Barnard College has a usage license for GIS software. Academic Technologies can provide faculty with a copy of the software, install it, and provide training on how to use it. GIS is installed in the student labs in Lehman Hall and the Economics Lab for students' use. 401 Altschul is also a GIS ready classroom with twenty three work stations. 

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enable you to envision the geographic aspects of a body of data. They accept data from digital files, paper maps, co-ordinates and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). They store data in vector and raster formats where the former uses discrete representations of reality while the latter uses square cells to model reality.

• They rescale or otherwise manipulate geographic data for different purposes.
• They include a database manager, usually a relational database management system.
• They include query programs so that allow you to identify special features or features based on conditions. They include analysis programs which allow you to retrieve information like proximity, overlay, and networks.
• They provide answers visually, you can display your data in maps, graphs or reports
• You can output this data as paper maps, graphs, through the internet, using images for instance .JPEG files or as documents.

If you are intrested in using GIS, please call the Help Desk at 47172 or email Pankaj Singh at psingh@barnard.edu