World Geographic Information System Day is celebrated Wednesday, Nov. 17, across the world in hopes of educating the public on the role geography plays in our lives. Dr. Sarah Hinman, an assistant professor in the History Department at ISU, is an expert in the Geographic Information System, known as GIS, and teaches courses on the system.

Hinman received her bachelor's degree in history and geology from Mary Washington College, her master's in geology from Iowa University, and her Ph.D. in geology from Louisiana State University before coming to Idaho State University in the fall of 2007. According to Hinman, GIS is a "computer-based mapping system, which uses a data table for research.""GIS is used with a lot of census data," continued Hinman. GIS provides a detailed map of a specific area and plots specific details about a certain researched topic.

Hinman has used GIS as a research tool for medical geography. "I've looked at health across certain areas. Specifically, industrial deaths and infant deaths from a typhoid fever outbreak from 1906 to 1909 in Baltimore. I wanted to see why these certain places had outbreaks."

At Idaho State University, GIS plays a role in many departments on campus.  "A number of departments contribute to GIS," commented Hinman. "The College of Business, History, Geosciences and Anthropology. [The faculty] collaborates well together on projects."The GIS Research Center in Graveley Hall on the ISU campus provides students with a good working environment to study GIS. However, beginning next spring, a new lab will open in the Liberal Arts building on the Pocatello campus. The lab is a joint effort between GIS studies and the Department of Mass Communication.

"We hope to generate revenue from outside ISU by working with professional companies," said Hinman. The lab will be working with visual communications and cartography. "The goal of the lab is for both departments to teach useful programs. For me, it involves cartography and introduction to GIS," commented Hinman. Hinman continued saying that many students get intimidated and are afraid of GIS when they first begin courses on it.

"It's a steep learning curve and getting there is a challenge. But once you finally get there, it's amazing how much you can learn and accomplish.""We put a greater emphasis in students using technology and getting comfortable with it," continued Hinman.

World GIS Day will see different organizations putting on events at the ISU campus, and Hinman encourages all students to participate. "It's a kind of GIS awareness day, and we want people to know that this type of system exists, and we want to show them the kind of work we do."

World GIS Day is a fundraiser for the Geospatial Club at ISU and events will include a pie-throwing contest, which features faculty as the targets. There will also be trivia games with prizes as well as presentations throughout the day on the benefits of GIS. The 6th Annual Chili Cook-off is the main event for the fundraiser and will be held at lunch in the Rendezvous Center.