GIS Online Student Spotlight - Ty Evans

Congratulations to Ty Evans on being named GIS Online Student Spotlight for his outstanding work in Applications in GIS (GIS 4800).  

Welcome to the spotlight Ty and for a record 3rd time! Ty is currently a student in our undergraduate certificate program and lives in Nevada. He has a background in archaeology and joined GIS Online with hopes to complement his education and eventually land a job with a government agency like the National Park Service. Ty earned his graduate level GIS Certificate in Archaeology last fall and came back this summer to enroll in the traditional GIS applications course.  Ty completed his GIS Internship in Fall 2014 with the Bureau of Land Management/Red Rock Canyon and did an outstanding job.  Great job this week Ty - no bones about it!!

To follow Ty's work throughout the program, check out his blog at Ty's GIS

Module 9: GIS for Local Government
Instructor: Penelope Mitchell

The GIS for Local Government lab put students in the shoes of a municipal government GIS technician. Two typical scenarios were developed to enhance their GIS skillset: Activities included obtaining parcel data from a county government GIS site and creating a parcel report in the form of a map book using data driven pages as well as a corresponding attribute report containing requested parcel information. The other scenario involved advanced parcel editing and spatial querying based on specific criteria to identify suitable locations for a new Extension office.
Student Leaning Outcomes:

• Query and download data from a county website.
• Define and identify a property based on Zoning id, Parcel number and Section, Township and Range.
• Utilize the Parcel Data editing tool.
• Create maps with dynamic text.
• Create data driven pages.
• Create a locator map for a map book.
• Generate and stylize an attribute report
• Update parcel geometry and attributes.
• Work with multi-part parcels including merging and splitting parcels.
• Manage parcel history.
• Create new parcels by legal description using the Parcel Editor and Feature Construction Toolbar.
• Identify parcels using location searches and attribute queries.
• Produce acreage values with the Calculate Geometry tool.

Ty’s mapbook stood out as a spotlight for its neatness and thus its ability to communicate information easily. The legend only includes essentials, but does not skimp on useful information such as zoning code definitions. The map does not contain unnecessary or redundant labels, potentially leaving room for other requested information. The locator map’s transparency is set for clear viewing of underlying reference features. The red and orange symbology for parcels of interest adequately draws attention where its needed. Outstanding job Ty!!

Figure 1: Page 6 from a 16 page map book depicting all parcels within 0.25 miles of the Zuko parcel and the associated zoning.

Ty's Tips:  "Of all the tools we have explored in this course, it is Data Driven Pages that I most wish I had understood for my internship and volunteer experience. Many tasks would have been much simpler had I known how to use this tool. I am certain this knowledge will be useful in the future."  I feel your pain - Ty!  - Leah