The Polis Center at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, in association with the University of Portsmouth, is running a four-day summer workshop in the use of GIS in the arts and humanities. This institute builds on the success of the 1st International Institute for GIS in the Arts and Humanities held at the University of Portsmouth in September of 2003. The summer workshop will provide practical, hands-on experience in the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software focusing on data and techniques relevant to historians, historical geographers, demographers, archaeologists and others with an interest in the past. The instructors are all academics with significant experience in using GIS to conduct historical research. The majority of the course will focus on practical work in an IT lab with state-of-the-arts GIS facilities. Its key aims are:

• To establish why the use of GIS is important to the arts and humanities.
• To provide sufficient hands on experience of using established GIS software packages to allow them to conduct research using GIS.
• To explore the strengths and limitations of using GIS in the context of the arts and humanities where the scientific approaches common in GIS may not be appropriate.
• To provide practical help and advice to people with an interest in conducting specific projects that will use GIS.
• To demonstrate the infrastructure that is available to support GIS-based research projects in the arts and humanities.

Timetable:

Day 1:

• Introduction to GIS and its importance in the arts and humanities.
• Description of ways that GIS models the world.
• Introduction to methods for capturing GIS data.

Day 2:

,li>Using GIS to manipulate and structure arts and humanities data.

Day 3:

• Using GIS to visualise and analyse arts and humanities data.

Day 4:

• Infrastructure to support projects using GIS in the arts and humanities
• Roundtable on applying GIS to the arts and humanities.

Who should come?
This workshop will appeal to post-graduate students who are thinking of using GIS to support their research. It will appeal to members of academic staff who want practical experience using GIS either for their own research or so that they can help their students. Grant holders, their research staff and those intending to apply for grants from bodies like AHRB, the British Academy, NEH, NSF, NOF, HLF, NERC, ESRC, and the numerous other funding organizations in this area will be most welcome. Professionals in other relevant sectors interested in developing hands-on experience in the use of GIS are also welcome. You are encouraged to bring your own data that you may want to use in a GIS.

The workshop is intended as an introduction to GIS, so it will suit novices or those who want to brush up previous experience. We assume no prior knowledge and require only basic computing skills. Attendance at previous workshops is not required but those who participated in those workshops are encouraged to come.

Cost:
The cost of the course is $850.00 ($750.00 if you register by May 15, 2004).

This includes:

• Course materials.
• Lunches during the course are included. For dinner, there is a wide choice of nearby restaurants in downtown Indianapolis, however the cost of these is not included.

Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements including transportation to and from the airport. Transportation is available between select hotels and The Polis Center at no charge.

Informal inquiries:

Please contact Kevin Mickey by phone/email (below) or Ian Gregory at (023) 9284 2492, Email: ian.gregory@port.ac.uk

Registration:

Places are limited, so book early. You can do this by contacting The Polis Center at (317) 274-2455 to request a registratin form.