Speaker Bio & Abstract
Clark University
USA
BiographyDr. Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger is Associate Professor of Geographic Information Science at Clark University. Her research focuses on GIS applications for international development, food security, and public health. She conducted research and trainings in Mexico, Costa Rica, Russia, India, and Ukraine. She designed GIS for International development" course that applies GIS to SDGs-related issues: disaster management, global health, water, sanitation, poverty, climate change impacts, conflicts, migration, and human rights.AbstractAt the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are further divided into detailed targets and specific indicators. Most SDGs have a clear geographical dimension; integrated Earth observation and geospatial information have become indispensable for measuring indicators, monitoring targets and tracking progress. High quality and accessible geospatial data, advanced data processing, and new analytical techniques are required to inform SDGs. Educating next generation of geospatial professionals to address these new challenges has become one of the goals of geospatial academic programs in colleges and universities.
In this presentation, I will discuss a curriculum developed for the Masters of Science in GIS Program at Clark University (Worcester, USA), with a particular emphasis on the concentration in GIS for Development and Environment. I will provide detailed account of topics, data, literature and analytical techniques relevant to SDGs that are included in the curriculum. I hope to engage in a discussion about effective approaches to educate the next generation of geospatial professionals.