Howard T. Fisher Prize in Geographic Information Science

Winners, Academic Year 2005-2006

ANNOUNCEMENT

The Committee of the Howard T. Fisher Prize in Geographical Information Science, Harvard University, is pleased to announce the recipients of the award for the academic year 2005-2006:

In their review, the judges noted: "The submission shows effective use of innovative spatial analysis, particularly in the creation of accessibility points and polygons. It is immediately clear how the results of this project might be of practical use.. analysis method is innovative and makes a real contribution...clear and convincing graphical presentation."

In the undergraduate category, Fran Moore will be awarded a cash prize of $1000 in June for the entry entitled "A Spatial Analysis of the Causal Factors of Nepal's Maoist Insurgency". Moore's entry described a project undertaken in the course Earth Sciences103, "Spatial Analysis of Social and Environmental Systems", Spring 2006.

The judges' comments included: "Her use of geospatial tools to further her knowledge with sound data analysis of the causes of the insurgency takes her to a new level of understanding... - cartographic presentation of her data is excellent... a very innovative attempt at relating socio economic variables with a spatial pattern to a specific issue of policy relevance like violence.

We congratulate Eric and Fran for their achievements and wish them both future success.

Stephen Ervin
and Lucia Lovison-Golob

HTFisher Prize Committee

Members of the Committee

The Howard T. Fisher Prize for excellence in Geographic Information Science was established (read press release ) in 1999 to promote and reward student work in this broad and potentially interdisciplinary area, from both undergraduate and graduate students at Harvard University.

See http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/academic/fellowships/prizes/gisprize for more information.

Howard Fisher, a geographer and mathematical cartographer, founded the Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 1965. His work and others' from that laboratory led directly to the computer-based technology that subsequently became widely known as GIS (Geographic Information Systems.) Fisher valued the communicative and explanatory power of maps, and developed techniques from computer and information science to expand the capabilities for producing and analyzing maps, and managing spatial data in general.

  For questions or commments , please contact Stephen Ervin ( servin@gsd.harvard.edu) or Lucia Lovison-Golob (lovison@eps.harvard.edu )