Why Geographic Information Analysis (GIA)?
The prerequisite for using geographic information systems (GIS) is the availability of information on locations, the attributes of those locations, and the functional and geographic relationships among locations. The diversity of spatial data and analytical methods available to social science researchers is wide and continues to expand. Many research and policy questions faced by social scientists require analysis of complex patterns of interrelated social, behavioral, economic, and environmental phenomena. These questions inevitably involve different types of analytical units and emerging data formats used in formal spatial analysis, including point data, line data, spatial continuous or field data, and area or lattice data. To address these questions, both spatial thinking and spatial analytical perspectives have an important role to play.
Applying for GIA Pilot Hours
To support and encourage the application of spatial analyses, the CSA Core offers a limited number of pilot hours. The GIA pilot hours provide up to 10 hours of spatial analysis and statistical support at no charge to you. If your proposed research would require more than 10 hours of such support, the CSA Core would encourage you to seek additional funding sources such as Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) funding, a Population Research Institute (PRI) seed grant, and/or other sources that may be available to you such as through your department, college, or other research centers.
The purpose of GIA pilot hours is to support Penn State researchers in the social sciences in developing proposals to secure external research grants. Penn State researchers outside of the social sciences or researchers at other institutions are welcome to apply for GIA pilot hours. We would encourage you to contact the CSA Core to discuss your proposed research before applying.