An Educational and Research Program in Support of Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Funded by the Federal Geographic Data Committee through the National Spatial Data Infrastructure 1995 Competitive Cooperative Agreements Program

Overview of the Project

The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) was awarded a 1995 Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Competitive Grant to implement its proposal titled An Educational and Research Program in Support of Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata. NSGIC's mission is to encourage effective and efficient government through the coordinated development of geographic information and systems to ensure that information may be integrated at all levels of government. NSGIC has been active in the area of metadata research and adoption through the review of technical standards, compilation of a catalogue of metadata inventories held by states, and support of publications and other related initiatives. The NSGIC metadata research and education project consists of three phases. The first tests the FGDC metadata standard on a wide range of state, local, tribal and federal information as part of a cooperative effort of nine member states. The second involves the preparation of a practical explanation of the metadata standard for state and local governments. The third phase is a distance education educational program based on the results of the second phase.

NSGIC contracted with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to compile the case study report, develop the metadata primer, and coordinate the distance learning event--a national satellite videoconference held on October 15, 1997. The Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility (LICGF) at UW-Madison provides research, instruction, and outreach in geographic and land information systems. The mission extends to land records modernization, resource management, and the better use of information to improve decision making. LICGF is a venue for interdisciplinary, multiagency projects and individual faculty, staff, and student projects and works closely with agencies such as the Wisconsin State Cartographer's Office, the Wisconsin Land Information Board, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis.

Project Participants

Principal Investigators

Professor - Landscape Architecture, Environmental Studies, and Cooperative Extension
Director - Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Associate Professor - Environmental Studies and Soil Science
Associate Director - Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Assistant Director for Advisory Services
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute

Project Staff

Research Assistant - Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility
University of Wisconsin - Madison

Vernon F. Meyer & Associates
(formerly with the Wisconsin State Cartographer's Office)

NSGIC Project Coordination Team

Christopher Cialek, Minnesota Planning Office
Ted Koch, Wisconsin State Cartographer's Office
Sheryl Oliver, Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources
David Stage, Florida Growth Management Data Network Coordinating Council
Paul Tessar, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Bruce Westcott, Vermont Center for Geographic Information, Inc.

last updated by David Hart on January 17, 1998