The author is the Loudoun County GIS
Coordinator and a statewide authority and speaker on the
subject of geographic information systems and their
applications.
specialist’s job is to integrate
geospatial technology, meaning the use of remote sensing,
geographic information systems (GIS), and global positioning
system (GPS), into decision support tools. Each state program
is different and is tailored to meet local needs. In Utah, for
instance, they are focusing on tools to support precision
agriculture.
A major component of both the national and
state programs is to provide educational opportunities in
grades K–16 and for the professional workforce, the many
people who need to use spatial technology as part of their
daily work. The goal is to facilitate the adoption of these
decision making tools to support day to day needs
throughout Virginia.
JOB REQUIRING DIFFERENT HATS
John McGee is Virginia’s geospatial
extension specialist. He says that there are several aspects to
the job title. The position provides services to and through
Virginia Cooperative Extension. The Virginia Tech Geospatial
Extension Program also provides geospatial services through
outreach to support the efforts of local communities, regional
programs, and state agencies. In Virginia, the program is administered
by the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources, the Department
of Forestry, and Virginia Cooperative Extension in partnership
with the VSGC.
The role of the geospatial extension
program is to introduce the technology and show people how they
can use it. According to John McGee, “Many organizations
don’t know how to take the first step, or they are
hesitant because they don’t know what it will cost or the
kinds of people they will need to manage the system. Many
individuals and organizations also do not understand the
potential benefits associated with the adoption of geospatial
tools.”
Education in the geospatial technologies
is becoming increasingly important. Virginia recently adopted Standards
of Learning (SOL) for geography, a science that makes extensive
use of the technology. Also, the US Department of Labor
recently identified geotechnology, together with nanotechnology
and biotechnology, as one of the three most important emerging
employment fields. At the federal level, one agency alone, the
National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), headquartered in
Northern Virginia, will add 7,000 trained employees over the
next
he Virginia Space
Grant Consortium (VSGC) is part of the National Aeronautical
and Space Agency’s (NASA) space grant and fellowship
program. Established by Congress in 1988, the program funds
research, education, and public service projects through a
national network of universities. Mary Sandy is the director of
Virginia’s consortium, that has counterparts in all
the other states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC.
According to Mary Sandy, participation in
the geospatial extension network has been a dream of the
program since the early 1990s. Mary Sandy worked closely in
conjunction with Dr. Randolph Wynne, who is an associate
professor in
the department of forestry, and with the administration in Virginia Cooperative Extension to make this dream a reality. The dream was realized when the consortium and Virginia Tech received a $100,000 grant from NASA to establish a geospatial specialist position at Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension and the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech.
the department of forestry, and with the administration in Virginia Cooperative Extension to make this dream a reality. The dream was realized when the consortium and Virginia Tech received a $100,000 grant from NASA to establish a geospatial specialist position at Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension and the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech.
Virginia is one of several states
participating in the network, a collaborative effort among
several land grant universities, the US Department of
Agriculture (USDA), the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), and the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The objective of the program
is, “to enhance decision support, education, and
workforce development related to the use of geospatial
information among users at the local, state,
and regional levels.” According to Sandy, “Virginia’s program is one of the largest in the nation.”
and regional levels.” According to Sandy, “Virginia’s program is one of the largest in the nation.”
The geospatial extension program is
managed in each state by a geospatial extension specialist who
typically works in conjunction with the state’s
respective land grant university and through the state’s
agricultural extension service. The
