Geographic Information Systems Certificate

Seven graduating seniors presented their capstone research projects as part of their GIS Certificate. The presentations, in the form of an ArcGIS StoryMap, provided students with a dynamic way to visually present their research findings. ArcGIS StoryMap is a story authoring web-based application that allows presenters to share maps in the context of narrative text and other multimedia content. Student research topics varied and included identifying suitable sites for multi-family housing zoning, mapping flood risk in San Diego County, and urban pollution’s effect on bird biodiversity. All seven graduates received a special cord to wear at the commencement ceremony to celebrate their accomplishments. Environmental and Ocean Sciences majors Jordan Conway and Katherine Hoffman, two students in the program, were also inducted into Gamma Sigma Theta (ГΣθ) – The National Honor Society for Geospatial  Technology . The GIS Certificate at USD offers comprehensive training in storing, analyzing, visualizing, manipulating, accessing and communicating spatial and temporal data connected to physical locations, with wide-ranging applications in various fields. This includes the natural and social sciences, government agencies and business analytics. GIS is a broad discipline that ranges from the research and development of GIS technology (e.g., programming, database structures, etc.), through connections with surveying and business, to applications to solve scientific and human problems. The Environmental and Ocean Sciences Department began offering the GIS Certificate program in fall 2023. The program is intended for any USD student currently pursuing their bachelor’s degree.  Program Director Suzanné Walther, PhD, remarked, "We are proud of our GIS certificate graduate cohort and the growth of the program, just two years old. We now have students from four different disciplines declared in the program and look forward to more in the future, as GIS has transdisciplinary applications." Questions about the program may be directed to Dr. Walther at swalther@sandiego.edu .