For immediate release:

UCGIS to Hold Urban Indicator and GIS Workshop in Guadalajara, Mexico

The University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) will conduct a three-day hands-on workshop on integrating geographic information systems (GIS) and urban indicator analysis on June 21-23, 2004, in Guadalajara, Mexico. The workshop is designed to introduce urban and regional planning university professors from Mexico and Central America to geographic information system (GIS) technology and applications. The workshop includes an introduction to GIS, two interactive urban case studies, and a series of presentations on urban indicator research and practical applications.

Support for the workshop is through a Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy Development and Research grant Global Urban Quality: An Analysis of Urban Indicators Using Geographic Information Science. UCGIS is cooperating in this effort with the three universities within the Metropolitan Observatory of Guadalajara (OMEGA): the Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara, the ITESO University and the University of Guadalajara. The workshop will be held at the Tecnológico de Monterrey computer laboratory. UCGIS private affiliate, ESRI, is a partner on this grant. ESRI and its international distributor Sistemas De Informacion Geografica, S.A. (SIGSA) are providing valuable software assistance.
The workshop is a part of a larger project that complements the Urban Indicators Programme of the United Nation's Global Urban Observatory. In Phase I of this grant, UCGIS member institutions developed programs to train personnel in developing countries on the application of geographic information systems (GIS) technology. GIS was used to disaggregate country and city indicator data to sub-areas within cities to help evaluate the spatial dynamics of urban quality within larger metropolitan areas.
The GIS and spatial analysis methods used in this project are being applied in developing countries that are characterized by poor data and where local authorities have limited capacity to monitor urban growth and change. These urban areas lack adequate infrastructure and other basic facilities, and viable livelihood systems. Incorporating GIS will support applications for monitoring urban development.
Workshop materials are available on the UCGIS web site http://HUDPhaseII.ucgis.org.

The University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) is a non-profit organization of universities and other research institutions dedicated to advancing our understanding of geographic processes and spatial relationships through improved theory, methods, technology and data. UCGIS members include the nation’s best GI Science research and educational universities, professional societies, and private affiliates.

UCGIS has three missions:

• To foster multidisciplinary geoscience research and education.

• To promote the use of geographic information science and geographic analysis.

• To serve as the coherent and persuasive voice of the geographic information science research community.

Information on UCGIS can be found at http://www.ucgis.org.
Information on HUD OPD&R can be found at http://www.huduser.org/about/pdrabout.html.
Information on ESRI can be found at http://www.esri.com.