Washington College To Launch New Transdisciplinary Program in Geographic Information Systems

Chestertown, MD, February 25, 2003 — A $123,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and an anonymous $100,000 foundation grant will help Washington College establish an new transdisciplinary Geographic Information System (Trans-GIS) program at the College. Trans-GIS is state-of-the-art computer-based technology for community and environmental planning, resource management, and business planning. The Trans-GIS program will be structured to include students from across the College's curriculum—computer science, business management, environmental science, archaeology, sociology, history and other disciplines—working with faculty to create a computer-based graphic and analytical GIS tools useful to the Eastern Shore region.

“The ultimate goal of having the Trans-GIS program at Washington College is twofold,” said John Seidel, assistant professor of anthropology and environmental studies, who will develop the program. “First, Trans-GIS will enable Washington College students to learn and understand GIS technology, which is rapidly being applied to subjects ranging from mapping the historical past to planning sustainable futures. Familiarity with GIS will make them more competitive in and prepared for today's technology-based fields. Secondly, Trans-GIS will be a resource in the region through which Washington College students under faculty supervision can become involved in real-world projects that address significant environmental and social concerns on the Eastern Shore.”

The Trans-GIS program will be administered through Washington College's Center for the Environment and Society, which is coordinating outreach programs for the Eastern Shore, such as the recently implemented Rural Communities Leadership Program developed in collaboration with the University of Maryland's Institute for Governmental Service and funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

“The Center is especially interested in the working landscapes of the Delmarva Peninsula,” said Dr. Wayne Bell, director of the Center for the Environment and Society. “GIS is a powerful analytical tool that helps us assess how land uses such as agriculture, forestry, and conserved open space are distributed in the region today and, through more informed planning, how such working landscapes can be sustained in the future.”

The Trans-GIS program is made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, founded by the son and daughter of the famed business entrepreneur, banker and philanthropist Andrew Mellon in honor of his memory. The Foundation currently makes grants in six core program areas: higher education, museums and art conservation, performing arts, population, conservation and the environment, and public affairs.

Maryland Association Honors Educational Excellence at October Meeting

Chestertown, MD — When the Maryland Association of Higher Education convenes at Washington College on Oct. 15, attendees can look forward to more than standard conference fare. They'll be treated to a showcase of exemplary educational programs from around the state, one of which includes following the Mongol hordes at Washington College. The hordes aren't roaming the campus. They're safely confined to an animated Web-based map, one of several Assistant Professor Clayton Black uses in his course on early Russian history. The College's use of Web technology in instruction was chosen as an exemplary program by the association.

Eleven Washington College professors work with Nancy Cross, instructional technologist, and Gerry Waterson, assistant director of academic computing, to develop Web-based courses. Their initiatives and computer software training for the faculty and staff of the College are funded by $300,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that supports cost-effective use of technology in teaching. Black says that Web-based instructional technology enables his students to visualize subtle historical points and encourages them to present their best writing for papers posted on the course site.

Also recognized at the conference will be programs from the University of Maryland, College Park; Prince George's Community College; Carroll Community College; Frostburg State University; and Salisbury State University.

Members of the Maryland Association of Higher Education exchange ideas for improving higher education in the state. At the Oct. 15 conference, the MAHE will also announce the winner of its Lifetime Achievement Award.