Grassroots Geospatial

Technology
Alex Mandel
Geo 297 Spring 2009

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 OSGeo Live Project
http://live.osgeo.org

• Collection of Free and

Open Source
geospatial software
• Ready to use
• No installation
required
• Few hardware
requirements
• 18 Languages*
Not all applications are in each language yet.
Included Software

More than 30 applications and libraries

 Free and Open Source Software
(FOSS)

• Free
– No License Fee
• Open Source
– Few limits on copying and modification of the software
– A license that protects the code and the users
• FOSS
– Common throughout the computing Industry
– Used in Government, Universities, and Major Corporations
– Typically uses open data standards from ISO, OASIS, OGC
and other standards organizations.
• Example – OpenDocument Format
Creation of a tool: The open source way

• People discuss ideas publicly and find others with common

interests
• Build a tool together, that works for all the people who are
helping. The product of collective self-interest.
• Provide access to anyone on the internet.
• Allow public participation in development.
o As a programmer
o As a "User"
 bughunter (tester)
 documenation writer: Wikis
 teacher: Blogs, Tutorials
OpenStreetMap

• Open Data
o Anyone can edit
o Anyone can download (best place is from
cloudmade.com)
 shapefile, database, etc.
 POIs, Background image for your Garmin...
• Map of the world
o Roads, buildings, bikeways, footpath, parking lots
o One ways, gated, roundabout, pavement type
• Built using opensource tools
o Openlayers (the web interface)
o Mapnik (makes the pretty tiles)
o Postgres Database (stores the data)
OpenStreetMap in Crisis Response
Haiti, Jan 12 Earthquake

Before After (2 days later)

Source: Jonathan Gray, Jan 15, 2010
“Open Street Map community responds to Haiti crisis”
Open Knowledge Foundation Blog
 Data set in use
Image from http://haiti.openstreetmap.nl/
Things to look into:

Tools
• Finder and Maker (Maps) http://geocommons.com/
• Google My Maps http://maps.google.com/
• GeoPress (Maps in a blog)
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/geopress/
• Mapnik http://mapnik.org/
• Mapzen http://maps.cloudmade.com/

Data
• www.NaturalEarthData.com
• http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Public_Geospatial_Data_Project
Links of Interest

• Haiti:
o http://haiti.openstreetmap.nl/
o http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Haiti
o http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/01/135519.htm
o http://blog.okfn.org/2010/01/15/open-street-map-
community-responds-to-haiti-crisis/
o http://haiti.sahanafoundation.org/prod/gis/map_viewing_cl
ient
• Open Cycle Map http://www.opencyclemap.org/
• Topo Maps of the Sierra http://www.closedcontour.com/
• Crisis Repsonse
o Ushahidi http://www.ushahidi.com/
o Sahana http://sahanafoundation.org/
 Part II

Taking education into your own

hands.
Geospatial Studio
• W 2010 Geo 290 - Exploring spatial data analysis with R
• F 2009 Geo 290 - Developing a Model Geospatial Curriculum
• S 2009
o GEO 290 - GIS Consulting
o PLS 298 - Spatial Statistics
• W 2009 Geo 298 - Open Source GIS Group Study
• F 2008
o PLS 290 - Data Management Seminar
o Geo 290 - GeoSpatial Databases
• S 2008 -
o PLS 298 - Spatial Statistics
o Geo 298 - Seminar: Advanced Geospatial Tools
• Winter 2008 - Geo 298 - Intro to QGIS
• Fall 2007 - Geo 298 - Advanced Geospatial
• Spring 2007 - Geo 297 - Seminar: Current Applications of GIS
Special Thanks to Professors: Quinn, Plant & Hijmans
Consulting Service
• Employ Graduate students (Primarily Geography)
o Including Fee remission
• Make high quality maps for other UCD researchers.
• Perform geospatial analysis with the appropriate tools.
• Opportunity for undergraduate Internships

Business Plan Authors (17 pages)

Michele Tobias, Alex Mandel, Stacey Ellis, Nate Roth, Josh
Perlman, Brian Morgan, Julie Young, Mark Chin, Alison
McNally, Helen Kong, Amber Manfree, JayLee Tuil, Shikai
Tang,
Jayoung Koo, Carrie Armstrong-Ruport and Jim Quinn
Link to a copy of the plan
Geospatial Curriculum

Model Curriculum
• Including draft syllabi for 12 Courses (6 existing)
• What we thought a complete compliment of courses would
look like.

Authors
Michele Tobias, Alex Mandel, Stacey Ellis, Nate Roth, Josh
Perlman, Alison McNally, Helen Kong, Amber Manfree, Robert
Thomas, Craig Beebe, Trina Filan

Advisors: Jim Quinn, Richard Plant, Robert Hijmans

Link to a copy of the Model Curriculum
What's next?

• Cartography/Map Design
• Web Mapping
• ?