The Nomad goes on a fossil hunt!

Recently, three colleges converged in western Nevada for four days of field paleontology. Over thirty students participated in a series of field tasks that represented different kinds of field scientific work. The tasks ranged from classic description to modern collection techniques. For the latter, the students mapped a trilobite-rich area using a [...]

Why is importing waypoints into mapping programs so hard?

One of the more frustrating tasks I deal with is figuring out how mapping programs import data. Most will allow for you to hook up a commercial GPS, like a Garmin, and work live or download saved waypoints. But what if you just wanted to bring in a set of known locations? [...]

Easy GIS…for free!

I have a love / hate relationship with GIS (geographical information systems) software. I love what you can do with GIS and I hate that I am reduced to tears every time I try to use ArcGIS or its offshoots. Why is it so non-intuitive and difficult to use? As a professor, [...]

I am a Google Earth junkie

It has been a while since my last blog—I hope I am not breaking some sort of blog etiquette.  I’d like to use the usual excuses (busy classes, sick kids, the government), but the truth is I am addicted to Google Earth.   I like to mock people who waste hours in front of a television [...]