The momentum of a busy Spring has carried us past the Solstice and into Summer. I trust it has been as productive for ASPRS-RMR members as it has been for the Board of Directors. There is much news to convey about ASPRS activities since the Spring newsletter, and as you review the many activities underway, I encourage you to consider how to contribute some of your time and experience to get the most out of our efforts. The rewards are bountiful; building a strong and active region based on diverse collaboration, and building your ever-expanding network of contacts for the future. With no further ado, I summarize affairs below.

One of the most important events was the ASPRS National Convention in St. Louis, which was deemed successful by many of the almost 2,000 participants. The technical program was extensive and diverse, addressing advancements in sensor and measuring equipment; applications; data and information standards; hardware, software and networking; policies; and local, regional and global perspectives. Many participants arrived early to take advantage of a variety of hands-on workshops, which were well-received. The Exhibition Hall was well attended, and included the latest and greatest technology which also facilitates international interest and draw. One surprise for me was the prominence of LIDAR and other types of DEM generation technology. Other highlights included the many receptions and social events, including the dinner/reception at the St. Louis Science Center, and the ASPRS Awards Reception.

I attended several ASPRS meetings; the most significant was the Region Officers and Directors meeting. It commenced with round table introductions and briefs on activities from all the regions. I represented RMR, and recapped 'Region of the Year runner up, best newsletter (check out Allen Cook accepting our awards in the July issue of PE&RS), 3 scholarships, successful GIS in the Rockies, 2004 convention and some of the goals for 2001.' It was eye opening - RMR is one of the most active regions, with one of the largest memberships.

ASPRS has always had the mandate to educate and inform government organizations on important issues affecting the geo-technologies industry. The US Congress recently decided that ASPRS could represent industry sectors more proactively. A letter was drafted voicing concern over budget cuts at Federal mapping agencies, especially USGS. Allen Cook had a chance to review and edit the letter. If you have other concerns and issues that affect our industry, especially national policies, the RMR will help to represent them in ASPRS national forums. Please contact RMR National Director Allen Cook.

National paid off $100,000 of the mortgage on the office building, reducing the debt from $350,000 to $250,000 in 2000. ASPRS hopes to achieve this again in 2001, thereby making more funds available for ASPRS-sponsored activities, rather than servicing the debt. I remind the membership that RMR will match any contributions to the building fund up to $1,500, which is then matched again by National. This is a great way to stretch your contribution and retire the mortgage as soon as possible.

The Certification Committee is re-evaluating questions for the certification in Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and GIS, drafting new/improved questions, and will supply sample questions. If you are planning to renew or become certified in these disciplines, and need assistance or need information, please first visit the ASPRS web site, then contact one of the RMR Board members. We will convey any updated information regarding certification in subsequent newsletters and on the web site.

Besides awarding 2 scholarships in the RMR, members can also apply for many other national ASPRS scholarships and awards sponsored by several organizations. Several awards and scholarship were not fulfilled in 2000; please visit the ASPRS web site for more information on these scholarships and awards. We will work to better inform the members about these scholarships.

The conference was also hosted by ISPRS, which was well represented. I'd like to remind all members that ISPRS is an international organization comprised of a consortium of organizations, and that, as members of ASPRS, you are automatically a member of ISPRS. This is a great avenue for international involvement and expanding your interests globally. See their website, www.isprs.org, for more information.

The ASPRS Fall 2001 conference will be held in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 29 - November 2. The theme, "Measuring the Earth - Digital Elevation Technologies and Applications" promises to be an informative conference, and it will be interesting to view LIDAR in the context of other DEM generation technologies and applications.

National ASPRS relies on the local regions to support national conventions, particularly for establishing the social functions, technical tours and for assembling volunteers to support the many activities necessary to hold a successful conference. A portion of the conference proceeds will be given to the hosting region, commensurate with the level of support.

In addition to the 2004 National Convention, the RMR will host Pecora 15 in Denver Fall 2002. The conference will also include Land Satellite 4 Conference and ISPRS Commission 1 (sensors). This 'triple conference' offers RMR a great opportunity to set the stage for the ASPRS National Conference in 2004 and receive additional budget for programs to benefit the RMR members. Busy RMR Board members have already volunteered for Technical Tour and Social Event Coordinators; we are actively seeking a Volunteer Coordinator for Pecora 15; please contact Allen Cook for more information.

