Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Let me first provide this disclaimer. I am not a genius, nor a seasoned expert with decades of experience in this field. This is simply my profession. Some things may be wrong, or explained improperly, and I apologize for that. But understand the only reason I’m writing this (and providing it for free, frankly), is because I believe it has the potential to help someone. 

What is GIS?

Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, is formally defined as a computer system that analyzes and manages geographic data. GIS is sometimes treated as a noun, sometimes used as the shorthand term for programs like “ArcGIS” or “QGIS”, and sometimes used to define any manner of spatial data. It’s common to hear someone say “the GIS shows ____”, “I looked at ___ in GIS”, “please load the GIS data into this folder”, etc., despite how formal or informal those examples may sound.

Ultimately, it is safe for the general populace to view GIS as a program that displays maps & map-related data digitally. If you needed to map the bounds of your crop fields, and where these bounds overlap with fertile soils, and don’t have a pencil but conveniently have a laptop, GIS is likely where you’ll do this.

How I use GIS in my line of work

I study the global environment, but it isn’t feasible to put me on a flight to all my study locations. So, I use my computer to compile as much data as I can about the study area, and use GIS to visualize these data. As a geohazards specialist who often works on landslide-related projects, I will compile things like elevation data, stream lines, rainfall data, wildfire perimeters, soil and rock type, and locations where landslides have occurred before, to make estimates of hazard and risk. My estimates are commonly expressed through maps of potential landslide initiation & runout zones, including areas of overlap with critical infrastructure such as homes, roadways, pipelines, and more.

How can you get into GIS?

It is relatively easy to get started with GIS. For instance, if you’ve ever used Google Earth, then you’ve already interacted with GIS in a way, even though Google Earth is not considered a full-fledged GIS program like ArcGIS. Google Earth is to ArcGIS what GarageBand is to Ableton, or a go-kart is to a Toyota Camry, but it’s a start.

I recommend you download the free program QGIS from qgis.org to get started. For a guided workflow based on a hypothetical scenario, see the next section below.

Here’s a workflow for beginners in QGIS

Advanced | What is remote sensing? Maybe make this a distinct blog and refer readers to this GIS blog first before mentioning Google Earth Engine.

How can you explore remote sensing in a fun way? (talk about Google Earth Engine, and add sample code about Greenland Glacial Ice Monitoring, with notes from my class powerpoint presentation