Open Data and QGIS for Strengthening Data and Geographic Competencies and Humanitarian Interventions

Key concepts and technical skills in data and geographic literacies play a vital role in the effective communication of research and analysis of humanitarian importance conducted by individuals employed in academia, nonprofits, and government teams in North America and elsewhere. Such literacies include an individual’s ability to select, clean, analyze, visualize, critique, and interpret relevant open geospatial datasets. It also includes an ability to understand and critically apply fundamental geographic principles which underlie geospatial technologies.

This workshop engages open data and open source GIS software to provide participants an introduction to key concepts and technical skills in data and geographic literacies. During the workshop, participants will become familiar with key geographic concepts, especially the map, geographic place, projections, and coordinate reference systems. They will gain hands-on experience accessing, visualizing, and interpreting a geospatial dataset representing sensitive subjects of relevance to public health within the US-Mexico international border region. Through their participation, attendees’ may also enhance their awareness and knowledge of open educational resources, international migration as a public health issue, and opportunities for humanitarian interventions in borderlands, such as improvements in an ability to access information, clean water, food, and shelter.