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Kansas State University

 

Geographic Information Systems Spatial Analysis Laboratory

 

GISSAL LogoThe Geographic Information System Spatial Analysis Laboratory (GISSAL) was established in August 1990 as a multidisciplinary center supporting spatial research, education, and outreach activities at Kansas State University.  Recognized as a National Center of Digitizing Excellence by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and contributor to the 2005 ESRI Special Achievement in GIS Award for Agriculture presented to Kansas State University, GISSAL combines faculty expertise and trained graduate and undergraduate student technicians with advanced geospatial technology and sophisticated spatial analysis capabilities. 

GISSAL offers a modern computing infrastructure, access to state-of-the-art data visualization tools, and the most powerful GIS, satellite remote sensing, CAD, digital mapping, database, and statistical analysis software packages.  Although primarily a research facility, GISSAL offers contract services including GIS database design and construction, digital cartographic support and production (including web-servable interactive maps), and customized GIS workshops and software training.

Multidisciplinary Collaboration

As a university resource, GISSAL works extensively with faculty and students from a wide spectrum of disciplines, and has recently initiated projects with national and international researchers.  Since 2000, GISSAL has officially collaborated with over 35 academic departments, research units, or state/federal agencies across the nation and world.

Research and Service Projects

Since 2000, GISSAL has officially collaborated with over 35 academic departments, research units, or state/federal agencies across the nation and world.Key work includes the SSURGO soils digitizing effort (USDA), Kansas GAP Project (USGS), and collaborative work with the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center (NABC), USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Center for Plant Health Science and Technology (CPHST), U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Kansas Forest Service.  A total of ten major funded projects are currently underway in the laboratory with GISSAL research staff serving as principal or co-principal investigator.  These projects total in nearly $4.5 million.