Updated Global Mapper Academic Labs Now Available

Hallowell, Maine – April 5, 2018 - Blue Marble Geographics is pleased to announce the availability of an update to the Global Mapper Academic Curriculum.

Comprised of a series of hands-on lessons, the full package of lab materials is available free of charge to schools and colleges using Global Mapper in the classroom. Developed by Blue Marble Application Specialists, the goal of this program is to streamline the deployment of Global Mapper within the academic community while introducing some of the fundamental principles of GIS, in a concise and understandable way. Institutes of higher education in the U.S. and Canada can install Global Mapper for instructional use at no cost through the Global Mapper Academic Licensing Program. Discounted licensing is also available to academic institutions outside North America.

Blue Marble's GIS software is used by hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers throughout the world who need affordable, user-friendly, yet powerful GIS solutions. Users come from a wide range of industries including software, oil and gas, mining, civil engineering, surveying, and technology companies, as well as government departments and academic institutions.

Global Mapper is ideally suited for GIS education and instruction, especially when GIS is a component of a broader field of study. By balancing powerful data processing and analysis functionality with simplicity of design, Global Mapper allows teachers to focus on the practical application of spatial technology rather than using valuable classroom time teaching students how to operate the requisite software.

The updated instructional materials include two new lessons that introduce the concepts of raster calculation and LiDAR extraction. The existing lessons have also been upgraded to reflect recent developments in Global Mapper. Participating students will have an opportunity to explore a wide range of GIS workflows including thematic mapping, image rectification, and watershed modeling. At the conclusion of each structured lab, students will be challenged to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired in a self-driven exercise.

“At Blue Marble, we recognize the important role that schools and colleges play in preparing the students of today for the workplace of tomorrow,” stated David McKittrick, Senior Applications Specialist. “The Global Mapper Academic program, providing generous software licensing and complimentary educational materials, represents a significant investment for the company and demonstrates our desire to ensure access to spatial technology for all students.”

New for the 2018/19 school year, Blue Marble will be offering a US$500 scholarship to a selected student who has demonstrated proficiency in Global Mapper and has employed the software in a research project. Details of program, including submission requirements will be published before the beginning of the school year.