GIS stands for geographic information system. This technology is a powerful tool that helps people to visualize and analyze information, and manage data to help make informed decisions to create a positive impact through their work. GIS Day is a day to celebrate all things GIS! This year is the 25th anniversary of GIS Day and it is celebrated all around the world.
To help the Ball State community celebrate GIS Day, Ball State University Libraries published a StoryMap, “GIS Day 2024 at Ball State University.” The Ball State community has been utilizing GIS technology to help shape our world for over 20 years. Read this StoryMap to learn about GIS and the skills built by using GIS, explore the GIS work that had been completed at Ball State University, discover the GIS resources available to the Ball State community, and play a couple games! If you follow the directions in the StoryMap to submit your answers to the games by the end of November, you will be entered into a raffle for prizes. (If you are reading this post after November of 2024, I’m sorry you missed the opportunity to win a prize but you can still pay the games. Hopefully there will be a new opportunity in November of 2025!)
The Ball State community has access to ArcGIS, the industry standard GIS software. There are over 900 current students that have used ArcGIS Online. Those students represent 112 different majors in 54 different departments. This is a great example that illustrates that people in every discipline at Ball State University can utilize this powerful technology in their work.
Since Ball State University joined ArcGIS Online in 2013, there have been well over 3000 people utilizing the software. These users include individuals that represent every college at Ball State University, as well as other offices from the Office of Immersive Learning to Intercollegiate Athletics, to Facilities Planning and Management.
If you aren’t using GIS, please contact the GIS Specialist, Lorey Stinton, to discover ways that GIS could enhance your work. You can email Lorey at lorey.stinton@bsu.edu, or stop by the GRMC on the second floor of Bracken.