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Roane State’s Wurth honored for distinguished career in GIS

Posted at 10:59 am July 16, 2017
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

Pat Wurth

Pat Wurth

 

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

When it comes to her expertise, Roane State’s Pat Wurth occupies a unique niche in Tennessee, and she has won a first-ever award for it.

Wurth, an associate professor at the college for nearly 19 years, recently received the accolade of appreciation for her “distinguished career developing GIS professionals.”

That’s what it says on the plaque she received during an April conference of the 500-member Tennessee Geographic Information Council. “It was quite an honor,” Wurth said.

GIS is about using geographic data to understand patterns, trends, and relationships. It’s widely used in environmental research, city planning, crime analysis, and by utility systems. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Front Page News Tagged With: GIS, GIS program, Pat Wurth, Roane State

GIS stormwater data collection to occur in February

Posted at 4:03 pm January 29, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Photo by City of Oak Ridge

Photo by City of Oak Ridge

 

Geographical information system, or GIS, storm drain inlet mapping will take place in Oak Ridge during the month of February in the following areas: Michigan Avenue, Outer Drive, and New York Avenue.

Representatives of the city will be mapping these inlets with GPS units and/or making visual assessments, a press release said. Residential property will only be accessed during reasonable hours to identify stormwater inlets, the press release said.

“This is not a request to enter into any building or structures on the property,” the press release said. “No construction will be taking place.”

The city is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, or TDEC, under the Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, to monitor certain streams or tributaries to those streams. The goal of this mandate is to protect and rehabilitate our natural water resources, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge Tagged With: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, geographical information system, GIS, GIS storm sewer map, GIS stormwater data collection, MS4, Oak Ridge, Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, stormwater data, TDEC, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Oak Ridge teacher to receive Geography Teacher of the Year Award

Posted at 10:06 am February 17, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Brian-Smith-Geography-Award-2016

Brian Smith, seventh-grade social studies teacher in Oak Ridge, will receive the 14th Tom and Stella Mullane Geography Teacher of the Year Award during the 2016 Tennessee Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin on Friday, March 11. (Submitted photo)

 

An Oak Ridge teacher will receive a Mullane Geography Teacher of the Year Award in March.

Brian Smith, seventh-grade social studies teacher in Oak Ridge, will receive the 14th Tom and Stella Mullane Geography Teacher of the Year Award during the 2016 Tennessee Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin on Friday, March 11.

The Mullane award is bestowed for superior achievement in the teaching of geography in the social studies in grades 7-12, a press release said. The award carries a $500 cash prize.

Smith has been informed that he will be this year’s recipient of the Mullane Teacher of the Year award for the outstanding work he does, ensuring that geography is a daily part of instruction in the Oak Ridge school system, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: Brian Smith, Eagle Time, geographic information systems, geography, GIS, Jefferson Middle School, Jefferson Middle School Geography Bee, Mullane Geography Teacher of the Year, Mullane Teacher of the Year, Oak Ridge Schools, Phil Cox, social studies, Tennessee Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, Tennessee Department of Education, Tom and Stella Mullane Geography Teacher of the Year Award

City may need to access residential properties to identify stormwater outfalls

Posted at 12:17 pm August 14, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

By City of Oak Ridge

The City of Oak Ridge may need to access residential property during reasonable hours to identify stormwater outfalls along streams. This is not a request to enter into any building or structures on the property; it is specifically for the purpose of identifying outfalls along streams (or their tributary watercourses) throughout the City of Oak Ridge. Representatives of the City of Oak Ridge will be mapping these outfalls with GPS units and/or making visual assessments of the watercourse, a press release said.

The City of Oak Ridge is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) under the Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit to monitor certain streams (or tributaries to those streams). The goal of this mandate is to protect and rehabilitate our natural water resources. In accordance with this mandate, the City of Oak Ridge has created a geographical information system (GIS) storm sewer map and database program to identify stormwater outfall locations of the U.S. Waters of the State. To facilitate this program, we must enter onto private property to access the watercourse.

The City of Oak Ridge thanks you for your cooperation in complying with this state and federal mandate, and assisting in making our water resources cleaner for everyone. If you have any questions, please call the City of Oak Ridge Stormwater Management Hotline at (865) 425-3497.

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge Tagged With: City of Oak Ridge, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, geographical information system, GIS, MS4, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, storm sewer map, stormwater management, stormwater outfalls, streams, TDEC, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Roane State selected as Center for Academic Excellence in Geospatial Sciences

Posted at 12:22 am June 26, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Roane State Community College, working in partnership with Oak Ridge Associated Universities, was recently selected as a designated Center for Academic Excellence in Geospatial Sciences.

