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About Us

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Mission

The GIS Lab enables geospatial discovery and collaboration to service students, faculty, staff, and the community. Our focus is on providing the data, tools, and training necessary to understand, analyze, and present geographic information. As a dynamic hub for exploring Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we offer our resources, expertise, and support to empower GIS users. Our mission is to provide comprehensive GIS resources that foster exploration, enable geospatial data literacy, and promote collaboration in interdisciplinary research and problem-solving. From spatial analysis to interactive mapping solutions, our team is committed to supporting your geospatial journey while enhancing accessibility, deepening inquiry, and addressing global challenges.

Goals

  • Education and Training

    Our goal is to equip students, faculty, and staff with the knowledge and skills required to proficiently use GIS technologies while at Vanderbilt and beyond.

    • We offer workshops and training in GIS, Spatial Analysis, GPS and Field Mapping, Remote Sensing, Automating GIS Workflows and more
    • Facilitate student-led projects and research to apply GIS skills in practical scenarios
  • Research and Innovation

    We support and promote emerging technologies and methodologies in GIS.

    • Encourage interdisciplinary research collaborations that utilize geospatial technologies
    • Explore the implications and capabilities of Machine Learning and GeoAI 
    • Support the use of 3D GIS and modeling 
  • Community Engagement and Outreach

    Leverage GIS technologies to address local and global challenges and engage with the community.

    • Partner with local organizations to apply GIS solutions to community issues
    • Develop public outreach programs and events to raise awareness about the applications of GIS
  • Resource Development and Management

    Ensure the GIS Lab is equipped with up-to-date technologies and resources.

    • Regularly update software and hardware to keep pace with advancements in the field
    • Build and maintain a comprehensive database of spatial data accessible to users

Meet Our Team

headshot of GIS Librarians, Stacy Curry-Johnson and Alyssa Sklar
Dr. Stacy Curry-Johnson (left) and Alyssa Sklar (right)

Stacy Curry-Johnson

stacy.e.curry@vanderbilt.edu

Dr. Stacy Curry-Johnson is the Director of Research Strategies at Vanderbilt University Libraries and GIS Lecturer at Vanderbilt University, where she serves as a geospatial consultant to researchers, faculty, and students. She also focuses on geospatial education and GIS curriculum development. Stacy is the instructor/lecturer in the Anthropology department at Vanderbilt for the Introduction to GIS and Remote Sensing course. She received her PhD in Geography from University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Masters of Science in Geographic and Cartographic Sciences from George Mason University, and Bachelor of Science in Geography from Appalachian State University. She is passionate about advancing geospatial education, research, and getting others excited about GIS.

Alyssa Sklar

she/her

alyssa.sklar@vanderbilt.edu

As our Librarian for Geospatial Systems and Data, Alyssa specializes in providing comprehensive support for geospatial resources and technologies, data management and access, as well as spatial analysis and visualization. She assists students, faculty, and staff in utilizing resources effectively to promote geospatial literacy and collaboration. Alyssa holds a Master of Science in Environment & Sustainability with a focus in Geospatial Data Sciences from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from DePaul University.