Geospatial Information Systems for Economics
A university-wide initiative which has implications for your research and teaching in Economics: Geospatial Information Systems (GIS). Any time you have data with a location component, you can use GIS to add context to your analysis. You can also use GIS as a data mining tool, evaluating large datasets for unexpected correlations and meaning.
We have a number of free software packages and extensions are available as a part of the WU Campus License we hold with ESRI. All of this information is online.at:
http://www.esri.com/industries/university/education/sitelic.html#district
WU currently holds an “Unlimited Site License” In addition to the ESRI Site License. WU also has other GIS related software:
- A site license for Manifold.net, which is GIS software by a different vendor.
More information at: www.manifold.net
- 35 floating licenses for the ERDAS Imagine imaging and remote sensing software suite:
More information at: http://gi.leica-geosystems.com/documents/pdf/ERDAS_IMAGINE_9.1_Brochure.pdf
- And our newest software package added just this week, the FME Professional product from SAFE software for GIS data translations. We have been awarded a 30 floating seat license from this vendor which has a dollar value of over $67,000.
More information at: www.safe.com
Also a list of the file formats supported by FME at: http://www.safe.com/products/fme/formats-supported/index.php
All of the above software will be available for use in the GIS lab (Earth and Planetary Sciences Lab, (Earth & Planetary Sciences Building, 935-5406). It is also available for installation and usage anywhere on the WU network as long as the computer has a 128.252.xxx.xxx address. The ESRI software is the only software currently available for use off campus.
For more information about using GIS:
- contact Scott Horn (horn@wustl.edu ) or Aaron Addison (aaddison@wustl.edu)
- Attend an overview session on GIS on August 29, 2007 in the main library ARC presentation room (lower level).
GIS Datasets can be found at:
USGS Data US Census Data Geodata.gov Missouri Spatial Data Information Service (MSDIS) Geography Network
US Forest Service
National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
National Atlas
ESRI Data Downloader
Geocommunity
Extensive List of other sites hosted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Extensive List hosted by the US Army.
