Geovisualization

Catalog description

Most maps produced today are electronic, dynamic, and often ephemeral -- with millions of maps generated on the web each day. At the same time, computer graphics technologies developed to enable scientific visualization generally, are being adapted and extended for applications with geographic information (geovisualization). Geovisualization becomes increasingly vital in the era of big data as the ability to visualize and analyze vast and complex geospatial datasets is essential to uncover patterns, trends, and insights critical for various real-world applications. This course introduces students to the conceptual understanding, fundamentals, techniques, and applications of geovisualization, by engaging students with both "big" and "small" real-word geospatial datasets such as geotagged social media data, mobile phone location data, human mobility, and Census data. Topics include but not limited to: geovisualization fundamentals, geospatial big data, exploratory spatial data analysis, interactive web maps development, geo-visual analytics, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and geovisualization, and map-enabled decision-support. Through a blend of lectures, hands-on exercises, and group projects, students will learn practical skills and theoretical knowledge applicable to real-world applications across various domains including disaster management (e.g., hurricane evacuation, flood mapping), public health (e.g., infectious disease transmission, environmental health impacts), and social media analytics.