GIS at McMaster

Geographic Information Science (GIScience) is the scientific discipline that studies data structures and computational techniques to capture, process, analyze and represent geographic information. The core of GIScience is GIS or Geographical Information Systems. A GIS consists of a suite of tools that can be used to turn geographic data into actionable intelligence which can be used to solve real-world problems. GIS takes numbers and relates them to geographic space to provide unique insight into data. For complex issues, such as food insecurity and poverty, biodiversity loss, water quality and quantity, natural hazards, climate change, deforestation, energy demand, mineral exploration and human health, geographic data and GIS applications can lead to a better understanding of multiple, related factors and better solutions to these critical issues. GIS is used in most sectors of the economy, from banking and insurance to urban and environmental planning to environmental and earth science. For instance, all levels of government and all FORTUNE 500 companies use GIS to help them plan and succeed.

The School’s designation as an Esri Canada Centre of Excellence for GIS, and its focus on creating new software tools, and web/mobile applications using spatial data provide our students with valuable skills to better understand the world around them. With two dedicated GIS laboratories supported by a GIS Specialist, students gain hands-on experience that can help meet the requirements for professional certification offered by the GIS Certification Institute.