Apps that utilize a map, such as GPS, Google maps or even geo-tracking in Facebook and Twitter posts, all have a hand in spatial science, Amy Lobben, the head of the geography department, said. The field involves mapping out data collected by phones and utilizing them in various ways, such as developing digital maps or defining where certain demographics reside.
“I’m not teaching you how to use Google maps; I’m teaching you how to make it,” Lobben said.
The major will be the first ever addition to geography department and will add four new courses on project design, location-aware systems and spatial analysis, Chris Bone, assistant professor at the geography department, said.
“We couldn’t just add more courses and accomplish what we wanted to. This is different than a traditional geography degree,“ Bones said.
SDST was designed to be flexible for students who are either coming into the major late as a sophomore or junior, or those looking to double major with computer information science or geography. The major uses courses from both of those majors, Bones said.
“If I was an incoming freshman, I’d probably be doing this instead of geography, Geoffrey Marcus, a geography major at UO, said.
The geography department decided on the development of the new major a year ago after seeing growth in the spatial science industry and popularity among spatial data classes taught at UO, Bones said. The field involves skills currently used in the UO’s infographics lab, the makers of the campus map.
“Students get great jobs learning what we’re doing in my lab,” Ken Kato from the infographics lab said.
Bones hopes that the major will not only be marketable to geography majors, but to students beyond campus.
“Our ultimate aim isn’t just to attract University of Oregon students to take this major. The ultimate aim is to attract students to the University of Oregon to take this major,” Bones said.
The major and course applications are currently under review by the School of Architecture and Allied Arts, which will send the application back to the department for revision. Once approved, the applications are sent to the state to be reviewed and revised once again before final approval. If everything runs smoothly, students may see this new major as early as fall term 2016, Lobben said.
“Why wouldn’t anybody want to do this? It’s not just the present, it’s the future,” Lobben said.