American Statistical Association (ASA) Section on Statistics and the Environment (ENVR) Last Modified: 2002-Apr-28 Send comments, corrections, additions to: ENVR Web Editor or ENVR Webmaster

A three-day conference entitled "Spatial Statistics: Integrating Statistics, GIS, and Statistical Graphics," to be held October 17-19, 2002, in Seattle, Washington, is being organized by the Statistics and Environment Section of the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the National Research Center for Statistics and the Environment. There will be a one-day short course on October 17th. A workshop will begin Friday, October 18th, and extend until noon, Saturday, October 19th. Papers will be given on recent advances in the analysis and display of environmental spatial data.

Short Course, Thursday, October 17th: Integrating Geostatistics and GIS by Jay Ver Hoef and Konstantin Krivoruchko

The morning will consist of an introduction to the ideas of geostatistics. The fundamentals of geostatistics will be demonstrated using the Geostatistical Analyst (GA), which is an extension to ArcInfo/ArcMap. In the afternoon, the short course will be a PC lab for hands-on instruction using GA. Although data will be available, participants are encouraged to bring their own data. In addition to the short course leaders, several other experts in geostatistics and knowledgeable GA users will be available to give individual attention to participants during the afternoon lab. Due to the capacity of the lab, enrollment is limited to 26 so it is important to register early! Registration for the short course is $350 for members of ASA's Section on Statistics and the Environment and $375 for nonmembers.

Workshop, Friday, October 18 to 19th: Spatial Statistics: Integrating Statistics, GIS, and Statistical Graphics

The workshop will consist of a series of invited presentations on research topics at the interface of statistics and GIS. Research leaders will give topical presentations on Spatial Statistics and GIS, Spatial Sampling Design, Visualization, Change-of-Support, Agile GIS, and Environmental Applications. Ample time will be provided for a thorough discussion of the topics. Registration for the workshop is $175 for members of ASA's Section on Statistics and the Environment and $200 for nonmembers.

For further information, please contact Linda J. Young at LJYoung@UNL.edu or check the Registration Information web site athttp://www.engr.washington.edu/~uw-epp/gis/reginfo.html.

Geospatial data form the foundation of an information-based society. Consider a 21st Century digital government scenario of the following nature: What messages do multi-categorical thematic maps and cellular surfaces have about the large landscapes they represent? And at what scale and at what level of detail?..Does the spatial pattern of the map reveal any societal, ecological, environmental condition of the landscape? And therefore can it be an indicator of change?..How do you automate the assessment of the spatial structure and behavior of change to discover critical areas, hot spots, and their corridors?..Is the map accurate? How accurate is the map? How do you assess the accuracy of the map? What are the implications of the kind and amount of map change and accuracy on climate change, carbon emission, water resources, urban sprawl, biodiversity, indicator species, or some other early warning? Finally, what confidence can be assigned to these changes, even with a single map/change-map?

A primary purpose of MARMAP System Partnership is to develop sound methodology and appropriate software for the quantitative analysis and interpretation of multi-categorical maps and cellular surfaces (inferential geospatial informatics) involving landscape pattern analysis, multiscale landcover landuse change detection, accuracy assessment, critical area detection and delineation, disease mapping and geographic surveillance, prioritization and ranking without having to integrate multiple indicators, and a few more. Your participation in this activity is invited. The following websites give recent publications together with some relevant exciting events.

1. MARMAP and MARMAP Prospectus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
   Website: http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/newpage11.htm
   
   
2. Multiscale Advanced Raster Map Analysis System: Definition, Design, and Development. Invited Paper for Joint Statistical Meetings (New York City), Portuguese Statistical Congress, International Environmetrics Society, Brazilian Ecological Congress, and Italian Ecological Society.
   Website: http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/PDFfiles/TR2002-0203.pdf (PDF)
   
   
3. Project MARMAP System Partnership Collaboration with EPA STAR Grant Atlantic Slope Consortium for Development, Testing, and Application of Ecological and Socioeconomic Indicators for Integrated Assessment of Atlantic Slope in the mid-Atlantic states.
   Website: http://es.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/grants/00/envind/brooks.html
   
   
4. Project MARMAP System Partnership Collaboration with UNEP Division of Early Warning and Assessment on Human Environment Index based on Countrywide Land, Air, and Water Indicators.
   Website: http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/current_events.htm
   
   
5. Project MARMAP Show and Tell Seminar series: EPA ORD NCEA, EPA ORD NERL, EPA OEI, NASA HQ, NASA GSFC, NCHS, NYSDEH; UMD, GWU, UCB, MSU, UM, SUNY SPH.
   Website (Powerpoint Presentations): http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/powerpoint.htm
   
   
6. Ecosystem Health and Its Measurement at Landscape Scale: Towards the Next Generation of Quantitative Assessments. Invited Paper for Ecosystem Health, International Society for Ecosystem Health.
   Website: http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/PDFfiles/TR2002-0202.pdf (PDF)
   
   
7. Multiscale Advanced Raster Map Analysis System for Measurement of Ecosystem Health at Landscape Scale: A Novel Synergistic Consortium Initiative. Invited Paper for Managing for Healthy Ecosystems, International Society for Ecosystem Health.
   Website: http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/PDFfiles/TR2002-0301.pdf (PDF)
   
   
8. Washington DC Conference on Linkages Between Biodiversity, Ecosystem Health, and Human Health, June 6-11, 2002. A Special Session on Ecosystem Health and Its Measurement at Landscape Scale. June 10, 10:00AM - 12:00Noon.
   Website: http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/current_events.htm
   
   
9. Joint Statistical Meetings on Statistics in Era of Technological Change, August 11-15, 2002, New York City. A Special Session on Multiscale Advanced Raster Map Analysis System for Digital Government in the 21st Century. August 13, 2:00PM - 3:45 PM.
   Website: http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/current_events.htm
   
   
10. Short Course and Research Workshop on Multiscale Advanced Raster Map Analysis System for the Map of Italian Nature, University of Parma, Parma, Italy, June 21-22, 2002.
    Website: http://www.stat.psu.edu/~gpp/current_events.htm