In the previous newsletter I informed the members that one of the primary goals for 2001 is to increase membership and to establish membership and/or student chapters in the region, particularly Western Colorado, Montana and New Mexico. There has been interest expressed in all these locations and the RMR Board is now following up with plans and budgets to support this important endeavor. If you are interested in setting up local chapters, or wish to participate in a local chapter, please inform me.

ASPRS membership renewals are on the anniversary of when you first joined ASPRS, which is a different date for everyone. Please check your membership renewal date so that you continue to receive the many benefits of belonging to the ASPRS family. We will be telephoning members with lapsed membership to remind them to renew. And please encourage your friends and colleagues in the geo-technologies to join ASPRS. We will provide a list of ASPRS membership benefits on the website; but perhaps the most compelling reason to join and/or continue membership in ASPRS is that a forum is provided to exchange information and ideas, and to expand your network of contacts.

Let the collaborations continue!!!

Jeff Liedtke, President ASPRS-RMR
303-682-4983
jliedtke@digitalglobe.com

The next Technical Tour will be held at Merrick & Co. in Aurora, CO on July 20 from 2-3:30 pm. Merrick & Company is a nationally recognized GIS mapping firm that provides comprehensive, client-focused land information services, including image acquisition (aerial and satellite), GPS Surveying, digital photogrammetry, digital orthophotography processing, LiDAR acquisition and post-processing, cadastral mapping, utility network automation, GIS database design and application programming. The tour will demonstrate the acquisition of GIS vector databases with the use of soft-copy and analytical photogrammetric equipment, production of digital orthophotography and the use of GIS applications to provide land-based solutions. Any questions about Merrick should be directed to Gary Outlaw at 303-751-0741, ext. 4126. Reservations will be required for this tour. To RSVP for the tour, call 303-751-5322, ext. 4120, or send an e-mail to Gary.Outlaw@Merrick.com and include the following information in your message: Your name, affiliation, phone no., fax no., e-mail address, and whether or not you are an ASPRS member.

The 14th Annual "GIS in the Rockies" Conference will meet September 18-20, 2001 at Plaza at the Mart, Denver, Colorado. Sponsored by ACSM, ASPRS, GITA, PLSC, and URISA, this meeting will feature one day of workshops and two days of exhibits and concurrent technical sessions on the theme "Convergence of Information & Geography for Everyone." Application tracks include Introduction to GIS; Remote Sensing & GIS; Utilities, Roadways and Emergency Services; Internet GIS Technology; Water Resources; Colorado GIS User Community - Locally and Regionally; Natural Resources; GIS in Business; Surveying, GPS, Data Collection; Innovative Solutions in Enterprise GIS. A few more papers can be accepted. contact the Program Chair by e-mail at Program@GISintheRockies.org.

The workshop program has been finalized and includes these 12 workshops:

• Basics of GPS Data Collection
• Boundary Law for Non-Surveyors in GIS
• Digital Convergence: The Integration of GIS, Remote Sensing and Cartography.
• GIS Modeling In Education: Approaches and Materials for Instructors
• Get More Mileage from Your Digital Design Data: Create and Publish, the Transition from CAD to GIS
• Using the GeoDatabase
• Customizing ArcIMS via Server Side Scripting.
• Photogrammetry for GIS
• Get More Mileage from Your Digital Design Data: Publish and Mobilize, from the Web to the Field
• Expand Beyond Pixels: Introduction to eCognition: Object Oriented Image Analysis.
• Customizing ArcMAP with VBA and Visual Basic
• Advanced Applications of GPS Data Collection

For additional information and to register, go to the web site at www.GISintheRockies.org.

To save $50, register before August 1.

Welcome New Members!!!

Active

Student

The first 2001 meeting of Geographic Information Systems of Colorado (GISCO) was held on Friday, March 30 at the Tivoli Center on the University of Colorado at Denver Campus. The meeting was billed as "The Colorado GIS User Community, the 21st Century, and You: The First Meeting of a Resurgent GISCO." A business meeting was held first thing in the morning to discuss organizational strategies and get feedback from prospective members. Following that, a series of speakers gave presentations in their area of expertise.

