• Description: Although raster based GIS analysis has enormous potentials in planning and development, it hasn’t had the attention deserved. This in spite of a very simple data structure organizing representations of the real world in cells allowing very easy modeling of combinations of thematic information in space within a local or regional setting.
    During five days this PhD course will first introduce the theoretical and basic concepts of how to model the real world in a raster based GIS using the Spatial Analyst extension of ArcGIS 10.2 developed by Esri, CA. Special attention will be on decision based modeling using multi-criteria evaluation techniques to build scenarios where different impact factors are assigned various weights. Finally, it will be presented how to add the time component to models; for example when modeling floods and fire growths.
    The teaching will be based on four daily workshops, and on the course’s final day the students will present and discuss how to adopt the technological skills achieved into their ongoing research projects. Thus, in summary, the skills obtained will be:
    • A thorough overview and extensive knowledge about the theoretical background for using the raster based GIS data model,
    • A structured introduction to the methods behind the modeling tools available to handle qualitative and quantitative information representing real world phenomena,
    • How to build models and scenarios and how to visualize and communicate the results,
    • How to incorporate simple or complex raster based GIS technologies into ongoing projects.

    Please notice that everyone must bring their own laptops for the course. The software used requires an install of Windows 7 or higher and we expect you to have installed the ArcGIS software prior to the course.
    Not many textbooks have been published about raster based GIS analysis but the following ones may be recommended for self study before you participate:
    Michael N. DeMers: "GIS Modeling in Raster". Wiley, 2002. ISBN 0-471-31965-1.
    C. Dana Tomlin: "GIS and Cartographic Modeling". Esri Press, 2012. ISBN 978-1-58948-309-5.

    Participation fee: DKK 500,00 for materials, coffee/tea/cake and fruit. Self-payment for lunch.

    Please pay to the following account:
    Bank: Danske Bank, Algade 53, 9000 Aalborg
    Account No: 3201-9189629
    IBAN No: DK6730000009189629
    SVIFT CODE: DABADKKK
    Payment to Aalborg Unversity, Skibbrogade 5, DK-9000 Aalborg
    Reference: Your name and course name/10-212025-64301-762001-76262

  • Organizer: Associate Professor Thomas Balstrøm, thomasb@plan.aau.d


  • Lecturers: The course’s main teachers will be:
    • Associate Professor Thomas Balstrøm having a lifetime’s experience within this specific topic in the context of land resources planning, and
    • Product Engineer at Esri, Kevin Johnston, who has been a leading member of their geoprocessing software development team since 1990 having developed one of the most generic, successful and flexible software packages available for raster processing and modeling.

  • ECTS: 2,5

  • Time: October 7-11, 2013

  • Place: A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, DK-2450 Copenhagen SV, Denmark

  • Zip code: 2450

  • City: Copenhagen

  • Number of seats: 18

  • Deadline: September 16, 2013