Science Impact Partner Universities

University of Pennsylvania

 SILUS, the Science Impact Lab for Urban Systems, at the University of Pennsylvania was established by the Science Impact Program of USGS.  At Penn, SILUS is housed at the Wharton GIS Lab and is cosponsored by the Penn Institute for Urban Research and the Wharton Geospatial Initiative. SILUS is directed by Dr. Susan Wachter.

SILUS conducts basic and applied research regarding the application of natural science information to ecological, environmental and socioeconomic issues and problems in urban and regional contexts. SILUS works in partnership with the Science Impact Program to encourage the development of innovative uses of earth and biological sciences information to address societal needs and, in particular, to achieve the following objectives:

           (1) Develop new methods, tools, processes, and products for integrating, using and analyzing spatial information in a GIS framework, and

           (2) Develop methods to link space/time natural science and economic data in an                                     urban and regional setting to evaluate economic growth, natural resource, and environmental policy issues.

The Penn Institute for Urban Research is dedicated to fostering increased understanding of cities and developing new knowledge bases that will be vital in charting the course of local national and international urbanization.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has established the Wharton Geospatial Initiative to develop and support research in the use of geospatial technology in business and society.

For more information, please see http://www.upenn.edu/penniur/.