Category Archives: Outreach

It’s time to Spread the word about the Iowa Map Contest!

The Iowa Map Contest is open. This year we would like to give out all our prize money. If you know students in grade 4-12 or teachers encourage them to participate. For contest details, visit: https://sites.google.com/site/iowamapcontest/.

Here’s a link to the poster pdf: https://www.iowaView.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Iowa_map-contest-poster_smaller-compressed-1.pdf.

Have you met Lindsey the GIS Professional?

A few years back, Tyler Danielson, a GIS professional at Bolton and Menk, Inc. wrote a book called Lindsey the GIS Professional to help describe working with a geographic information system (GIS). In the book, Lindsey explains the information needed to create a map and how to collect it. Then she shows how to take that information to make a map of her favorite park. It gives readers a good introduction to the basics of GIS. Click here to read the book online: https://www.bolton-menk.com/books/lindsey/Lindsey.html.

Since the publication of the book, there have been several other companion resources produced. They can be found at www.LindseyLovesMaps.com:

  1. At Home Activities – a maze, dot connect, data collection activity, analyzing data activity, drawing maps, and map coloring pages.
  2. Making Maps with Lindsey – guides students through mapping their own data: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1aedae2683d740ad9736752ab5768ef7
  3. Teacher Resources – This includes a teacher guide and shows how the book, Lindsey the GIS Professional matches up with English, Social Studies and Science standards.

The coolest thing is that this story is based off of a real LINDSEY!

from https://learn.arcgis.com/en/esripress/lindsey/

Dear Teachers: A New Year, A New You!

As we begin this new year you may want to challenge yourself with a new skill. Esri has a 6-week program, Learn ArcGIS Educator Program for New Users, available to give you an introduction to many of the core applications available for the classroom. Each week you will spend time watching videos related to the topic, take notes, share you thoughts using Flipgrid and discussion boards. For more information and resources visit the Learn ArcGIS Educator Program Hub: https://learn-arcgis-educator-program-new-user-learngis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/welcome.

Iowa/Utah Geospatial Exchange: IGIC Lunch and Learn

December 2021 IGIC Lunch & Learn: Iowa/Utah Geospatial Exchange

This presentation will provide an introduction to the Iowa Geospatial Conference Exchange, a program to encourage sharing of GIS programs, data, and knowledge between state organizations. Amy Logan and Penny Vossler have returned from geospatial exchange in Utah with examples of Utah’s geographic resources and strengths, some great ideas from their conference, new friends, and great photos to share.

For more information: https://www.iowagic.org/event/december-2021-igic-lunch-learn-iowa-utah-geospatial-exchange/

Here is a link to the recording (12/15/2021): https://iastate.webex.com/iastate/ldr.php?RCID=3c87c93211016276d525d62cadc6e4dd

Aerial Photo Dates Layer: A Helpful Tip for Getting the Most of ISU Orthoserver

The Iowa Orthoserver (also known as the Iowa Geographic Map Server) has a variety of resources available to enhance and serve users. Today we are highlighting the Aerial Photo Dates layer. This layer allows users to determine the date of a particular image.

Here are the basic steps to using the Aerial Photo Dates layer in the Iowa Geographic Map Server ArcGIS Web App:

  1. Open the Iowa Geographic Map Server ArcGIS Web App.
  2. Select the first icon – Choose Map Layers (looks like 3 stacked sheets of paper.)
  3. Scroll down to the Iowa – Aerial Photo Dates layer and then check the box to turn it on.
  4. Expand the menu by clicking the tiny gray arrow to the left of the check box.
  5. Now turn on whichever year of flight date you wish to use (the orange areas symbolize the flight paths and within them will appear the flight dates.)
  6. *Please note* for some of the older imagery years (example 1930s, 1950s, etc.), you need to be zoomed in for the flight dates to appear. Zoom into an area of interest, the flight patterns and dates will be shown.

The statewide 2021 NAIP flight date layer is not yet available. This will be released when the layer is available. If you would like information regarding specific areas for the 2021 flight, please contact Amy Logan. 

Summer 2021 NAIP Imagery Now on ISU Orthoserver

Iowa Statewide summer 2021 imagery is now available as a webservice from the Iowa Geographic Map Server. https://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/arcgis/rest/services/ortho
Please note: you may have to adjust the symbology to get the best color.

Here are some suggestions for doing this is ArcGIS Pro, within the Symbology tab, use the dropdown menus to adjust the color.

  • Change Stretch type to Minimum Maximum.
  • Also consider changing the Statistics from Dataset to DRA (Dynamic Range Adjustment). See the example below.
Before Adjustments

After Adjustments

Geography Awareness Week: Review and Contribute to OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a publicly created and maintained world map – the Wikipedia for maps. Anyone with access to an internet browser can view the map and anyone with a free OpenStreetMap account can update the map. If you are new to OpenStreetMap visit their welcome page to a short introduction: https://osmgeoweek.org/guides/intro .

Here are several ways to get engaged with OpenStreetMap:

~ Review your local OSM basemap for accuracy and consider adding community features that are missing or need updating.

~ Spend time working on a Humanitarian OpenStreetMap project. For a current list of priority project visit: https://tasks.hotosm.org/explore

~ Consider joining mappers around the globe in the November OSM US 30 Days of Mapping Challenge (each day has themed asset to map): https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/United_States/Projects#30_Days_of_Mapping_-_November_annually

GIS Day 2021 – Success!

Here are photos from yesterday’s GIS Day event. We had over 50 visitors stop by our table in the ISU College of Design lobby for information about undergraduate minor in GIS and graduate GIS certificate, cupcakes, posters, trading cards and to help put our map puzzles together.

GIS Day @ ISU!!! Wednesday, November 17 2-4pm College of Design Main Lobby

Join the ISU Geographic Information Systems Support and Research Facility to celebrate GIS Day! Enjoy themed cupcakes and poster and trading card giveaways, and learn more about the Geographic Information Science minor and GIS graduate certificate program.

The event will be from 2–4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17, in the foyer inside the main entrance to the College of Design.

https://www.design.iastate.edu/event-listings/2021/11/gis-day-celebration/

Discover your local geographic Information Council and other groups

The Iowa Geographic Information Council (IGIC) is an organization of geospatial professional across the of Iowa. It provides geospatial support allowing individuals to ask questions and provides opportunities to collaborate as well as network. IGIC is governed by a 25 member board which represent 9 different sectors. There are quarterly meetings as well as a yearly conference (Iowa Technology and Geospatial Conference) and other opportunities to connect with geospatially minded people.

IGIC hosts monthly virtual Lunch and Learn events. These have been very successful for IGIC especially as members are widely distributed across the state.  Each session is recorded and available on the IGIC website.

You are invited to join this month’s “GIS Day” Lunch and Learn: Mulitpurpose Use of Street Level Imagery with Bill Wetzel, Cyclomedia Technology @ 12pm – Wednesday November 17, 2021. He will discuss how local governments and utilities rely on technology initiatives that optimize management of properties, assets, and infrastructure. For more information: https://www.iowagic.org/igic-lunch-learn-street-level-imagery/ .