Forrest J. Bowlick and Team Launch MassView, a Service Strengthening MA’s Geospatial Resources
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A team led by Forrest J. Bowlick has applied for and created Massachusetts View (MassView)—a new member of AmericaView, a nationwide network that aims to advance “Earth observation education through remote-sensing science, applied research, workforce development, technology transfer, and community outreach.”
Bowlick is a senior lecturer in the Earth, Geographic, and Climate Sciences and Environmental Conservation departments, the director of the Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) concentration within the MS Geography program, and a co-director of the Regional GIS Hub at UMass Amherst.
“MassView will benefit the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by building up the state’s existing geospatial resources, with a primary focus on expanding and strengthening offerings in remote-sensing data, science, and applications,” Bowlick said.
MassView will serve educational institutions (K-16 and above), towns, cities, community organizations, industry, and beyond, guided by four overarching goals:
- building a coordinated network that directly connects institutions of higher education with the state’s remote-sensing user communities;
- developing workflows and tools to better organize resources;
- assessing community needs for remote-sensing data and analysis; and
- educating the public about remotely sensed imagery.
“Earth observation and remote-sensing data are things like satellite images or aerial photos—pictures and other products taken from the sky or from space,” explained Bowlick. “This data is incredibly valuable for understanding the planet, how it changes, and what we can do to best steward our environment and natural resources. Massachusetts has never been part of this organization until now, so it is very exciting to have MassView based at UMass Amherst.”
MassView will seek to strengthen connections for students and researchers looking to work with Earth observation and remote-sensing efforts, research, and education. These connections will in turn lead to grants and other funding opportunities. In the meantime, MassView will bolster existing efforts on campus, such as: the Regional GIS Hub; an effort to quantify carbon capture in the Northeast’s salt marshes; and the William P. MacConnell Aerial Photograph Collection.
Learn more about MassView, now a member of the nationwide AmericaView network.