About 200 folks attended and they represented a good cross-section of the Colorado GIS community. The people involved in reactivating GISCO are interested in community and networking and being an easy organization to be involved with. They would like to have four meetings a year, two of them on the Western Slope and two on the Front Range. They are not sure they want to charge any membership dues; they do want to have some officers or appointed officials of some kind. And they want to have members from the public, private, and academic sectors.

The lineup of speakers for this meeting was impressive: Jack Dangermond, President of ESRI and GIS Pioneer; Kathy Covert, FGDC Project Manager and GeoData Alliance Guiding Light; Jeff Young, Global Sales Director, Space Imaging; and Brian Muller, UCD's Department of Architecture and Planning.

Jack Dangermond spoke first, and did not disappoint. He always has something new to say, which he mixes with his inspiring pitch for GIS as a unifier and tool to help make the world a better place. This speech's themes included ArcGIS, the newly reworked ESRI components that can be put together for any GIS network desired; the importance of standardized Metadata and a good way to catalog it; and the "Geography Network" which is a new, easy to access online market place for applications and data, "GNet." Jack concluded his talk by presenting an award to Professor Lynn Johnson of CU-Denver to acknowledge his work to promote the use of GIS over the years.

Jeff Young of Space Imaging gave an interesting presentation and wowed the crowd by showing a stunning collection of satellite images from around the world. A pizza and soft drink lunch was provided by Rocky Mountain URISA, followed by a dazzling dessert tray sponsored by ASPRS-RMR. Trimble also sponsored the meeting. After lunch, Brian Muller of UC-Denver talked about their activities in GIS. Kathy Covert gave the final presentation of the day on the GeoData Alliance and encouraged everyone to join. Attendees closed the day with informal networking.

The organization now called GISCO is an outgrowth of the former GICC (Geographic Information Coordinating Committee), which consisted largely of state and county GIS professionals. After a hiatus of about two years, the organization has recently been resurrected by a core group of motivated individuals from around the state. Their mission this time around is to bring in high-caliber speakers on various topics to stimulate dialog among GIS users. Subsequent meetings will focus on specific applications, such as water or parcel mapping. Meetings will move around the state to allow all to participate.

The next meeting was held on Friday, June 22 in Grand Junction. [Please contact this editor if you attended the Grand Junction meeting and would like to write a summary report for the next newsletter.] For more information on GISCO, see their web site at www.landuse.com/gisco.

submitted by Ron Davis

Colorado State University's Student Chapter of ASPRS has, with the support of the Rocky Mountain Region, been able to do some very interesting things this past school year. We have had a variety of speakers and presentations, which have expanded our members' knowledge and understanding of GIS, GPS, and Remote Sensing. Following is a list of the speakers we had for the past year, when they spoke, and what their respective topic was. Our goal at Colorado State University is to incorporate the three fields of Geomatics (Remote Sensing, GIS, and GPS) to help our members to gain insight to these fields so that when they enter the real world, they will have had a head start in their prospective discipline of study. The following are our speakers for the fall and spring semester:

Fall Semester:
• Russell Cowart of I3: He spoke on what his company is doing to stay ahead of the emerging technologies that are presenting themselves in the Remote Sensing and GIS arena.
• Dr. Denis Dean, Associate Professor of Natural Resource Information Systems and GIS spoke on "An Assessment of the Accuracy of Computer-Generated Viewshed Created Using Various Techniques and Data Sources."
• Various representatives of ENVI: They did a demonstration on the hyperspectral processing/applications of ENVI, as well as some of the differences between ENVI and other Remote Sensing softwares that utilize hyperspectral data.

Spring Semester:
• Lanny Schnipper of CompassCom, Inc. spoke on "Field Tools Solutions for GIS."
• Jessica Touchard of GeoSearch, Inc. spoke on the various recruiting methods of GeoSearch and what characteristics Remote Sensing and GIS companies are looking for out in the real world.
• Peter Anderson of Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) of District 10 spoke on the Automatic Position Reporting System, (APRS).
• Dr. Vincent Salomonson, Senior Scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. He spoke on "Earth Resource Applications of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)." His talk on MODIS involved a very interesting discussion of the many global applications of this relatively new NASA satellite instrument, one of several new instruments being flown from space as part of NASA's Earth Observation System. (Dr. Salomonson is a Past National President of ASPRS as well as a distinguished Alumnus of Colorado State University.)
• Dr. Melinda Laituri, Assistant Professor, Earth Resources, CSU, spoke on Public Participation and GIS. Our members had a very lively discussion on the human component of GIS and how GIS is incorporated into various cultures around the world.

