University of Maine Named Center of Academic Excellence in Geospatial Sciences
Orono, Maine – The University of Maine has been named a national Center of Academic Excellence in Geospatial Sciences in a joint application and designation process sponsored by the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the US Geological Survey (USGS). The University of Maine is among seventeen universities from across the nation selected to receive the award in this first year of the program. While centered in the School of Computing and Information Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, faculty from across several colleges detailed their course offerings and research in the bid to receive the campus-wide designation.
The designation reflects UMaine’s dedication to teaching the breadth and depth of theory and real-world applications of geospatial sciences that prepares students for success in the public, private and academic sectors. According to the participating federal government agencies, a major goal of the Centers of Academic Excellence in Geospatial Sciences (CAE GS) Program “is to build, strengthen and cultivate the current and future geospatial sciences workforce for the U.S. government—make it second to none. “ A U.S. workforce of government and industry personnel is needed with the appropriate mix of emerging skills, education, knowledge and competencies to keep America on the leading edge in the application and use of geospatial sciences for global security issues in energy, health and the environment; homeland security and disaster management; earth sciences and for national security, military planning and operations.
The award was presented recently to the University of Maine at a Centers for Academic Excellence in Geospatial Sciences meeting in Washington, D.C. Accepting the award for UMaine from NGA Director Robert Cardillo was Professor Harlan Onsrud of the Spatial Informatics faculty within the School of Computing and Information Science. Representatives of the CAE GS program will visit the campus this fall to tour campus research and teaching facilities, meet in round table sessions with students, faculty and administrators, and discuss research opportunities, student internships and job opportunities with the federal government. Reapplication is required every three years.
For further information, contact Dr. Max Egenhofer, Director, School of Computing and Information Science, max@spatial.maine.edu