<i>Nebraska NativeGEM (Geospatial Extension Model)</i>

Nebraska NativeGEM (Geospatial Extension Model)

Brent D. Bowen, University of Nebraska at Omaha
UNO Aviation Institute

Part of the University of Nebraska Omaha Aviation Institute Aviation Monograph Series.

Bowen, B. D., & University of Nebraska at Omaha. (2004). Nebraska NativeGEM (Geospatial extension model). Omaha, Neb: UNO Aviation Institute, University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Description

UNOAI Report 04-3

Through NASA funding in August 2002, the NASA Nebraska Space Grant Consortium (NNSGC) hired Karisa Vlasek as Nebraska’s full-time Geospatial Extension Specialist (GES). Nebraska’s GES joins the missions of the NASA Office of Earth Science and NASA Space Grant with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, realizing within Nebraska the goal to implement a GES. Due to the state’s strategic use of NASA and state funding in the past 12 years, there was considerable capacity in place in Nebraska to intensify geospatial research, education, and outreach efforts. The NNSGC partners with Land Grant; Cooperative Extension; the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL) Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies (CALMIT); and remote sensing fwdty at Creighton and the ‘LTnvmity af Nebmsh at Omaha (UNO). It ais0 includes emerging collaborations with Minnesota Sea Grant, the Nebraska Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Steering Committee, The Nebraska Implementation (I)- Team, NE GIS/LIS (land information systems) Association, and numerous geospatial industry and governmental partners (Vlasek & Bowen, 2004). The NASA Nebraska Space Grant & EPSCoR program is located within the Aviation Department at UNO where the GES is also housed.

This proposal, Nebraska NativeGEM (Geospatial Extension Model) features a unique diversity component stemming from the exceptional reputation NNSGC has built by delivering geospatial science experiences to Nebraska’s Native Americans. For 7 years, NNSGC has partnered with the 2 tribal colleges and 4 reservation school districts in Nebraska to form the Nebraska Native American Outreach Program (NNAOP), a partnership among tribal community leaders, academia, tribal schools, and industry reaching close to 1,000 Native American youth, and over 1,200 community members (Lehrer & Zendajas, 2001).