Spatial simulation for the social sciences

[i]Summer School [/i] 14-18 june 2009 Belfield, Dublin The Summer School will focus on three thematic areas currently preoccupying social scientists; public participation in decision making, quality of life issues and urban and regional growth . With the explosive growth in the availability of geographical data in digital formats and parallel innovations in technology to allow for the manipulation, analyses and visualisation of this data, new types of information are being created. This underpins developments in Participatory GIScience which provides a better understanding of the complexity of decision situations involving human interactions with the physical environment. A recent article in Science (Butz & Torrey, 2006) highlights the importance of the new GIScience tools in providing the ability to analyse social behaviour across time and geographic scales. It further points out that their adoption by social scientists is still in its infancy. This summer school will provide an opportunity to showcase inter-disciplinary research which arises from a unique blend of cutting-edge technology and innovative applications within the field of the social sciences. It will also provide an overview of the basic principles and techniques within GIS which underpin the research applications presented and provide researchers with the appropriate techniques and knowledge to utilise current state-of-the art methodologies within their own research. To go directly to the course schedule, click here The summer school will cover the following subject areas : Foundation Courses Geospatial Analysis: Principles, Techniques and Software Tools Introduction to ArcGIS 9.3 Introduction to Remote Sensing Data sources and types Applications Modelling for Urban and Regional Growth (MOLAND) Quality of Life Studies Participatory Geographic Information Systems (NASA REASoN Project) Target participants The Summer School is targeted at doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers. The ideal candidate is a PhD student with no more than 4 years of research experience (full-time equivalent) since gaining a university diploma giving access to doctoral studies in the country in which the degree/diploma was obtained (excluding any breaks taken from research career for whatever reason). Learning Outcomes • Understanding of basic principles of GIS • Proficient in use of GIS software (ArcGIS 9.3) • Understanding and knowledge of key data types and sources • How GIS can be used as a methodology in the definition and solution of specific problems in the social sciences • Understanding of the range of applications to which GIS can successfully be applied • How GIS is used in state-of-the-art social science research through case studies In order to apply, please send by email to Summer School administrator a single .pdf file containing the following documents in the following order: • The application form • Your CV • A letter of reference from you supervisor Please note that only the application received in a single .pdf file by email with the application form and the letter of reference sent by fax with original signatures, will be accepted. [b]Regulations for the Summer School [/b] Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. All accepted students must attend the Summer School for its entire duration; they are requested to arrive on the14th of June and depart after the school is over. Students who do not respect the stated deadlines will not be admitted. As the School will be conducted in English, applicants should have an adequate working knowledge of the English language. Application Guidelines • The Summer School is targeted to doctoral and post-doctoral students as well as full-time academic staff. • Application is not restricted to EU applicants. • Due to space restrictions, the number of participants is limited to 16. • Access to a computer in the GIS lab will be provided for all participants. • Women are encouraged to apply. • There is no participation fee. • Scholarships are available for a limited number of applicants. The scholarship covers EU100 towards travel costs/accommodation costs for applicants. [b]Deadlines[/b] All applications must arrive to the Summer School Administrator [b]by the 2nd March, 2009 [/b] Acceptance notifications will be sent out from the 3rd of March, 2009 For more information: http://www.ucd.ie/sumschol/