University of Aberdeen, Centre for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science (CRSMS)

Address:
Centre for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science (CRSMS)
Department of Geography and Environment
University of Aberdeen
Elphinstone Road
Aberdeen AB24 3UF
Scotland, UK
Tel. +44 (0) 1224 272324
Fax 44 (1224) 272331
URL: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/geospatial/crsms/

Reference person: David R. Green
e-mail: d.r.green@abdn.ac.uk

Organisation description
For over five hundred years the University, in one form or another, has been an integral part of the city of Aberdeen as a world leader in education and research. The University was founded by Bishop William Elphinstone in 1495. It is the third oldest university in Scotland and the fifth oldest in the UK. The earliest English-speaking Chair of Medicine was endowed by King James IV in 1497. The University united with Marischal College in the 19th century. Today, with almost 11,000 students, and nearly 3,000 staff, we are at the forefront of teaching and research in medicine, the humanities and sciences. Aberdeen is an international university built on serving one of the most dynamic regions in Europe. The University of Aberdeen aims to create, develop, apply and transmit through the work of all its members, knowledge, skills and understanding at the highest levels of excellence.

The University of Aberdeen offers over 450 first-degree courses. In 1999-2000, the number of full-time students at the Institution was 10,788, including 9,091 undergraduates and 1,697 postgraduates. One third of our postgraduate students come from countries outside the UK. 96% of our graduates entered directly into work, further study or training. The student population is 48.5% men, 51.5% women, and 30% of new full-time undergraduate entrants were mature. Over 115 nationalities are represented. The University employs 2,937 staff members and there are 130 departments and service areas. There are 46 departments with 1,400 academic staff. The Library contains over 1,050,000 volumes and more than 6,000 journals and periodicals. There are more than 1,000 computers available for students to use. 89% of subjects which have been assessed are rated excellent/highly satisfactory. 155 SOCRATES/ERASMUS links with institutions in 19 European countries.

The Centre for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science (CRSMS) in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Aberdeen was established in 1989, and acts as a focus for education, training, teaching, research and consultancy in the environmental applications of the geospatial technologies (GIS, Remote Sensing, Cartography and Digital Mapping, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Internet. The Centre for Marine and Coastal Zone Management (CMCZM) is a research grouping with a special focus on the application of the geosaptial technologies to Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). The CRSMS runs a very successful M.Sc./Diploma course in Environmental Remote Sensing (ERS); is involved in the supervision of numerous PhD research projects; is engaged in GIS and Remote Sensing research and consultancy with a number of local, national and international agencies and organisations - including the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (MLURI), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the Environment Agency (EA), the European Union of Coastal Conservation (EUCC), and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) amongst others. We are currently involved in a number of EU and other research proposals (British Council) to undertake GIS-related research into integrated coastal zone management, erosion and disaster studies, GIS in the context of national parks, and the creation of geo-historical communities This will involve the environmental application of the geospatial technologies. Our current expertise lies with: online GIS and Decision Support Systems; GIS, remote sensing, cartography, databases, digital mapping, metadata, and the Internet; Internet-based Geoinformation Systems; Data compression (Map and image web server technology); Website design, creation and maintenance; IT (including server technology); ICZM; Landscape Ecology; mobile field data collection using a combination of PDAs, mobile phones, and GPS; and Map Design (including the use and choice of colour).

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Facilities and infrastructures

Aberdeen hosted in 1997 the international conference CoastGIS'97.
The Department of Geography and Environment, now part of the School of Resources, Environment and Society (RES). is well provided in terms of networked computing resources and dedicated IT classrooms, one of which forms the Centre for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science.

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