INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION IN REMOTE-SENSING, PHOTOGRAMMETRY, AND LIS/GIS - THE WISCONSIN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have been involved with interdisciplinary education in remote sensing, photogrammetry, and land and geographic information systems (LIS/GIS) for more than 20 years. Remote sensing instruction is centered in the Environmental Monitoring Program, an interdisciplinary graduate program in remote sensing and geographic information systems administered by the Institute for Environmental Studies (IES). Remote sensing research is conducted both through individual departments and the Environmental Remote Sensing Center, an IES research center. Instruction and research in photogrammetry are centered in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and are supported by recently modernized facilities. LIS/GIS instruction and research are conducted in several departments and are coordinated by the Spatial Information and Analysis Consortium, a faculty group whose steering committee represents eight academic departments and IES. UW-Madison faculty have implemented a wide variety of extension/outreach programs and technology transfer projects, and have been national leaders in assisting in the formulation of state and federal policy in regard to the use and impact of LIS/GIS technology. Instruction, research, and extension/outreach activities in remote sensing and LIS/GIS are supported by numerous instructional facilities and research laboratories and centers.