabilities of executing Part 139 Self Inspections, asset management, and work orders. The GIS system and webmap were successfully created to aid in management, cohesiveness, and efficiency within the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, the managing entity of the Toledo Express Airport. For the 3-in-1 map-based program, I worked closely alongside a programmer …

Gis And Location-Based Crime Risk Analysis: Summer Internship With Location, Inc., Zhilan Deng

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

My internship with Location, Inc. took place from May 20th, 2015 to August 24th, 2015. I worked with one direct supervisor, Jonathan Glick, as well as the CEO of Location, Inc. Andrew Schiller. I have four main responsibilities during the summer: 1) collecting U.S. crime point data, 2) geocoding and processing crime point data; 3) collecting and processing Canada Crime statistics and demographic data; 4) updating school performance data and U. S. crime statistics. This report includes the introduction of Location, Inc., where I did my internship, the details of my responsibilities in Location, Inc., and my assessment to Location, …

Late Prehistoric Lithic Economies In The Prairie Peninsula: A Comparison Of Oneota And Langford In Southern Wisconsin And Northern Illinois, Stephen Wayne Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of the environmental settlement patterns and the organization of lithic technology surrounding Upper Mississippian groups in Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. The sites investigated in this study are the Washington Irving (11K52) and Koshkonong Creek Village (47JE379) habitation sites, contemporaneous creekside Langford and Oneota sites located approximately 90 kilometers apart. A two-kilometer catchment of Washington Irving is compared to that of the Koshkonong Creek Village to clarify the nature of environmental variation in Langford and Oneota settlement patterns and increase our understanding of Upper Mississippian horticulturalist lifeways. Lithic tool and mass debitage analyses use an …

Does Crime Correlate With Fear?: Analyzing The Spatial Relationship Between Perceptions Of Safety And Crime Using Sketch Maps And Geographic Information Systems (Gis) In The Main South Neighborhood Of Worcester, Ma, Marina Khananayev

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

The relationship between reported crime and residential perceptions of safety is understudied and inconclusive due to its highly complicated nature. This study seeks to narrow this gap by using sketch maps collected from residents about their safety and crime data. Two methods, one visual, the other statistical (Bivariate LISA), were tested using data from sketch maps drawn by about 95 survey respondents and crime data spanning three years (2011-2014). Data was disaggregated by gender, age, and length of residency. Visual analysis of results show that perceptions of safety occur at a fine scale. Respondents marked sketch maps at varying scales …

Web Application Development For Election Polling Places In The City Of Worcester Area: Summer Internship With The City Of Worcester, Shuhong Yan

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

My summer internship is in the Technical Services, the City of Worcester, starting from June to August of 2015. My supervisor is Claire Brill who gave me guidance at each step of my internship. I devoted to customizing a web application for Election Polling Places in the City of Worcester. This application aims to provide citizens with the latest information about their related polling place and elected officials. For the project, I collected data for elected officials and transferred data for polling places, precincts, and others from the Geodatabse of the City of Worcester to a new Local Government Geodatabase …

Portrait Of Hiv For The East Region Of Tennessee, Emmitt Lee Turner

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Past Meets Future: Combining Gis, 3d Technologies, And Legacy Data To Reanalyze Ceramics At Copan, Honduras, Stephanie Sterling, Heather Richards-Rissetto, René Viel

UCARE Research Products

The archaeological site of Copán—a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Honduras—was a primary center for cultural and economic exchange in the Maya world from the fifth to ninth centuries. Our research investigates the sociopolitical climate of the city immediately preceding this collapse. This poster presents the results of a pilot study intended to evaluate the potential of using a combination of digital technologies and legacy data to reanalyze a subset of diagnostic ceramics from select sites outside of Copan’s urban core. Our methods involved:

(1) Applying photogrammetry to generate 3D models for approximately 30 potentially temporally-diagnostic ceramic types

(2) Digitizing, …

The Battle Of Hastings: A Geographic Perspective, Christopher E. M. Hewitt

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The Battle of Hastings (1066) is one of the most widely studied battles in medieval history. Yet despite the importance that research shows geography to play in the outcome of such conflicts, few studies have examined in detail the landscape of the battle or the role the landscape played in its eventual outcome. This study, consequently, seeks to assess the impact of geographic factors in understanding the events that shaped the Battle of Hastings. The analysis was undertaken using a geographic information system (GIS) with qualitative and quantitative techniques. Historical and current data combined in a series of detailed state …

