The GEOcenter is the geographic and spatial research space of UNIGIS at USFQ. It features a modern Geographic Information Systems (GIS) laboratory, ideal for the development of seminars, extension courses, as well as academic conferences and community work, among other key activities of the UNIGIS Program.
At the same time, it includes an important library for the consultation of georeferenced information by researchers, academics, and students, who engage in specialized studies and thesis projects.
Additionally, the GEOcenter serves as a venue for offering Geographic Information Systems courses, which are a fundamental part of the UNIGIS curriculum. It is the coordination site for public and community management initiatives, such as the AmazonGISnet network and the GEOciudadano platform, led by professors and researchers from the UNIGIS Latin America community
The research areas of the GEOcenter have included:
- Geography and Strategic Community Planning.
- Geography and Land Use Planning.
- Geology and Natural Hazards.
- Civil Engineering and Project Planning.
- Ecology and Natural Resource Management.
- Rural Planning and Tourism.
- Spatial Databases, SDIs.
- Geoinformatics.
- Public Health.
The GEOcenter is dedicated to applied research using geographic tools that enable a wide range of collaborative work with social and natural sciences. The combined focus on Physical and Human Geography has allowed for projects ranging from technician training to the development of land-use planning and web applications such as decision support systems. All of this positions the center as a leader in geographic research, supported by collaborators affiliated with the international UNIGIS network.
To develop applied research projects in territorial management, both at the public and community levels, in conjunction with training technicians in geographic tools that enable them to generate high-quality georeferenced information and, ultimately, make informed decisions. The GEOcentre aims to generate and promote applied research in Geography, both in Ecuador and Latin America.
The GEOcentro aims to be the hub for geographical and spatial research of national and regional recognition; to serve as a reference and information generation source for spatial data; to provide a space for training and coordination of public and community management initiatives.
Research
ECORAE CTIs Project
Development of Territorial Circumscriptions for the 10 Amazonian nationalities of Ecuador, along with their respective life-territorial planning and legal status concerning territorial administration.
SIG CODEMPE
Georeferenced Information Survey of Life Plans for Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities, and the Development and Implementation of the National Georeferenced Information System for Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador (SIG-CODENPE).
Taisha Municipality
Formulation of the Development and Territorial Planning for the Taisha Canton in the Province of Morona Santiago, Ecuador."
Metroferico System for Quito and the Tumbaco Valley
A study proposing an alternative to existing public transportation systems, the Metroferico System aims to achieve congestion relief and optimal distribution of road trips.
Design and Development Project for the Georeferenced Management Model of a System of Protected Areas of Cultural Heritage in Ecuador
Design and implementation of the classification and categorization process using a new model of spatial indicators through the creation of thematic and typological maps.
AmazonGISnet
Coordination, training, and technical support for the Network of Geo-information Users in the Amazon for indigenous nationalities and their applications in territorial management and the development of life plans. Additionally, work is being carried out on the development and implementation of Participatory Technological Systems and Platforms for urban and regional planning. http://amazongisnet.blogspot.com/
Participatory Zoning Project Proposal for AIER (Special Intervention Area for Recovery) of Ilaló
The interest of some of the local residents and institutions in joining efforts to properly manage Ilaló with the aim of restoring its natural condition and improving the quality of life for its inhabitants. This project includes the use of the GEOciudadano tool for its residents.
Resources
Hardware
The GEOcenter has a modern laboratory equipped with 15 MSI computers, featuring Intel® Core™ i7 processors, Windows 8.1 operating system, and 8 GB of RAM.
Software
Each of our computers is equipped with all the necessary Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software for our GEOcommunity to carry out their research and training. Programs include:
- ArcGIS 10.2.2
- ArcGIS Explorer
- ERDAS 2013
- IDRISI Selva
- Google Earth
- gvSIG
- QGIS
Community Engagement
The GEOcenter, in each of its development and applied research projects, establishes a direct connection with the community. To mention a few examples:
GEOciudadano
It is an interactive platform for collectively and constructively proposing solutions for intelligent development of living spaces in our neighborhoods and communities. GEOciudadano allows us to exchange information relevant to topics of interest about specific locations. Among residents and stakeholders with different functions and roles, the platform provides a virtual space with tools and structure for agile communication based on a proposal.