As you can see, we try to have a variety of speakers from private to federal organizations, as well as an incorporation of speakers from the world of academia. These speakers give our members an insight into a world which we hear a great deal about, but have had very limited practical experience with. My goal in organizing these speakers was to try and get a wide range of topics and viewpoints from across the Geomatics field, so that our members can get a little taste of everything and see what area of Geomatics interests them the most. Once our members have left this institution, we all would like to have a job and a career that is both challenging and enjoyable. And this can only happen if our members know what is out there, and what we as individuals are interested in.

In addition to having some interesting speakers and presentations, we have been trying to use the medium of the Internet to get our club recognized around the world. Currently we have begun to organize a variety of companies and organizations in the Front Range area that have an interest in Remote Sensing, GIS, and GPS. We are now in the process of putting this information into a database so that we can implement a service free of charge in which companies and organizations can upload their own personal information onto our web page. This will enable our members to see what these companies have to offer in the "real world" yet at the same time it allows these organizations to get exposure to the Geomatics environment here at Colorado State University.

If you are interested in seeing what we have been up to, I would encourage you to visit our webpage at www.cnr.colostate.edu/ASPRS. If you would also like to add your company or organization to our list (before we get the upload service running) please feel free to e-mail me at seth@cnr.colostate.edu. Additionally, if you would like to speak at one of our meetings, I would encourage you to contact me. I would like to thank the Rocky Mountain Region ASPRS for their financial support for food and beverages. It is very difficult to get students involved in a busy University environment, but with the temptation of free pizza and soda pop, we do get a good turnout. Meetings are typically held every other Tuesday.

I also take this opportunity to thank my officers who have been crucial to helping organize our Student Chapter. We could not have done the things we have done this year without their help. I would also like to thank whole-heartedly our advisor, Dr. Roger Hoffer. Although he is busy enough with being a professor here at Colorado State University as well as the Director of the Remote Sensing & GIS Program here, he has always found time to help with the Club. He has helped me in so many ways, that there is not enough time in the day to thank him.

Many Thanks,
Seth Kovanic
President of the GIS Club
and of the Student Chapter of ASPRS
Colorado State University
seth@cnr.colostate.edu
(970) 491-3500

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is strongly impacting professional practice in many disciplines. GIS is the primary technology for managing location-specific data used in engineering, environmental and the social sciences, and many other fields. GIS spatial data management and analysis tools are now considered state-of-the-art and familiarity with this technology can be a prerequisite for success in today's competitive world.

This program of short courses addresses several dimensions of the science and technology of GIS. Introduction to GIS is intended to provide a broad overview of GIS for professionals of all backgrounds. After completing the Introduction to GIS, a student may wish to take additional short courses in one of several tracks: GIS Labs, GIS Databases, Image Processing, GIS Management, and GIS Modeling. Other courses will be offered in 2002. Completion of the Introduction to GIS and three additional courses in one of the GIS tracks qualifies the student for a GIS Certificate awarded by the Continuing Engineering Education Program of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Certificates may be earned in more than one track.

For more information call 303-556-4907 or visit the website at www.cudenver.edu/engineer/cont

Future funding for Landsat 5 is in jeopardy. USGS has been working with other Federal agencies to identify sufficient funding to keep Landsat 5 in orbit through the end of the current Fiscal Year (ending September 30, 2001). However, as of yet funds have not been identified to operate Landsat 5 in FY2002 (beginning October 1, 2001).

The Bush administration budget was sent to Congress prior to the date Space Imaging notified the government that they would no longer continue to operate Landsat 5. The USGS appropriations bill was marked up by the House prior to the end of the 120 day government comment period on the proposal to decommission Landsat 5, and thus does not contain funding for Landsat 5 operations in Fiscal Year 2002.

The Senate will complete its markup of the USGS appropriations bill within the next week, and represents the last opportunity to address the FY 2002 funding requirement (estimated at $3 Million). The Senate appropriations committee staff is aware of the current situation. However, it is unclear whether sufficient support exists for continued operations without further communications to the Senate directly from the user community.

