Scholars at Clark University have joined the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), a move spearheaded by the university’s Center for Geospatial Analytics (Clark CGA) and the Graduate School of Geography.
Clark CGA is an interdisciplinary research center that advances geospatial software and technology and collaborates with top researchers, policy experts, and industry leaders to address a range of challenges in conservation, climate change impacts, and environmental sustainability.
With roots tracing back to the birth of GIS in the late 1980s, Clark has been a pioneer in remote sensing and geospatial analytics, leading the way through cutting-edge research and software development at the Graduate School of Geography and Clark Labs, which created the world’s first GIS software for a microcomputer platform, TerrSet/IDRISI, in 1987. Established in 2023, Clark CGA furthers Clark’s distinguished legacy in advancing GIS for sustainable environmental stewardship. Clark CGA merged with Clark Labs in March of 2024, combining forces to continue ongoing projects and develop established tools like TerrSet/IDRISI and its free, open-access version, TerrSet liberaGIS.
Membership in the Consortium will expand CGA’s mission to develop open-source tools and solutions. Working with stakeholders worldwide, the center leverages advancements in AI to derive value from geospatial data, contributing to impactful projects for society’s benefit.
“By joining OGC, we deepen our commitment to advancing open, interoperable geospatial technologies and applications” said Hamed Alemohammad, the director of Clark CGA and an associate professor in the Graduate School of Geography, which is affiliated with Clark’s School of Climate, Environment and Society. “Building on previous excellence, we are committed to the continuous evolution of geospatial data, analytics and standards, an evolution that necessitates the development of new skills.”
“Clark’s membership in the OGC will help us to broaden our connections within the rapidly expanding and evolving geospatial marketplace, and open up new opportunities for research, teaching, and collaboration,” said Lyndon Estes, associate professor and associate director of the Graduate School of Geography.