3d Tool Evaluation And Workflow For An Ecological Approach To Visualizing Ancient Socio-Environmental Landscapes: A Case Study From Copan, Honduras, Heather Richards-Rissetto, Shona Sanford-Long, Jack Kerby-Miller

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Architectural reconstructions are the centerpieces of ancient landscape visualization. When present, vegetation is relegated to the background, resulting in underutilized plant data—an integral data source for archaeological interpretation—thus limiting the capacity to take advantage of 3D visualization for studying ancient socio-environmental dynamics. Our long-term objective is to develop methods of 3D landscape visualization that have value for examining changes in land use and settlement patterns. To begin to work toward this objective, we have (1) identified 3D tools and techniques for vegetation modeling and landscape visualization, (2) evaluated the pros and cons of these tools, (3) investigated biological and ecological …

Assessing The Impact Of A Supermarket Shuttle Model On Supermarket Access Within Cabell County, West Virginia, Doug Wiley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Will the implementation of a grocery shuttle impact supermarket access for residents of Cabell County, West Virginia? The concentration of supermarkets in the City of Huntington has led to a service gap in the outlying census block groups of the study area. Supermarket access is concentrated in the City of Huntington and may provide a positive outcome for families living within the city. The study assesses the impact of the implementation of a supermarket shuttle on supermarket access within the study area, through spatial analysis of supermarkets, transportation networks, and census block groups. The transportation network data and census block …

Laboratory Exercise- Mapping The Risk Of Structural Failure In Schools Due To An Earthquake, Joel Barker, Kimberly Sowards, Casey Webb

Engineering Applications of GIS - Laboratory Exercises

Utah’s present geology has been greatly dictated by tectonic stresses that have occurred over the last 0.7 Ga. A determining factor in much of this Geology is the Hingeline that runs through Salt Lake County. Throughout the history of the western North America, this has been an important weak zone. It is no surprise that this same zone is now home to the Wasatch Fault System, which accommodates some of the extension of Western North America. The steep mountains facing west toward Salt Lake City were formed from the tectonic processes of the Fault. The Wasatch Fault is a normal …

Laboratory Exercise X – Most Dangerous Places To Live In The United States Based On Natural Disasters, Joshua Alpers, Luke Kevan, Santiago Tovar

Engineering Applications of GIS - Laboratory Exercises

This laboratory assignment simulates the most dangerous places to live in the United States based on natural disasters. The natural disasters that will be used in this assignment include wild fires, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding. These inputs will be required in creating a heat map of the United States showing what locations are most likely to have a high probability of natural disasters.

Final Laboratory Project - Finding The Ideal Camping Location In The Uintas, Jeffrey Baker, Josh Curtis, Ryan Egbert

Engineering Applications of GIS - Laboratory Exercises

GIS is used extensively by the United States Forest Service in mapping and research. Many resources are available online including raster data and shapefiles. The use of GIS tools allows for analyzing entire forests and finding specific points within large areas that meet certain criteria. The Ashley National Forest, High Uinta Mountains Wilderness, in northeastern Utah contains many shapefiles including roads, forest, highway, points of interest, lakes, streams, etc. The purpose of this lab is to use these available datasets to identify ideal locations to set up camp in the Uinta Mountains.

Laboratory Exercise – Ideal Locations For A Family, Benjamin Barrett, Colin Esplin, Chris Garcia

Engineering Applications of GIS - Laboratory Exercises

Upon the successful completion of a college degree, many students (and their families) are offered job positions in various locations throughout the Unites States. As a result, these young families are tasked with the challenge of finding a suitable place to live in an area they are completely unfamiliar with. By using a model in ArcMap this task can be made much easier. In this lab a model will be created in ArcGIS Model Builder along with a corresponding map showing suitable locations.

Final Laboratory Project – Emergency Landing Site Map, John Chadwick, Daniel Pope, Todd Weichers

Engineering Applications of GIS - Laboratory Exercises

Utah County is constantly developing and expanding. New developments require new roads, new power lines, and changes to existing topography. GIS data is maintained and made available for the state of Utah by Utah AGRC (Automated Geographic Reference Center). GIS can be used to make an easy to update map that will display the current situation of roads, power lines, population density, and terrain. In this exercise a model will be created that will execute to create a map that will display safe emergency landing sites for recreational aircraft in Utah County.