If you rely on Landsat data and wish to ensure that a low-cost backup to the Landsat 7 satellite remains on orbit, you may wish to outline your use of Landsat data and express your concerns to the following:

• Senate Appropriations Chair Robert Byrd (WV)
  (mailto:senator_byrd@byrd.senate.gov)
• Senate Appropriations Ranking Minority Member Ted Stevens (AK)
  (mailto:senator_stevens@stevens.senate.gov)
• Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (SD)
  (mailto:tom_daschle@daschle.senate.gov)

Senators Byrd and Stevens are key to including the funding in the appropriations bill to be reported out of committee. Senator Daschle maintains a keen interest in the Landsat series as it relates to the functions performed at the EROS Data Center in Sioux Falls, SD.

You may also wish to communicate directly with your own State senators.

For technical, operational or budgetary details on Landsat 5, please contact Ray Byrnes, at mailto:rbyrnes@usgs.gov. (Please do not contact ASPRS for this information.)

A multi-faceted tour of Space Imaging in Thornton was held for ASPRS-RMR members on the afternoon of May 11. It began with a corporate overview presented by Brian Soliday, Executive Vice-President of Global Products & Services, and Jeff Young, Executive Director of Sales for Global Products & Services. The Value-Added Production group presented an overview and sample scenes of digital ortho-quad (DOQ) production. Mission Control presented an IKONOS/Space Imaging Operations Overview, including an overview of the satellites, program history, vehicle construction and capabilities, orbital characteristics, imaging capabilities, worldwide ground station architecture, and regional affiliates. The Primary Operations Center gave an overview which included mission planning: operations crew and responsibilities, satellite operations: daily planning and implementa-tion, image collection and processing, and product generation and distribution. A tour of the flight operations and computer floor was also given. The group viewed ground station equipment (satellite command and control), imagery processing and archiving. They observed and discussed some aspects of imagery production, including Digital Terrain Model editing, Ground Control Point ingest, higher-level product generation. The group visited the Product Delivery section and viewed sample imagery products: color prints, CDs, and tapes. A tour of IKONOS production was also on the agenda; they demonstrated sample imagery with the addition of ground control points for terrain modeling and passed out 3-D glasses to view the imagery. Finally, all headed outside for food, drinks, drawings for posters and baseball tickets, networking, music, and FUN! The weather was almost perfect for our biggest and best tour so far. Thanks to Space Imaging for hosting this very successful event!

The RMR is excited to announce a joint program with ASPRS for member contributions to the ASPRS headquarters building in Bethesda, Maryland. Contributions will be used to reduce the principle on the mortgage, allowing more funds to be used for programs to benefit the general membership, rather than servicing the debt.

Here is how it works: RMR will match any ASPRS-RMR member contribution to the ASPRS Building Fund, up to $1,500, cumulative. ASPRS will then match the increased contribution. For example, a $100 RMR member contribution to the Building Fund will be matched by RMR, resulting in a $200 contribution to ASPRS. ASPRS will then match the $200 contribution, culminating in a total contribution to the ASPRS Building fund of $400. The net result is a quadrupling of your contribution! And remember, your contribution to the Building Fund is tax deductible. The RMR will work with ASPRS to ensure that your contribution to the Building Fund is properly tracked and attributed to you.

Please make checks payable to the ASPRS Building Fund and mail them to:
ASPRS-RMR
P.O. Box 280834
Lakewood, CO 80228

After 35 years of service with Kucera International, Kerrigan (Kerry) Dynes, manager of the Kucera's Western division in Denver, Colorado, has retired. He will continue with the company in consulting and client representative capacities.

Tim Connelly, Kucera's Image Scanning Manager, will be succeeding him as the division's newest Manager. Tim's tenure with Kucera extends over the last 11 years. He is a member of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, holds an Associate's Degree in Photography, and has become an expert in aerial photography and image processing during the 13 years he has worked in the field.

The ASPRS-RMR web site continues to improve. We are now posting job openings that we receive from members. Check the site regularly for new information on job openings, technical tours, and other events. To post information on the site, send material to sgp@denverwater.org. Visit the site by going to www.asprs-rmr.org