News

Mar 08
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Reading and discussion group: Spatial Analysis in Social Sciences

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This reading group moderated by consultants from CSCAR will focus on spatial analysis especially as practiced in social sciences. We will meet for 1.5 to 2 hours every month on the fourth Thursday and discuss one or two chapters from relevant graduate level textbooks. We will focus on the concepts and applications but will also try to discuss the technical details. The format is open-ended, and the key objective is to support learning at different knowledge and skill levels. If there is interest, we will also cover software implementation of techniques in R or Python. We will select reading material that is available via U-M library or freely accessible online.

The details for the third meeting are below.

Date – March 24, 2022

Time – 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Readings – We will discuss the following chapters:

(1) Chapter 4: Diagnosing Spatial Dependence (from Spatial Analysis for the Social Sciences by David Darmofal)

(3) Chapter 5: Diagnosing Spatial Dependence in the Presence of Covariates (from Spatial Analysis for the Social Sciences by David Darmofal)

Digital copies of the book are available from the UM Library.

Jan 31
0

Reading and discussion group: Spatial Analysis in Social Sciences

By |

This reading group moderated by consultants from CSCAR will focus on spatial analysis especially as practiced in social sciences. We will meet for 1.5 to 2 hours every month on the fourth Thursday and discuss one or two chapters from relevant graduate level textbooks. We will focus on the concepts and applications but will also try to discuss the technical details. The format is open-ended, and the key objective is to support learning at different knowledge and skill levels. If there is interest, we will also cover software implementation of techniques in R or Python. We will select reading material that is available via U-M library or freely accessible online.

Readings – We will discuss the following chapters:

(2) Chapter 3: Global and local indicators of spatial association (from Spatial Analysis using Big Data by Yoshiki Yamagata and Hajime Seya)

(3) Chapter 3: Spatial autocorrelation and statistical inference (from Spatial Analysis for Social Science by David Darmofal)

Digital versions of the above two books are available from the UM Library.

Sep 01
0

GIS and Spatial Analysis Fundamentals – IV (Map visualization)

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This is the fourth workshop about the fundamentals of GIS and spatial analysis this semester. Each workshop covers one or two key elements and is self-contained. The focus is on conceptual details that can provide sufficient preparation for applications, but we will also touch upon the technical aspects. Most workshops will have at least one hands-on exercise. Typically, each workshop is divided into one hour of lecture-style presentation and half an hour of hands-on exercises. Unless mentioned otherwise, we will use R and/or QGIS.

 

This workshop will focus on basic cartography principles for map-making and explore the functionalities of R and QGIS for making production-quality single- and bi-variate static and dynamic choropleth map. We will also explore the functionalities of leaflet, a powerful JavaScript library, to create web maps and add extra information via elements such as pop-ups.

 

Participants should have some familiarity with R, but exposure to QGIS is not required.

Sep 01
0

GIS and Spatial Analysis Fundamentals – III (Geocoding)

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This is the third workshop about the fundamentals of GIS and spatial analysis this semester. Each workshop covers one or two key elements and is self-contained. The focus is on conceptual details that can provide sufficient preparation for applications, but we will also touch upon the technical aspects. Most workshops will have at least one hands-on exercise. Typically, each workshop is divided into one hour of lecture-style presentation and half an hour of hands-on exercises. 

 

Geocoding (or sometimes reverse geocoding) is often a very first step in many geospatial analyses. There are many options available for geocoding with different degree of accuracy. A basic understanding of the process helps you in choosing the best option. The workshop will cover basic concepts in geocoding, different open-source and proprietary options available, accuracy and reliability in geocoding, and best practices. We will use R and ArcGIS.

Sep 01
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GIS and Spatial Analysis Fundamentals – II (Data models: vector, network)

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This is the second workshop about the fundamentals of GIS and spatial analysis this semester. Each workshop covers one or two key elements of GIS and spatial analysis and is self-contained. The focus is on conceptual details that can provide sufficient preparation for applications, but we will also touch upon the technical aspects. Most workshops will have at least one hands-on exercise. The first one hour of the workshop is a lecture-style presentation, followed by the next half-hour for the hands-on exercises. Unless mentioned otherwise, we will use R and/or QGIS for the hands-on portion. 

 

How data is recorded in digital systems has significant implications for accuracy, algorithms, and the type of analyses that can be undertaken.  In this workshop we will cover data structure for vector and network data in the context of a 2-D GIS system. The focus is on developing a basic understanding of elements such as essential primitives, how more complex objects are derived from the primitives, and different formats and file systems. 

 

Participants should have some familiarity with R, but exposure to QGIS is not required.

Sep 01
0

GIS and Spatial Analysis Fundamentals – I (Coordinate system)

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This is the first workshop about the fundamentals of GIS and spatial analysis this semester. Each workshop covers one or two key elements of GIS and spatial analysis and is self-contained. The focus is on conceptual details that can provide sufficient understanding for applications, but we will also touch upon the technical aspects. Most workshops will have at least one hands-on exercise. Typically, each workshop is divided into one hour of lecture-style presentation and half an hour of hands-on exercises. Unless mentioned otherwise, we will use R and/or QGIS for the hands-on portion. 

 

There are 100s of coordinate systems and datums available in modern software that provide GIS functionalities. A basic understanding of different coordinate systems, their strength and limitations, and conversion between different systems are essential for choosing the right system and manipulating geographically referenced data. In this workshop we will cover basics of coordinate systems for 2-D GIS from an applied perspective. 

 

Participants should have some familiarity with R, but exposure to QGIS is not required.

Feb 05
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GIS Fundamentals – V (Spatial Database – PostGIS)

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This is the fifth workshop in a series of workshops we are offering this semester on the fundamentals of GIS. Each workshop covers one or two key elements of GIS and is somewhat self-contained. The focus is on conceptual details that can provide sufficient preparation for applications, but we will also touch upon the technical aspects.

In this workshop we will cover the basic concepts of spatial databases and learn about setting up and using PostGIS, an open source spatial database built on top of PostgreSQL, along with R for vector data analysis. We will also touch upon topics such as spatial indexing, query processing and the capabilities of PostGIS for other data models such as the network and raster data model. This is a hands-on workshop and the instructor will use a Mac machine. If you intend to use a Windows or Linux machine please get in touch with the instructor before the workshop at manishve@umich.edu.