This semester, the City has worked extensively on building an online platform capable of being used by the students to collect high accuracy GPS data from their own mobile devices. This approach uses new GPS receiver technology that is being lent out by the City of Bozeman GIS department directly to the students participating in […]
University Department: Geography
Building Community Resilience to Emergencies among Vulnerable Populations
This project was completed as part of the 2018-2019 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with Ramsey County. Ramsey County knows little about social vulnerabilities to emergencies among many demographic groups in the community that would potentially reduce their resiliency in the face of natural and human-created disasters. Ramsey County project lead Karma Kumlin-Diers worked with […]
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GIS Projects
Students will work with the Metropolitan Council on climate vulnerability and resiliency story maps of the Metro area and examine flood and heat data layers in the area. Project details coming in October! Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner. Sustainable Communities Partnership Contact Info University Faculty Contact David Kelley Geography […]
Enhancing Urban Pollinator and Beneficial Insect Habitat
Students researched bee diversity in Iowa City, compared it to bee diversity in prairie and agricultural settings, and related it to floral diversity in each setting. They used pan trapping and sweep netting methods to collect bees during their research. They offered recommendations to the City of Iowa City to help the area maintain and […]
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Blufflands Protection
Students in the Geographical and Sustainability Sciences program develop a methodology for mapping blufflands using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner. Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities Contact Info University Faculty Contact David Bennett Geographical and Sustainability Sciences Local Government / Community Contact […]
STAR Sustainability Assessment
Students in the Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences assisted the City of Iowa City with their Leadership STAR Community Program application by gathering information about City policies, practices and actions in the areas assessed by STAR. Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner. Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities Contact Info […]
Cerro Gordo County Flood Risk Assessment with HAZUS
Students in the Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences course GIS for Environmental Studies course conducted a flooding risk assessment for the Cerro Gordo County Emergency Management Agency using HAZUS modeling software. Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner. Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities Contact Info University Faculty Contact Dave Bennett […]
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Urban Ecology
Students in a geography class completed two separate projects for Iowa City. The first project focused on the ecological functions of roadside vegetation in Iowa City, including identification of roadside land area in the city that can be prioritized for re-planting and re-design as native vegetation areas. The second project focused on urban raptors. Students […]
Farmers’ Market Mapping
Students from the Geographical and Sustainability Sciences department used GIS to map the sources of the farmers’ market products and locations of their vendors, giving consumers, and market managers – it is a visual understanding of the area over which the local products are sourced. In addition, students researched how the locations of these vendors […]
Emerald Ash Borer: Monitoring and Management
Students conducted research on Iowa City’s ash trees to help prepare for the emerald ash borer (EAB) and develop a response plan. Students used various survey methodologies to assess current ash tree condition and coverage in Iowa City, including counting the trees, recording their GPS coordinates, and measuring their characteristics. Using this data, students created […]
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