Our Changing Vocabulary

While it is no surprise that pandemic-specific words, like COVID and vax, have seen dramatic increases in their usage, it is interesting to reflect how some common words have undergone changes in their usage as well. Here is a google trends chart for a few. Words like unmute went through a dramatic jump, but are still at a low level compared to these. What else?

More grad school?

The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Geospatial Analytics at the Center for Geospatial Analytics (geospatial.ncsu.edu) at North Carolina State University is now accepting applications for Fall 2022 enrollment. We expect to admit a cohort of twelve students, all with fully funded graduate research assistantships with $25,000 salary, benefits, and tuition support, renewable for up to four years.

The application deadline is February 1, 2022.

The Center for Geospatial Analytics at NC State is an internationally recognized hub for interdisciplinary data scientists pushing the boundaries of spatial data science to advance discovery and inform real-world decision-making. Ph.D. students receive multidisciplinary advising and the opportunity to work with over thirty faculty fellows with diverse expertise from a dozen departments across NC State. 

Faculty at the Center develop and apply innovative techniques to advance new research frontiers (geospatial.ncsu.edu/research). For example, we develop new ways of gathering and processing large datasets, forecasting future conditions based on "what-if" scenarios, and putting forecasts into the hands of the people who need them most to collaboratively explore alternative futures of planning and change. Our work involves deep collaboration with government, industry, and community partners to address interdisciplinary environmental and societal challenges.

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to faculty with similar research interests but are not required to secure an advisor prior to admission. Students with quantitative and computational backgrounds in geography, informatics, or remote sensing are strongly encouraged to apply. We welcome applicants interested in pushing the boundaries of geospatial analytics and technology from a variety of perspectives, including design, cognitive science, natural resources and the environment, computer science, engineering, social and behavioral sciences, and more. We are especially committed to increasing the representation of students that have been historically excluded from participation in U.S. higher education.

Additional details and complete application instructions are available at go.ncsu.edu/geospatial-phd. Interested students are encouraged to contact Rachel Kasten, Graduate Services Coordinator (rachelkasten@ncsu.edu or 919-515-2800), with any questions. 

A Watershed Moment in Watershed Mapping

 Landscape Architecture Magazine has a great feature (Sept 21) on a map that is changing how we read the changing issues for a major watershed. 

A team of five has produced a remarkably rich, peer-reviewed map of the Colorado River Basin and the the changing conditions threatening its future. Produced by the Babbit Center of the Lincoln Land Institute, this is an information-filled explanation of an incredibly complex landscape.