Roane State, which offers one-year and two-year programs in geographic information systems, or GIS, was the only community college chosen for the program and joins 17 CAE GS academic institutions nationwide. Organized by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, the CAE GS program is a new endeavor designed to cultivate centers of academic excellence in geospatial sciences such as GIS.

“We are honored that our GIS program is recognized among several outstanding universities,” said Diane Ward, Roane State’s vice president of student learning. “The college’s selection for the program is a great example of the key role community colleges play in science, technology, engineering, and math education.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Front Page News Tagged With: CAE GS, Center for Academic Excellence in Geospatial Sciences, Desmond Stubbs, Diane Ward, geographic information systems, GIS, Lenora Peters Gant, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, ORAU-RSCC Geospatial Center of Academic Excellence, Pat Wurth, Roane State Community College, science technology engineering and math, STEM, U.S. Geological Survey

Mapping a Difference: Roane State student charts Remote Area Medical services

Posted at 12:14 pm June 21, 2015
By Roane State Community College Leave a Comment

Chris Zerr

Chris Zerr

Roane State Community College Geographic Information Systems (GIS) student Chris Zerr said she has “loved maps since I was a little kid.”

“They’re like putting together a puzzle that has lots of pieces. Maps allow you to discover what’s there and what’s not there,” she said.

Maps that Zerr recently designed are helping people discover where they can find affordable and often much-needed medical care.

As an honors project for Roane State, Zerr focused on an organization that benefits thousands of people. Remote Area Medical, or RAM as most people know it, was established in 1985 by Stan Brock to provide basic medical care through mobile clinic events in underserved, isolated or impoverished communities. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Front Page News, Health Tagged With: Chris Zerr, geographic information systems, GIS, maps, medical care, mobile clinic, Pat Wurth, RAM, Remote Area Medical, Roane State, Roane State Community College, Stan Brock, Star Lakavage

Honors: Roane State student’s GIS project earns recognition

Posted at 8:53 pm December 8, 2014
By Roane State Community College Leave a Comment

Joe Pyle Winning GIS Poster

Images courtesy of Roane State Community College

 

Roane State Community College student Joe Pyle enjoys working with his hands.

As a student in the college’s geographic information systems, or GIS, program, his raw material of choice is data, and his craftsmanship has received statewide recognition.

Pyle’s map predicting cell phone coverage along the Cumberland Trail won in the Best Analysis category at the East Tennessee Geographic Information Council Forum. Pyle’s map depicts the Cumberland Trail from Frozen Head State Park to LaFollette. The map is overlaid with markers predicting cell phone signal strength at points along the trail. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Honors and Spotlight Tagged With: Best Analysis, cell phone coverage, Cumberland Trail, East Tennessee Geographic Information Council Forum, Frozen Head State Park, geographic information systems, GIS, Joe Pyle, Lafollette, Pat Wurth, Roane State, Roane State Community College

Oak Ridge launches new GIS website

Posted at 5:20 pm August 17, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The City of Oak Ridge recently released a new and improved geographic information system, or GIS, website. A press release said it functions like Internet map applications such as Google Maps or Bing Maps.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Amy Fitzgerald, Geo-Jobe GIS Consulting, geographic information system, GIS, map application, Oak Ridge

Jefferson Middle School 4-H GIS Club visits Roane State

Posted at 3:08 pm March 14, 2013
By Roane State Community College Leave a Comment

Roane State and Jefferson Middle School

In front, from left, are students Ty Dahl, Mikolai Jakowski, and Mollie Smith. In back, from left, are student Logan Ogle, Jefferson Middle School social studies teacher Brian Smith, student Haley Snyder, and Pat Wurth. (Submitted photo)

Jefferson Middle School and Roane State Community College are working together to help students learn about geographic information systems, or GIS.

Jefferson Middle School has a 4-H GIS Club, and Pat Wurth, Roane State associate professor of geographic information systems and geography, is mentoring the students. The middle schoolers visit campus and are working on a project to map bluebird houses thanks to a grant from software company ESRI.

Here is a photo from a recent visit.

Filed Under: College, Education, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: geographic information systems, GIS, Jefferson Middle School, Jefferson Middle School 4-H GIS Club, Pat Wurth, Roane State Community College

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Public Notice: Comment period extended for Draft EA for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

EXTENSION OF THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING … [Read More...]

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Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment for the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC) (DOE/EA-2144), Finding of No Significant Impact, and Wetland Statement of Findings

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