Dr. Tom Mueller
Oct 29, 2021
Cal U students produce exercises using state-of-the-art Cyclomedia software.
Students studying geographic information technology at Cal U recently put their skills to work using state-of-the-art visual data software.
As part of Dr. Tom Mueller’s Environmental Applications of GIS, students designed lessons using Cyclomedia programs that integrate imagery and light detection and ranging (LIDAR).
The exercises cover topics related to fire safety and event planning and management.
“Cyclomedia is a great platform that takes 360-degree panoramic imagery and integrates it with high-precision elevation data collected by LIDAR,” Mueller said. “There are many ways that this data can be used for the betterment of a community, and I wanted our students to engage with these tools.”
The lessons are available on the PAView website.
Mueller is the director PAView, an AmericaView partner. AmericaView is a nationwide, university-based and state-implemented network that advances Earth observation education through remote sensing science, applied research, workforce development, technology transfer and community outreach.
PAView members are Cal U, Clarion University, Bucknell University, Villanova University, Penn State University and Frazier High School.
“I want my students to have real-world experience, something like an internship without leaving campus,” Mueller said. “They’re not just dealing with me; they’re dealing with people out in the professional world. They gain knowledge while networking with professionals in the field. It all makes them more employable.”
In 2020, Mueller received the Pennsylvania Geographical Society’s Distinguished Teacher Award. In 2018, he was chosen as an educational team member of the Ukraine Research Institute at Harvard University’s MAPA Digital Ukraine Program.