Category Archives: Resource

OpenStretMap And Humanitarian Mapping – Making A Difference For Others

OpenStreetMap is a publicly editable map of the world. It’s is often referred to as Wikipedia for maps. Anyone can sign up for an account and begin adding to the map. Edits to the map are reviewed and validated by other members of the community.

In 2010, OpenStreetMap was used as a humanitarian disaster relief tool after an earthquake in Haiti. Volunteers from across the world mapped buildings and roads from satellite imagery in areas that been damaged by the earthquake. Then teams on the ground were able to use that information to assess damage and begin recovery efforts.

Since that time the use of Humanitarian OpenStreetMap has spread around the globe helping in disaster response as well as disaster prevention and many other humanitarian efforts. We encourage you to take time during Geography Awareness Week to volunteer your time and talent to help with some of the following projects:

Suggested International Projects:

Public Lab Mongolia – https://tasks.hotosm.org/projects/9560/
Public Lab Mongolia (PLM), a local non-governmental organization in Mongolia, is leading the Mongolian chapter for volunteer mappers through the HOTmicrogrant COVID-19 project, as part of their mission to promote open data and disaster preparedness. This mapping will also help with COVID-19 response efforts. This project is to map Ulaanbaatar capital city of Mongolia, is organized by PLM in collaboration with the Mongolian Geo-spatial Association and local universities.

Hurricane Eta – Nicaragua – https://tasks.hotosm.org/projects/9765
Hurricane Eta brought wind, rain and storm surge to the coast of Nicaragua. This project is to finish the basemap of Bilwi (Puerto Cabezas) by digitizing buildings from MAXAR imagery. Available to beginners, there may be tricky tasks in this project as some areas have been partially mapped with older imagery and vegetation can often hide parts of structures. Maker sure to review the instructions for tips on how to overcome these challenges and provide high quality data.

Explore your own project: https://tasks.hotosm.org/explore

Geography Treasure Hunt – Pioneers of Geography and GIS Edition

Let’s kick off Geography Awareness Week with some trivia:
https://treasurehunts.storymaps.esri.com/pioneers/. Test your knowledge of some of the pioneers of geography and GIS. Good luck! Learn something new!

Be part of the Global Celebration: Geography Awareness Week 2020!

Join us this week, November 15-21, 2020, as we celebrate Geography Awareness Week. Throughout we will be posting various activities and videos from our friends at OpenStreetMap, National Geographic, and Esri to help you get engage and get informed.

As a way to celebrate GIS Day and OpenStreetMap, we are encouraging everyone to go online either during this week or on GIS Day and contribute to the OpenStreetMap basemap. If you are interested and would like more information about how to get started, please email, Amy Logan.

If this is your first time using OpenStreetMap, sign up for an OpenStreetMap account: https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/new. Then look over this helpful resource from TeachOSM about how to get started and build proficiency with OpenStreetMap: (https://ubique.americangeo.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2_buildings_worksheet_1-2.pdf)

Discover the Mappy Halloween Treasure Hunt and More

ESRI has put together a fun Halloween themed Geography Treasure Hunt that uses their story map technology to test your halloween trivia and world geography knowledge. Good luck.

Another exciting Halloween opportunity for those in the Ames area is Reiman Gardens Spirits in the Gardens event. Participants will enjoy walking through a garden path of hundreds of beautifully carved pumpkins. It is a ticketed event, registration information here. IowaView staff member, Amy Logan, will be at the event on Sunday, November 1st from 5-7pm, discussing remote sensing and GIS and handing out goodie bags of Earthshot trading cards while supplies last.

Mappy Halloween!

New Video Tutorials Available from VirginiaView

VirginiaView, in partnership with Virginia Tech and other partners, recently published a new video tutorial series called “Working with Lidar Using ArcGIS Pro”.   This resource is appropriate for 2-year and 4-year college faculty who would like to integrate additional online (and self-paced) educational resources with their courses.

Previous tutorial topics have also been popular with geospatial professionals who are seeking a cost effective and self-paced opportunity to sharpen their geospatial skills.  The new tutorial series (and other topics listed below) might be appropriate for professionals working with local/regional/state/federal governments, as well as in the private sector.

The following geospatial video tutorials are available at no cost, and can be accessed via http://www.virginiaview.net/videos

New!  Working with Lidar Using ArcGIS Pro (14 videos)

Remote Sensing with ArcGIS Pro (28 videos)

Remote Sensing with ArcMap (30 videos)

Using Lidar in ArcGIS Desktop (13 videos)

Drones: Mastering the Aeronautical Charts (6 videos)

Earth Science Week – Day 7: International Archaeology Day

Today we finishing out Earth Science Week by celebrating International Archaeology Day.

Consider exploring with archaeologists in field by touring at their dig sites at locations such as Pompeii, Italy or Achill Island, Ireland.

Participate in the ArchaeoDoodles Contest by choosing one of 15 archaeological terms and create a graphic or doodle based on the term

Visit the Earth Science Week website for additional activities and resources.

Earth Science Week – Day 5: Geoscience for Everyone Day

Today we celebrate that the geosciences are for everyone.

Below are links to organizations focused on encouraging all people to get involved in the geosciences.

American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)

Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG)

Earth Science Women’s Network (ESWN)

International Association for Geoscience Diversity (IAGD)

National Association of Black Geoscientists (NABG)

National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP)

Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)

Women in Coastal Geoscience & Engineering

Women in GIS

Earth Science Week – Day 4: National Fossil Day

Today we are celebrating National Fossil Day!

Check out this cool coloring book as well as bonus pages. Learn about ancient plants and creatures as you color your way through this booklet. What is your favorite creature?

Geologic Resources Division
Edrioasteroid
“Foerstediscus splendens” is an extinct echinoderm (a member of the group including sea stars, sea urchins, and sea lilies) known as an edrioasteroid (seated star) that lived during the Ordovician. Fossils of “Foerstediscus” have been found at Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Minnesota.

Have you ever been fossil hunting? If you are interested in collecting fossils, you should plan an adventure to the Fossil and Prairie Park Preserve in Rockford, Iowa. It gives you a chance to find your own fossils.

Did you know that Iowa is only one of a handful of state’s that doesn’t have a state fossil? There is currently a proposal for the Crinoid to become Iowa’s State Fossil. Crinoids are a class of animals called echinoderms that first appears on the earth about 500 million years ago. They have two form, sea lilies (stalked form attached to the sea floor) and feather stars (free-living.) Learn more about the Crinoid at the Cedar Valley Rocks and Mineral Society website.

Check out the National Park Service – National Fossil Day website for more activities and information about fossils.

Earth Science Week – Day 3: Earth Observation Day

Happy Earth Observation Day!

Today we are celebrating remote sensing, the study of the earth using secondary observations from instruments such as planes, kites, drones, satellites as an exciting and powerful educational tool to help us show changes over time.

This year the AmericaView/NASA team has put together a fun and beautiful educational poster!

Read More

Earth Science Week – Day 3: No Child Left Inside Day

Get outside today. Take a kid outside and enjoy the beautiful world around us.

Here are a list of suggested activities to help celebrate this day:

Check out the Earth Science Week No Child Left Inside webpage for additional resources and details.