Getting started with GIS at MIT

• What is GIS?
• When should I use GIS?
• I have never worked with GIS software before. How do I learn to use it?
• Where can I work with GIS software at MIT?
• How do I obtain GIS software for my computer?
• How do I create a map quickly and easily without experience?
• How do I get additional assistance?

What is GIS?

Geographic Information Systems offer a dynamic digital environment for visualizing and analyzing geographic information.

When should I use GIS?

• To find spatial data.
• To analyze data using geospatial methods.
• To map information.

I have never worked with GIS software before. How do I learn to use it?

• ESRI virtual campus classes are available to the MIT community through our site license. These courses are all online and can be started and stopped at one's convenience.
• ArcGIS Desktop Tutorials
• ESRI web-based help overview
• Many books and manuals are available in the GIS Lab at Rotch and throughout the MIT Library system. Check the online library catalog, Barton, for the most up to date listing of available books.
• Workshops are held during MIT's Independent Activities Period (IAP) and during the semester. Check the current workshops page for postings. We also continue to host materials from workshops that have been offered in the past on the previously offered workshops page.
• Set up an appointment with a GIS specialist by emailing gishelp(at)mit.edu. Regular lab hours are available during the academic semesters and can be checked on the GIS Lab home page.

Where can I work with GIS software at MIT?

• GIS Lab: Rotch Library (7-238)
• 37-312: A WinAthena computer cluster.
• For DUSP students, the Computer Resource Network (CRN) of the MIT Department of Urban Studies & Planning.
• Additional information on hardware facilities is available in the hardware & software section.

How do I obtain GIS software for my computer?

Information about obtaining and installing GIS software on your personal computer can be found on the software page.

How do I create a map quickly and easily without experience?

ESRI's ArcGIS StreetMap provides nationwide address matching and street map display. ArcGIS StreetMap layers automatically manage, label, and draw features, such as local landmarks, streets, parks, water bodies, and other features. ArcGIS StreetMap can geocode addresses by interactively matching a single address or by batch matching from a file of addresses. This dataset is available on the shelf in the GIS lab, Rotch Library.

How do I get additional assistance?

Email gishelp(at)mit.edu or come by our lab hours to get assistance from a member of the GIS Services team. GIS Services also offers general workshops and works with classes upon request.