Howard T. Fisher Prize in Geographic Information Science

Winners, Academic Year 2006-2007

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 2006-2007:

Jaclyn Hatala for her submission entitled "Hyperspectral Spatial Analysis of Pathogen-Induced Mortality in Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis) within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem" , a portion of her senior thesis in Environmental Science and Public Policy;

and

Adam Sachs for his submission entitled "Using Spatial Analysis to Establish a Relationship Between Hurricane Attributes and Damages", based on his thesis presented to the Department of Economics and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

In their evaluations, the judges commented:
Jaclyn Hatala:
"Unique remote sensing application and mathematically complex geostatistical analysis"..."A good, comprehensive approach to forest change" ...."Well illustrated"..." commended for applying many complex tools to find trees with specific diseases in hyperspectral images. ...understanding the data and procedures at a fairly deep level."

Adam Sachs:
"Variables integrated very well & nice use of simulated hurricanes to extend historical results" ... "clearly presented... innovative approach that can be generalized ... good structural analysis and discussion of the results"... "Extremely well written, carefully structured, beautifully and clearly illustrated." ... "interesting topic, the relevance of which is clearly presented. "

In the graduate category, two prizes will be awarded, to:

Kevin Bunker (MUP candidate, Graduate School of Design) for his submission entitled "Evaluating Potential Sewer Extensions in Ipswich, Massachusetts", based on his final project for GSD6322, Fundamentals of GIS, Fall 2006;

and

Corina Graif (PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology) for her submission entitled "Creative Class and Diversity: Spatial and Temporal Dynamics in Chicago Neighborhoods" , based on her Arts Masters thesis at Harvard.

In their evaluations, the judges commented:
Kevin Bunker:
" BEAUTIFULLY done--and great, appropriate, use of GIS."..."Well done and well presented"... "A good description of an interesting technique"..."very well illustrated, including raster based modeling processes."

Corina Graif:
" The statistical application was impressive and the visualization of data was great as well."... "She has developed an innovative technique to estimate cultural diversity at neighborhood level. "..." strong theoretical models" ..."a very good job in the spatial analysis of the diversity within neighbors. "... "spatial analysis work is excellent and ... methodology innovative and can be generalized across the United States."

The goals of the Fisher Prize are to promulgate and reward geo-spatial work at Harvard University, across a wide range of disciplines and techniques, and this selection demonstrates the range very well.

We congratulate Jaclyn, Adam, Kevin and Corina for their achievements and wish them all 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 )