Labs
The Center, funded and maintained by the Department of Geography and Planning boasts fifty six (56) GIS state-of-the-art desktop systems, several printers, a large format plotter, scanner, overhead projectors, hand-held global positioning systems, iPads with Collector installed, mifi's, BadElf units, laptops, and more that 3 TB of GIS data including access to vast demographic and consumer behavior datasets for all of Pennsylvania resting in our virtual servers. Our labs have installed ESRI's ArcGIS products and extensions, including ArcGIS Earth, Business Analyst, Spatial Analyst, 3D Analyst, Network Analyst, Arc Hydro, ArcGIS Server, and ArcGIS Pro, as well as CommunityViz, BASINS, GEODA, GRASS, MapWindows, Hazus, QGIS, SWAT, and statistical software including SPSS and SAS.
About ArcGIS Software
As a student you can access to ArcGIS through RamCloud, which means that you do not have to install the software. You just need to have an internet connection and run the Citrix application. We can also install the software on your laptop if you prefer. If that is the case, ESRI specifies some system requirements that are listed here. According to ESRI the latest ArcGIS version needs at least a Windows 7 operating system (OS). If you are thinking about using more extensions besides ArcMap, such as City Engine, we suggested a higher screen resolution, with at least 8 GB in RAM, 4 GB disk space, and 2.2 GHz. If you also intend to use Business Analyst we suggest a higher processor and 45 GB Disk Space.
Access to the Lab
The Labs are located in the Business and Public Management Center rooms 113 and 115 (see map below). During class sessions, access to the lab is restricted to only those students who are registered for that class. The lab graduate assistant (GA) and/or the GIS specialist is available during class hours. Josh Marcinik is the Lab Manager. For the GA's hours, please check the door schedule. The GIS Labs open whenever the respective buildings are open.
Lab Security
Students are not permitted to open the lab door for anyone who does not have the door key code. If a person has a legitimate reason for being in the lab, he/she will know the door code. If you are in the lab late at night and are uncomfortable leaving the building alone, you can call Public Safety (located in the Peoples Building on the corner of Church Street and University Avenue) at X3311, or 610-436-3311 to request they send an escort to the lab who will walk you to your car or dorm, at no charge. This is a campus-wide option.