Spatial Analysis
Welcome to the Spatial Analysis Group in the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. This website showcases projects that SAG has produced as well as offers related resources including information about GIS, how GIS is used in Public Affairs, projects by faculty and students that demonstrate the use of GIS, related GIS resources, and courses offered at UCLA.
Spatial Analysis Group Members
Dr. Bridget Freisthler
Professor Freisthler’s research focuses the spatial ecology of problems, particularly child maltreatment, and the development of environmental interventions to prevent problems. She is particularly interested in how the substance use environment (e.g., alcohol outlet density and location of drug activity) is related to both parental substance use behaviors and the perpetration of child abuse and neglect and how social service availability and accessibility may reduce maltreatment.
Madeline Brozen
Madeline Brozen is the Project Manager for the Complete Streets Initiative in Luskin School of Public Affairs. She has been involved in GIS and Spatial Analysis since 2007. Her GIS background includes private consulting, GIS and remote sensing for applied environmental research for the NASA DEVELOP Program, and as a teaching assistant for GIS and Advanced GIS in the Urban Planning and Public Policy Departments at UCLA. Projects at the Complete Streets Initiative involving spatial analysis include, Performance Metrics for Los Angeles (report forthcoming.) Madeline has a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Studies with an emphasis in Remote Sensing and GIS from the University of New Orleans and a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning with a emphasis in Transportation Planning from UCLA.
Geographic Information Systems Courses at UCLA
Urban Planning:
UP206A Introduction to GIS
This laboratory course uses hands-on experience to provide students with essential mapping and spatial analysis skills. This course balances lectures on the core principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with applied instruction on managing, processing and interpreting spatial data. It should be particularly useful for students interested in conducting environmental, demographic, suitability and transportation-related research.
UP206B Advanced GIS
The primary purpose of this course will to examine such web-based technologies, and to help students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to plan, design, develop and publish a web-based GIS solution. Students will learn how GIS on the internet differs from the desktop experience, and how to adequately prepare spatial information for the web. Although no prior programming experience is required, the course is specifically designed to bring out the “coder” in the “non-coder” urban planner, and will teach the basics of internet programming languages. Different web-authoring tools will be explored, includingWordPress as a content management platform, Google Maps API, Google Fusion Tables, and ArcGIS Server.
Social Welfare:
SW241G Advanced Theory of Social Welfare Practice in Organizations, Communities, and Policy Settings Community Mapping
Designed to familiarize students with use of geographic data in community practice. Development of skill base for community practice that provides students with tools necessary to organize and plan effectively for political, economic, and social justice in communities. How to use geographic information systems (GIS) to inform community practice. S/U or letter grading.
Geography:
GEOG167 Cartography
>Designed for juniors/seniors. Survey of field of cartography. Theory and construction of map projections, compilation procedures, principles of generalization, symbolization, terrain representation, lettering, drafting and scribing, and map reproduction methods. P/NP or letter grading.
GEOG168 Intermediate Geographic Information Systems
How geographic and spatial analyses inform, integrate, and extend scientific inquiry in physical, life, and social sciences. Discussion of range of decisions and critical judgments necessary to carry out sound spatial analyses. Development of technical proficiency within geographic information systems (GIS) environment. P/NP or letter grading.
GEOG169 Satellite Remote Sensing and Imaging Geographic Information Systems
Introduction to fast-growing field of environmental monitoring from space. Application of Landsat, radar, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Earth Observing System satellites to land-use change, oceanography, meteorology, and environmental monitoring. Introduction to digital image-processing and imaging geographic information systems (GIS) software. P/NP or letter grading.
GEOG170 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
Introduction to full geographic information systems (GIS) functionality, using ARC/INFO on UNIX workstations. Spatial manipulation, query, and computation of datasets carried out in project-oriented approach. P/NP or letter grading.
GEOG171M Introduction to Spatial Statistics
(Same as Statistics M171.) Introduction to methods of measurement and interpretation of geographic distributions and associations. P/NP or letter grading.
GEOG172 Remote Sensing: Digital Image Processing and Analysis
Digital processing methods for manipulating and analyzing image data. Topics include statistical description, geometric and radiometric correction, classification, image enhancement and filtering, and change detection schemes. Reinforcement of procedures presented in lecture with laboratory exercises and student project. P/NP or letter grading.
GEOG173 Geographic Information Systems Programming and Development
Introduction to fundamental concepts and architecture of programming objects in widely used geographic information systems (GIS), and programming in GIS environment. Topics centered on GIS customization and development using variety of programming languages. Lectures followed by laboratory exercises. P/NP or letter grading.