Father of GIS

Spatial Analysis

Roger Tomlinson. Archival Photograph from the Tomlinson Collection, Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress.

Who is the Father of GIS?

December 17, 2015By Caitlin DempseySpatial Analysis

Roger Tomlinson coined the term “geographic information systems” and it’s his contributions to geographic information systems (GIS) that earned him the nickname, “Father of GIS”.

John Snow's 1854 Cholera Map.

History of GIS

May 14, 2012By Caitlin DempseyGIS Industry

From the early days in Canada to the high tech world of internet mapping, the field of GIS is older than you may think.

Land use map from CARETS Final Report, 1979.

In the early 1970s, a joint pilot project between NASA and the USGS sought to test out the feasibility of integrating data from Landsat and high-altitude aircraft sensors into a regional land use database.

Geospatial Climate Models Show How Fire Seasons Are Changing

Changing technologies, including new satellite systems, and better climate and fire modeling, including the integration of these tools and data capture methods, will likely mean improved fire modeling in the future.

Elements of a Map

Maps are the primary tools by which spatial relationships are visualized. Maps therefore become important documents. There are several key elements that should be included each time a map is created in order to aid the viewer in understanding the communications of that map and to document the source of […]

Learn GIS for Free

There are a few online options to learn GIS for free. Take advantage of resources that provide you access to free courses from some of the world’s best universities and institutions.