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79234-01 - Vorlesung mit Übungen: Spatial Data: A GIS Introduction (1 KP)
| Semester | Herbstsemester 2026 |
| Angebotsmuster | Jedes Herbstsemester |
| Dozierende | Robert Spirig (r.spirig@unibas.ch, BeurteilerIn) |
| Inhalt | A geographical information system (GIS) is a powerful tool for handling data with a spatial dimension (or associated with another spatial dataset). The use of GIS is crucial for many publications nowadays, as maps have become more ubiquitous and accessible, with a plethora of different toolboxes. During the course, participants will take first steps in GIS using the open-source software QGIS and find their way around the various options, settings, and toolboxes with the goal of understanding typical workflows for visualisation. We will focus on the importance of spatial data, the challenges that come with it, such as the various spatial references, data types and data formats, with the ultimate goal of creating beautiful, easy-to-understand yet complete maps for analysis, research or simply information sharing. We will also explore when and how to use other means to create maps other than a GIS to visualise spatial data. Participants may bring their own data/challenges to the course to work on after the initial common coursework or as their homework exercise. |
| Lernziele | You will understand why all maps are wrong and how to still use them most efficiently for your research. You will know which data are suitable for a GIS system, what data types they may come from, and how they can be loaded into GIS, especially with respect to their spatial dimensions and their spatial reference. You will know which types of visualisations are available, how to choose them and display different layers according to the message you want to portray, and how they can be fine-tuned before exporting them to a useful map. You will gain first experience in using different tools for different data tables, especially but not limited to the field calculator and the raster calculator. |
| Literatur | https://qgis.org (the free and open-source GIS we will be using) https://www.esri.com/en-us/what-is-gis/get-started (Another GIS requiring licenses, but also widespread in use – the university has licenses) https://mapschool.io (the easy basics of mapping) https://www.ted.com/talks/kayla_wolf_why_every_world_map_is_wrong (why every map is wrong) https://www.ted.com/playlists/138/adventures_in_mapping (maps, maps, and more maps) https://www.arte.tv/en/search/?q=mapping%2Bthe%2Bworld&genre=all (the relevance of maps for understanding topics in the modern world) https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/res-str-001-geographic-information-system-gis-tutorial-january-iap-2022/ (MIT open courseware for GIS) https://www.ted.com/talks/jack_dangermond_an_ever_evolving_map_of_everything_on_earth (a map of everything?!) |
| Bemerkungen | Please register for the course at least two weeks before the start date. |
| Teilnahmevoraussetzungen | Primarily for PhD students at the Department of Environmental Sciences (Master’s students may join with permission). Participants must bring their own device to work on, with GIS installed before the first course day, according to instructions that will be sent ahead of the course start. |
| Unterrichtssprache | Englisch |
| Einsatz digitaler Medien | kein spezifischer Einsatz |
| Intervall | Wochentag | Zeit | Raum |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Freitag | 09.00-17.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Sitzungsraum S 181 |
Einzeltermine
| Datum | Zeit | Raum |
|---|---|---|
| Freitag 18.09.2026 | 09.00-17.00 Uhr | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Sitzungsraum S 181 |
| Freitag 25.09.2026 | 09.00-17.00 Uhr | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Module |
Doktorat Botanik: Empfehlungen (Promotionsfach: Botanik) Doktorat Geographie: Empfehlungen (Promotionsfach: Geographie) Doktorat Geographie: Empfehlungen (Promotionsfach: Geographie) Doktorat Geowissenschaften: Empfehlungen (Promotionsfach: Geowissenschaften) Doktorat Prähistorische und Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie: Empfehlungen (Promotionsfach: Prähistorische und Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie) Doktorat Umweltwissenschaften: Empfehlungen (Promotionsfach: Umweltwissenschaften) Doktorat Zoologie: Empfehlungen (Promotionsfach: Zoologie) |
| Prüfung | Lehrveranst.-begleitend |
| Hinweise zur Prüfung | Attendance and active participation during the course days (16 hours). To get the credit points, you must hand in an assignment that you work on at home (preparation work of 14 hours). Assignment details will be explained during the course, but expect to create a visual story with one or several maps and only a little text. The finished assignment is due by 18.12.2026. |
| An-/Abmeldung zur Prüfung | Anm.: Belegen Lehrveranstaltung; Abm.: stornieren |
| Wiederholungsprüfung | keine Wiederholungsprüfung |
| Skala | Pass / Fail |
| Belegen bei Nichtbestehen | beliebig wiederholbar |
| Zuständige Fakultät | Philosophisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät, studiendekanat-philnat@unibas.ch |
| Anbietende Organisationseinheit | Departement Umweltwissenschaften |