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GIS and Remote Sensing @ Furman

Color infra-red aerial photo of Furman Campus

Remote Sensing is the study of different objects (on Earth or in Space) without physically touching the object. Our eyes represent one of the best remote sensing mechanism. However the limitation of our eyes is that we can only see a small area. There are satellites that are orbitting the Earth at about 400 km to 35,000 km height that can see much larger area at one instance. The information such satellites collect of a particular area can be used to understand different aspects of that area. Apart from satellites, remote sensing data is collected through several medium including aeroplanes, baloons, ground-based instruments, vehicle mounted instruments etc.,

While remote sensing helps in collection of information on our physical world, GIS helps in organizing, and visualizing the spatial data collected through remote sensing and other ways, and also helps in developing new data, and modeling complex physical processes.

The applications of Geographical Information System (GIS) and remote sensing are innumerous. GIS has found it's place in almost every branches of science, liberal arts, and engineering. Our objectives in introducing GIS and Remote Sensing at Furman are

• To equip our students with a powerful knowledge and skill that can help advance their personal and professional career
• To provide feasible solutions to local and regional environmental problems by studying the problem at watershed scale
• To teach scientific problem solving skill through through technology and
• To serve as a regional center to educate K - 12 teachers to introduce GIS and Remote Sensing at middle and high schools.