General
Home Page
Class Website

GEOG 5223
Project 3
Project 4
Project 6
Final Project

GEOG 5222
Project 1
Project 2
Project 3
Project 4
Project 5/6
Project 7
Project 8, 9 & 10

GEOG 5121
Project 1
Project 2
Project 3

GIS Data Links
National Map
National Atlas
Census Bureau
Loveland
Fort Collins
Larimer County
GIS Data Depot
MapMart
Visible Earth

GIS Software
Global Mapper
TruFlite
 

Brenton White's Penn State Program in GIS Home Page

Welcome to my Penn State Program in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) home page.  As with all web pages, it is "under construction."

My interest in geographic information technologies is to better understand and utilize the vast array of tools and data available in order to create maps and map-related services of interest to others.

GEOG 5223: Elements of GIS (Part 2) Portfolios and Reflections

• Project 3—Registering an Image for the Purpose of Data Creation  This project shows the strengths and weaknesses of georeferencing various types of raster data.
• Project 4—Database Design.  An interesting introduction to the basics behind designing a database for use in ArcMap.
• Project 6—Analysis and Display.  Shows the powerful database and display capabilities available in ArcMap.  There is clearly more analysis that could be done than is asked for in the project.
• Final Project—Compete for ACHS GIS contract. Collaborative effort to bring together the concepts and software operations we've learned in the previous activities.

GEOG 5222: Elements of GIS (Part 1) Portfolios

• Project 1—Decision Support with a GIS.
• Project 2—Summarizing and Displaying Property Damage from Tornados.
• Project 3—Locating Tornado Relief Sites.
• Project 4—Geocoding Addresses of Customers Who Performed Home Radon Tests.
• Project 5/6—Designing a Thematic Map Presentation and  Creating a Layout for a Final Map Presentation.
• Project 7—Delineating Vineyards.
• Project 8, 9 &10—Identifying Priority Conservation Areas in Centre County.

GEOG 5121: Introduction to GIS Portfolios

• Project 1—Coordinates and Projections
• Project 2—Mapping the Census
• Project 3—Acquiring Geographic Data—LandScan Global Ambient Population

My experience includes:

• Acquiring data from the USGS, US Census Bureau, and other government agencies
• Using Global Mapper to process/convert the data
• Using TruFlite to create 3D terrain visualizations
• Using Photoshop to touchup and annotate maps
• Printing maps and aerial photographs
• Creating a company website to market my products
• Working with students in Anchorage, Alaska to create maps using TruFlite

The following are some of the resources I've tapped during my 5 years of learning to create maps.

GIS Data Resources (Links open in new window)

• The USGS National Map—this site lets you download, for free, or order on media GIS data including NED (elevation data), orthoimagery, land use, etc.  There are also data available internationally.
• The National Atlas—while somewhat outdated, this site includes the ability to download a variety of the data captured in the print version of the National Atlas
• US Census Bureau Maps and Cartographic Resources—A number of resources associated with the US Census Bureau.  Includes access to the TIGER Map Server, boundary files, and more.
• City of Loveland—access to Loveland, Colorado online GIS to view maps and download GIS data.
• City of Fort Collins—access to Fort Collins, Colorado online GIS to view maps and download GIS data.
• Larimer County Colorado—access to Larimer County, Colorado online GIS to view maps and get information on GIS data.
• Geo Community's GIS Data Depot—you can access most USGS data here.  Some of it is free (STDS DEM), and others can be download for a nominal fee.
• MapMart—is similar to Geo Community and offers USGS data, some of it free.
• Visible Earth—this is a Nasa website for distributing its awesome satellite photos from around the globe.  While not specifically a GIS resource, it can help with land use analysis.

Useful, not too expensive, GIS Software (Links open in new window)

• Global Mapper—this is an INDISPENSABLE tool for data conversion.  It is only about $139 and allows you to import, export, re-project and otherwise manipulate GIS data for a variety of uses.
• TruFlite for Windows—provides easy to use and fast 3D terrain visualization from USGS DEMs and US Census Bureau data.  A free utility, TFMake, allows you to access and prepare data for use in TruFlite.  It also includes the ability to create "flyovers" of your terrain.

I hope to share more with my fellow students and teachers as the class progresses.

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TruFlite is a Registered Trademark of Martin D. Adamiker in Austria and other countries.