Geospatial technology is used in a range of sectors including government, utilities, environmental agencies, agriculture, telecommunications, and retail businesses, and the applications for geospatial technology, even within a single industry, are diverse and many. The COVID-19 pandemic not only gave us a new and essential reason to use the technology but catalyzed innovation within the geographic information systems (GIS) field. Let’s look at how geospatial technology was used to help us stay informed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Harnessing GIS Tools in the Fight Against COVID-19
Geospatial technology has been designed, adapted, and repurposed to identify places where COVID-19 is prevalent, notify individuals who may have been exposed to the disease, and provide other vital information. Here are a few examples:
Trouble Spot Identifier
Using geospatial analytics—a combination of spatial, statistical, and demographic information—government officials worldwide were able to track the number of COVID-19 cases within their own borders and beyond and sort them by death rates, survival rates, hospitalizations, and other criteria. When they linked this information with data regarding economic status, age, and other demographic details of those infected with COVID-19, these officials were able to identify locations where extra preventive measures were needed.
Pocket-Sized COVID-19 Tracker
Several African nations used GIS technology to develop contact tracing applications that track those infected with COVID-19 and notify app users who have come into contact with infected individuals. While this tool is valuable in the fight against COVID-19, it’s also highly controversial due to its inherent privacy concerns. While a few large U.S.-based technology companies developed their own apps, contact tracing never gained traction in the U.S. As CNN reported, “A lack of trust … killed many efforts to use technology as a contact tracing aid.”
Up-to-the-Minute, User-Friendly Dashboard
Technology created by Esri provided the basis for a user-friendly COVID-19 dashboard that enabled anyone to view data reflecting the number of cases, deaths, COVID-19 tests conducted, the disease’s expanding global scope, and other valuable information through a single source. The dashboard employed world maps that offered a visual representation of COVID-19 cases and allowed users to click on any locale to see the current data from that location.
Artificial Intelligence Assistant
Multiple organizations employed artificial intelligence (AI) to gather data from media outlets and other sources. Using this information in connection with geospatial data published on dashboards, the technology was able to produce highly accurate predictions about the spread of COVID-19.
Credentials That Can Make a Lasting Impact
For more than two decades, The University of Texas Permian Basin has enjoyed a unique relationship with the GIS and geospatial industries. This close connection has enabled UT Permian Basin to stay at the forefront of GIS and geospatial technology, trends, and best practices. Our insider’s perspective serves as the foundation for the curriculum of our GIS and Geospatial Certificate, a 12-credit graduate credential offered exclusively online. You can leverage the knowledge you gain in our program to serve in government, environmental organizations, and private companies, or expand your expertise within your current role in one of these sectors. As we’ve seen with GIS technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may even save lives through your efforts.
A Fast, Flexible Program
If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, you’re just four eight-week courses away from earning this valuable career credential! Our online GIS and Geospatial Certificate program offers one of the quickest ways to build new skills and gain a credential on your resume. Delivered in an asynchronous, 100% online format, our self-paced program empowers you to view course lectures and complete coursework 24/7 from practically anywhere in the world. This flexibility allows you to keep up with your professional and personal responsibilities while you’re completing your certificate.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8822139/