GIS Resources at Washington University
The GIS Coordinator's Office is working to enhance the hardware, software, training, and data resources available to the Washington University community and to ensure that specific project needs are met. This page details the resources currently available and will be revised regularly to provide an up to date listing of materials and services you can access to facilitate the application of geospatial technologies to your project.
GIS Computer Laboratory
The GIS computer lab houses personal computers, a wide format scanner, plotters, and color printer. Various software packages are installed and ready for your use. Faculty can reserve the space for classroom instruction or hands-on lab sessions. Short term sessions can also be arranged to provide individualized training to research or staff groups interested in learning how to apply GIS technologies in thier work. Please contact Bill Winston to reserve the space or Aaron Addison to discuss training needs.
Printing and Scanning Policy
A Xerox Phaser 7400 color printer, HP Z6100ps 42" plotter, and Graphtec CS 510 Large Format Scanner are located in the GIS Teaching Lab and available to the WU community. These resources are provided by the GIS Coordinator's office on a cost recovery basis and printing is managed by the PaperCut system. The charge for printing to these devices is posted on the desktop background of all lab computers. No refunds will be given for unsatisfactory output caused by improper use of print settings. Standard bond paper is always loaded in the plotter, other paper types are available upon request and at different pricing. If you are planning to produce a plot and would like to use a different paper type, please contact Bill Winston to schedule a time to print. The lab is being used for classes more frequently each semester and access to the plotter is sometimes not possible.
Scanning on the large format scanner costs $2 per sheet and a user-provided acetate sheet must be used to protect the optics. Pre-payment for scans in cash or by fund transfer can be made through Beth Sparks in room 110C Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 2:00pm. We welcome your use of the scanner but would appreciate your cooperation with regards to this policy.
For all printing or scanning questions see Bill Winston in EPSc room 335.
Software
Washington University is making ArcGIS Desktop available to all students, faculty, and staff for educational and research purposes. Most university computer labs have the networked ArcInfo package installed for your use. In cases where users require access to the software on remote or laptop systems, ArcEditor is available. Please see the ArcGIS Desktop FAQ to evaulate which version of the software is appropriate for your application and contact Bill Winston to arrange the installation.
Training
Washington University offers daytime courses that include instruction in GIS concepts and techniques. Evening cources are available through University College. See our course listing for current offerings. Some courses focus on GIS applications in specific fields such as anthropology or Environmental Studies, while others are directed towards mastering the ArcGIS software applications. In addition to regular course offerings, specilized training sessions can be arranged for small groups. Contact Aaron Addison to discuss your specific needs.
Consultation
The GIS Coordinator's office is available to help you plan all aspects of your GIS project. We are able to provide advice on equipment selection, software capabilities, data availability, and application development. Coordination with state and local agencies is ongoing and in some cases we can facilitate data access. Please contact us early in your planning process to ensure that we can efficiently and effectively help you navigate the complex and rapidly advancing GIS landscape.