GEOComunidad Galápagos
Over the past decades, the Galapagos Islands have faced a considerable increase in human activities (e.g., tourism, population growth and migration, exploitation of natural resources such as fishing and agriculture) that have resulted in increased pressure on the islands' living spaces. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new concepts of collaboration between public institutions, the private sector, and, above all, the population, in order to address the challenges of development and conservation in Galapagos.
http://geogalapagos.blogspot.com/
Alliances
University of Salzburg
Country: Austria
Type of Cooperation: Academic Cooperation
Department of Geoinformatics
Country: Austria
Type of Cooperation: Technical and Academic Cooperation
ICESI University
Country: Colombia
Type of Cooperation: Academic Cooperation
University of Belgrano
Country: Argentina
Type of Cooperation: Academic Cooperation
State University of Rio de Janeiro
Country: Brazil
Type of Cooperation: Academic Cooperation
Department of Geography, King's College London
Country: United Kingdom
Type of Cooperation: Technical and Academic Cooperation
Postgraduate UNIGIS
The Master's in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from UNIGIS is designed to establish a strong foundation of basic knowledge in GIS and then further deepen and apply this acquired knowledge. It emphasizes academic work, particularly in the context of the master's thesis, in coordination with the respective committee chosen from the faculty, both from Latin America and Europe. The program aims to generate leaders for projects, institutions, organizations, and companies, among others, within the fields of work that UNIGIS graduates have been occupying to date.
http://quito.unigis.net/index.php/mastria-sig
The virtual nature of the program enables constant interaction with professionals from different parts of the world, granting access to various cases and issues, thus achieving a universal approach to knowledge. The study strategies encompass personalized activities based on the use of regularly updated materials, online tutorials, exercises, practices, self-assessment quizzes, and assignments. Throughout the program, UNIGIS students have access to software tools at no additional cost, bibliographic resources, and continuous guidance from a renowned team of instructors who will support them in their academic growth until their graduation.
Subspecialization SIG
Subspecialization in Geographic Information Systems
This subspecialization offers students the opportunity to gain multidisciplinary knowledge related to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Students will receive courses with a theoretical-practical perspective and will have classes that emphasize laboratory activities and the application of GIS tools.
Students from the following majors at USFQ can opt for this subspecialization: Architecture, Tourism, Economics, Marketing, Environmental Management, Biology, Environmental Communication, Systems Engineering, Agribusiness Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, and majors in the College of Health Sciences. Students who wish to pursue this subspecialization must pass the following courses:
Compulsory Courses:
- Introduction and general applications of GIS.
- Data Acquisition and Structuring in Spatial Databases.
- Cartography and Spatial Analysis.
- GIS and Remote Sensing.
Community Courses
The GEOcenter offers a wide range of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) courses, including basic, advanced, and industry-specific courses applicable to various professional fields. These courses are open to the general community, providing a practical, in-person, and virtual training model for professionals, students, and technicians seeking to expand and enhance their knowledge and skills in GIS.
Our course catalog mainly consists of short-duration courses, ranging from 20 to 24 hours, taught by a select group of specialists who are part of our professional team.
In the catalog, you can find a brief description of the courses. You can then review the dates on the calendar and finally fill out the pre-registration form to indicate your interest in one or multiple courses. For more information on courses, dates, and costs, please email: geocentro@usfq.edu.ec.
Course Catalog
Basic GIS
GIS 1: Introduction, General Applications, and Basic Functionality
Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and cartography is crucial for working with spatial variables. This course aims to familiarize students with the fundamentals of GIS, basic cartography, and geodesy, such as reference systems and different types of map projections. It also explores different ways to visualize maps and provides practical skills in map design. Additionally, students will be trained in handling cartographic information in fieldwork.
GIS 2: Advanced GIS Functionality
This course introduces advanced concepts and functionalities for working with GIS tools through technical and fluent handling of its components. Students will be instructed in the use of GIS tools for spatial data editing and spatial analysis functions.
GIS 3: Spatial Analysis and Modeling with GIS
Spatial analysis is a fundamental aspect and core of GIS, which includes methods for modifying or transforming data. Data analysis allows for the extraction of new information embedded in a dataset, meaning the extraction of new and useful information from spatially located data. Spatial analysis enables understanding, modeling, and spatial analysis based on rasters through its tools. It allows for generating new information from existing data, analyzing spatial relationships, building spatial models, and performing complex operations with rasters. The objective of this course is to understand the functionality of graphical modeling of analysis processes (Model Builder), surface analysis, and interpolation.
Advanced GIS
Spatial Database and GIS
Databases have been essential to GIS since their evolution, providing the ability to store thematic information related to spatial objects and manage both topology and geometry internally. A database management system makes it crucial to study and master actions that allow for managing the database with spatial entities, which is important and even determinant for an organization. Therefore, this course seeks to provide an initial approach to the characteristics of a relational DBMS with the management of spatial data through spatial information storage techniques and data querying using the SQL language.
WebGIS
The WebGIS course with ArcGIS Online allows users to learn and apply the advantages provided by an organizational ArcGIS Online account.
The course begins with publishing services in ArcGIS Online and delves into administration tasks related to user management, map and web application creation, and configuration.
