The Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center (WyGISC) is an interdisciplinary academic center focused on education, research and development of geospatial information and technologies and their applications in science, government, business and other areas.
WyGISC's mission is to advance the knowledge and application of geographic information science and technology through research, education, and service. WyGISC aspires to become a premiere interdisciplinary academic center in geographic information science research and education, while strengthening our unique leadership role in service and outreach to the university, state and region.
In fall 2020, WyGISC launched a new suite of undergraduate and graduate certificate and degree options in geospatial information Science & technology (GIST). Learn more here: https://www.uwyo.edu/wygisc/academics/index.html
Disciplinary specializations among WyGISC personnel range from geography and community
planning to ecology, geology, hydrology and natural resource management. Technical
expertise includes geographic analysis and modeling, spatial database design and development,
remote sensing and image processing, unmanned aerial systems deployment, software
application programming, and GIS program management.
WyGISC's research and development activities are broad, from geospatial data collection
and spatial database design and development, to environmental modeling and Web-based
geographic query and visualization implementations.
The Center's information and technology transfer activities further support the adoption
and use of geospatial data and information technologies among a wide range of end-users
in academia, government, business, and the general public. Examples include the Wyoming Geospatial Hub and the Natural Resource and Energy Explorer.
WyGISC's Director reports to the UW Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Center personnel include university and project-funded research scientists, technical
staff, students, and an administrative support team. WyGISC collaborates with a number
of individual academic affiliates both at UW and in other organizations across the
United States and around the world.
Over the last two decades, WyGISC has lead the establishment of geographic information
science as one of the University of Wyoming's Areas of Distinction, not only as a
critical area of science and technology related to energy, earth and computational
science, but also through its significant contributions to place-based planning, management,
and problem-solving in the environment and natural resources arena. Along with its
formally established Academic Affiliate collaborators, WyGISC works closely with faculty
in a wide range of academic programs across numerous colleges and schools on campus.
Examples include the departments of Agricultural & Applied Economics, Botany, and
Ecosystem Science & Management, as well as the Haub School of Environment & Natural
Resources Ruckelshaus Institute, the interdisciplinary Program in Ecology, and the
College of Agriculture & Natural Resources' Agricultural Experiment Station.
Beyond academics, WyGISC supports excellence in UW's capital facilities and infrastructure
via application of geographic information data and technologies in property and facilities
management and in site planning and design for long-term campus building and development.
WyGISC continues to provide leadership to the Wyoming geospatial community, advocating for coordinated development of a statewide spatial data infrastructure and supporting standards and policies for data development, sharing and stewardship. Center staff have consulted with the Wyoming Governor's Office and the Wyoming Office of the Chief Information Officer. Other service includes participating in such efforts as the Wyoming Governor’s GIS Advisory Board, the State GIS Technical Advisory Group, and the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote sensing. WyGISC's leadership role extends to the education and training of the State's future GIS professionals and practitioners who will be working in economic and community development, engineering, energy resource development, or natural resource management.
WyGISC participates with other UW units as a member of the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science. WyGISC is also a member of the AmericaView Consortium for remote sensing education and research. WyGISC researchers also hold individual memberships in various professional organizations, including the American Society for Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing, the Association of American Geographers, and the American Planning Association. Many WyGISC personnel are also certified as "GIS Professionals" (GISP) by the Geographic Information Systems Certification Institute.
In recent years, WyGISC has substantially increased its international research activities, including significant work in Australia and Central Asia. WyGISC remains committed to strengthening existing international collaborations and capitalizing on opportunities for building new linkages with our interdisciplinary GIScience expertise. Such efforts could also contribute to UW's broader commitment to international undergraduate and graduate education programs. A member of the Center staff also serves as a certified project manager for the United Nations International Charter on Space and Major Disasters.