GIS Days at Colorado State University 2024
Monday, Nov 18:
- 12:00 – 2:00 pm “Python: Time-series geospatial data visualization”, online.
Tuesday, Nov 19: RECORDING OF LIGHTNING TALKS
- Mapping Activities in Morgan Library Lobby
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LIGHTNING TALKS: In person and remote access via Microsoft Teams: Register here to access the link!
(See full abstracts below.)
2:00 – 4:00 pm, 173 Morgan Library- Sarah Godfrey, Chief Scientist, Map the Point (remote)
On iPads and Atolls: Effective community engagement strategy leads to digital literacy and use of advanced offline technology- Keana Gulnac, Undergrad Honors, Biology, CSU
Identifying Priority Sites for Mosquito Control to Protect Maui’s Endemic Forest Birds- Daniel Dean, Environmental Research and Health Sciences
Evaluating the influence of air pollution on bovine reproductive health in a wildfire impacted area- Ashley Banuelos, Graduate Student Researcher, Soil and Crop Science,
Using remote sensing to identify historical land use and improve paired site design for soil carbon research- Nathan Lowry, Plummer
Lead Service Line Inventories- Aaron Fodge, Active Transport, CSU
TBD- (CANCELLED) Josh Carrell, CSU
Coordinates of community: finding the spatial thinkers and why we need a CSU geospatial society
Wednesday, Nov 20:
- 8:30 – 11:00 am: Library/Centroid Table at Grad Student Showcase
- 12:00 – 1:00 pm: Centroid of the Week
- Bring your lunch to Centroid office (211G Morgan). Extra treats will be provided!
- 3:00 – 4:00 pm: NASA DEVELOP Presentations, 173 Morgan
Thursday, Nov 21
- 1:00– 3:00 pm: Accessibility in Mapping Workshop, 174 Morgan: REGISTRATION
- 4:00 – 6:00 pm: Mappy Hour at the Ramskeller!
Lightning Talk Descriptions
- Sarah Godfrey, Chief Scientist, Map the Point, mapthepoint@gmail.com (remote)
On iPads and Atolls: Effective community engagement strategy leads to digital literacy and use of advanced offline technology
As western conservation scientists, there are implicit biases in the studies of biodiversity that often exclude communities and inadvertently create conflict with indigenous communities in our top-down decision-making approach. In the United States, we are seeing an emergence of acknowledgement of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). Integrating traditional knowledge and modern science can realize true benefits for biological resources and the humans that depend on them for subsistence.
Using examples from mapping and engagement methods used with the indigenous Micronesian communities of the Ulithi atoll (Micronesia), this talk will discuss the benefits of starting an early community engagement strategy, considerations of information gathering, and the steps used to train non-users in science and technology from a modern western perspective with the goal of creating a more comprehensive, thorough and thoughtful GIS.
- Keana Gulnac, Undergraduate Honors Student, Biology, CSU gulnac@gmail.com
Identifying Priority Sites for Mosquito Control to Protect Maui’s Endemic Forest Birds
Infectious disease is a major emerging cause of species decline as rising global temperatures drive mosquitoes into higher elevation habitats that were previously much colder and disease-free. These trends are particularly concerning for endemic forest birds on the island of Maui, Hawai’i, where seldom suitable habitat remains. To reduce the transmission of avian malaria among these birds, conservation groups have begun to use BTi larvicide — a safe and effective method of mosquito control — in areas of high concern. Because this is the first time it is being used for conservation purposes at such a large scale, my study involved looking at various types of spatial data, such as the predicted locations of mosquito larvae, native bird ranges, and weather patterns, to determine which regions might benefit the most from BTi application. This session will include the reasoning behind why I chose the topic, the process of using GIS to make a suitability map of the island, and its importance in relation to real-world issues.
- Daniel Dean, Environmental Research and Health Sciences Alan.Dean@colostate.edu
Evaluating the influence of air pollution on bovine reproductive health in a wildfire impacted area
We modeled the effect of air pollution and smoke on fertility in breeding facility bulls over several years, finding that both had adverse effects on sperm quality (as measured by the facility’s decisions to keep or discard samples based on preliminary tests), even after adjusting for a number of other air pollutants and other known contributing factors like temperature and relative humidity. Beyond the immediate relevance to the cattle breeding industry and animal welfare, cattle are also good animal models for translational research on both respiratory and reproductive health, so the findings are likely relevant to humans as well.
- Ashley Banuelos, Graduate Student Researcher in Soil and Crop Science, Banuelos@colostate.edu
Using remote sensing to identify historical land use and improve paired site design for soil carbon research
Understanding land use history is crucial for accurately assessing soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics, especially when using paired site designs. This research leverages remotely derived net primary productivity (NPP) to identify historical land use changes and evaluate the comparability of paired sites within rangelands. By examining differences in vegetation productivity and disturbance events, we aim to improve the reliability of paired site studies and enhance our understanding of the factors influencing SOC.
- Nathan Lowry, Plummer, nlowry@plummer.com
Lead Service Line Inventories
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 30 Oct 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) coincided with a 16 Oct 2024 deadline to deliver a Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) for every Public Water System (PWS) in the United States. Come learn why GIS professionals should help public water service providers develop and improve these inventories, and how service line inventory projects are planned and performed.
- Aaron Fodge, Active Transport, CSU, Fodge@colostate.edu
TBD
- Josh Carrell, CSU, Carrell@colostate.edu
Coordinates of community: finding the spatial thinkers and why we need a CSU geospatial society
Every day we use spatial thinking and technology to navigate our lives. Then why are there so few geography and geospatial majors in universities today? Well, tides are shifting the term “geospatial” is being found in every major department on campus. This talk explores the reasons why students may not yet go “all in” on geography and geospatial science and explores the needs of a student-led geospatial society at CSU.