The course is predominantly practical, offering exercises and practical cases that simulate everyday work situations.
Network Analysis
Network analysis focuses on the relationships generated by the geographical characteristics of linear infrastructures (e.g., roads, pipelines, etc.). Among other things, network analysis allows studying accessibility, origin-destination matrices, infrastructure management, and service areas for community facilities. These methods can be combined to estimate, for example, the number of people within a 5-minute walking distance from a bus stop, determine the service area of a bus stop and overlay it with a population density map, among others. The principles of these methods and associated data will be discussed and analyzed in this course. A practical task will be conducted to consolidate theoretical concepts and integrate them with related analytical techniques. The main objective of this course is to provide a set of techniques that, through the use of analysis tools, allow the study of network properties and the formulation of viable solutions to mobility and transportation situations with practical examples in urban networks.
Spatial Analysis with PostGIS
The course on Spatial Analysis with PostGIS provides knowledge about the evolution of DBMSs that allow for managing spatial data, topology, and relationships. Analysts have a set of tools that not only offer analysis capabilities through a GIS but also through a DBMS. This course aims to explore the possibilities offered by a DBMS in managing and querying data through spatial analysis techniques, enabling the understanding and inference of specific spatial phenomena.
Geostatistics
This course provides students with knowledge of geostatistical techniques, starting with a review of statistics as a fundamental discipline in data analysis. It links this knowledge to the spatial analysis of data and demonstrates different ways to perform statistical analysis from a spatial perspective. The course covers the conceptual foundations of spatial statistics and geostatistics, as well as training in the use of free computer tools that provide a wide range of capabilities and possibilities for quantitative statistical territorial analysis.
Geodatabase Modeling
The Geodatabase Modeling course focuses on learning best practices and specificities related to the design of a geographic database or geodatabase.
Initially, the process of designing and modeling geodatabases is framed within the broad vision of implementing a Geographic Information System. Next, the advantages of different options for modeling both tabular and spatial behavior are analyzed in detail. Finally, strategies and tools to streamline the process of creating the geodatabase as the final product of the design and modeling are reviewed.
Geodatabase Administration
This course is aimed at database administrators, geodatabase administrators, and advanced ArcGIS users to familiarize them with the particularities of geodatabases stored with ArcSDE technology in the RDBMS.
The course covers the complete cycle from creating the geodatabase in the database to considerations related to its performance during everyday use. Topics include user management, roles and permissions, spatial data types, data loading, and versioned editing, among others.
Applied GIS
Territorial Planning and GIS
This course allows students to establish connections between GIS tools and the community's social reality within the framework of territorial development. It conceives GIS not only as isolated technological tools but also as instruments that assist social actors in decision-making, as managers of their own living spaces and the surrounding community spaces. The objective of the course is to present the appropriate use of GIS tools as a fundamental part of the analysis and proposals in the methodological processes of developing Territorial Planning Plans (PDOT) to enhance their management.
Communal Services and GIS
This course delves into the use of geotechnologies and their application concepts specifically in the field of communal services as a tool to support the processes of inventorying, analyzing, modeling, and spatially/contextually visualizing information about the provision of electricity, telecommunications, water systems, and drainage. Discussions of application cases in technical sections of infrastructure, customer management, and logistics for efficient and sustainable community use and service are covered. This is combined with practical tasks that enrich the learning within this module.
Public Health and GIS
This course allows students to develop and promote the use of GIS in various fields of application for solving public health problems under a multi-criteria spatial construction and analysis approach. Concurrent with these activities, the course strengthens methodological approaches for calculating health indicators in territories in order to identify priority areas for intervention. Additionally, this course encourages the application of open-source software in presenting information through Epidemiological or Public Health Atlases.
Agriculture and GIS
GIS applied to agriculture allows for the planning and management of agricultural operations. This course aims to guide students in the use of GIS for planning in the agricultural sector, natural resource management, and decision-making. Therefore, one of the objectives of this course is to present the appropriate use of GIS tools as a fundamental part of acquiring information, analysis, modeling, and agricultural planning.
GIS and Environmental Management
This course allows you to focus on the use of GIS tools in environmental monitoring and the creation of scenarios for locating undesirable infrastructure that affects the environment. The objectives of the course are to utilize GIS tools for real-world environmental monitoring issues in accordance with current environmental regulations and to create analysis scenarios through multicriteria evaluation for environmental conservation projects.
GIS, Risk, and Disasters
This course aims to make GIS a tool not only for academics and consultants working on threat analysis, vulnerability assessment, and risk estimation, but also for decision-makers responsible for formulating prevention and mitigation policies, conducting preparedness activities, commanding emergency responses, and managing recovery after disasters.
