About the GIS Lab

The GIS Labs are located in the Burke Science Building, Rooms 331 and 332. The labs were renovated in 2008, including an upgrade to all systems, making the facility one of the newest, and one of the best in Canada. A description of the lab hardware and software follows:


HARDWARE

Currently each lab consists of 25 XP Professional clients (Core-2 Duo, one lab has 2.44 GHz processors the other has 2.66 GHz, brand new for the academic year 2008-2009).
All systems are connected to Windows 2003 R2 Server. Storage space is available on this server for students and researchers using the facility on a cost-recovery basis. The lab also contains 12 digitizing tablets, a digitizing table, 5 Thales MobileMapper CE units, 2 Lexmark laser printers and there is access to an HP DesignJet plotter.

SOFTWARE
GIS Software:
Full ArcGIS Software Suite (currently version 10)

Statistical Analysis:
SPlus 8.1.1, GeoDA 9.5, CrimeStat 3.3

Remote Sensing:
ERMapper 7.2

Geophysical Software:
Oasis Montaj 7.2, Kingdom Suite

Office Software:
Microsoft Office 2007 Professional which includes Access as a database package that is used for instructional purposes.

Mission Statement

The GIS Laboratory at McMaster University was established in 1992 with a mission to support the undergraduate curriculum of the Department of Geography. The increased awareness of GIS technology within and outside McMaster has increased demand for the laboratory's teaching and research services, so much so that a second laboratory was established in 2008. A systems administrator/lab manager, a project manager and a cartographer have been added to the permanent staff of the lab. In addition, a minimum of two GIS specialists are supported on a regular basis by projects that are undertaken by the lab. The current objectives of the lab are to:

• Maintain a highly competent personnel in the state-of-the-art in GIS technology
  
• Providing quality teaching within the undergraduate program of the School of Geography and Earth Sciences and the McMaster Diploma and Certificate Programs in Spatial Analysis and GIS.
  
• Provide quality short courses to groups from the McMaster community as well as the public and private sector.
  
• Undertake research projects from a variety of disciplines that are in need of GIS analysis.
  
• Assist in the development of GIS-related curricula for secondary education in Hamilton and vicinity