Department of Botany, 3165
Aven Nelson Room 114
1000 E. University Ave.
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: 1-307-766-4207
Fax: 1-307-766-2851
Email: botany@uwyo.edu
Remote sensing has exploded into the public sphere in the last decade with the introduction of Google Earth and other online tools. Remote sensing science, which led to these developments, goes deeper than just looking at images, giving scientists and resource managers powerful tools for understanding and identifying earth features and the spatial relationships between them. Vegetation ecologists, for example, can interpret spectral data to produce detailed maps of plant distributions, which in turn can be used to help model plant-environment relationships or the interaction between vegetation and the climate system. Wildlife managers use satellite images to map and characterize animal habitat over vast areas anywhere on the globe. Geologists use hyperspectral imagery to understand geologic structures or to locate important mineral deposits. Remote sensing is an interdisciplinary tool with increasing value in research and the workplace.
The Botany Department has been a leader in remote sensing education at UW since the 1990s, focusing on the application of remote sensing for ecological research and plant studies. As interest grew among students, we expanded our roster of course offerings, which are popular among students from across campus in many disciplines. In response to growing interest, we introduced the minor in remote sensing in 2012 to give students the opportunity to focus on remote sensing and to receive recognition on their diplomas. Students with a minor in remote sensing graduate with a solid understanding of the theory and application of remote sensing-knowledge that is increasingly sought by employers.
The minor in remote sensing provides students with a solid core of theoretical and lab-based remote sensing education, using state-of-the-art equipment and software. Students gain a solid grounding in vegetation science, which helps them understand the relationships between vegetation patterns seen in imagery and the environmental drivers that mediate these patterns. Additionally, students are offered the opportunity to enroll in electives that strengthen their geospatial toolbox, with specialized courses in remote sensing (e.g., rivers, agriculture), geographic information systems (GIS), and geographic information science (GISci).
Required (12 credit hours)
BOT/GEOG 4111 Remote Sensing of the Environment (4.0 h)
Prereq: QA + 1 science course with lab
BOT/GEOG 4211 Advanced Remote Sensing of the Environment (4.0 h)
Prereq: BOT/GEOG 4111
BOT 4700 Vegetation Ecology (4.0 h)
Prereq: LIFE 3400
Elective (6-16 credit hours) Choose two or more of the following:
BOT/GEOG 3150 Survey of Remote Sensing Applications (3.0 h)
Prereq: QA + 1 science course with lab
BOT 4130 Applied Remote Sensing for Agricultural Management (3.0 h)
Prereq: QA + 9 hours in major field and junior or senior standing
GEOG 4200 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4.0 h)
Prereq: GEOG 2150 Foundations of GISci and Tech (4.0 h)
GEOG 4210 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (4.0 h)
Prereq: GEOG 4200
GEOG 4220 Spatial Modeling and Geocomputation (4.0 h)
Prereq: GEOG 4200/4210
GEOG 4455 Remote Sensing of Rivers (3.0 h)
Department of Botany, 3165
Aven Nelson Room 114
1000 E. University Ave.
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: 1-307-766-4207
Fax: 1-307-766-2851
Email: botany@uwyo.edu