December 2008

MUSIC's Assistant Director lectures in the "Specialist Meeting on Spatial Concepts in GIS and Design" University of California, Santa Barbara

Juan Carlos Vargas-Moreno has been asked to participate in a 30-world Specialist Meeting to explore the future of the integration spatial concepts in GIS and Design. The meeting has been organized by Prof. Michael Goodchild (Chair, University of California, Santa Barbara and Director, Center for Spatial Studies) and the Environmental Studies Research Institute (ESRI-GIS World Leading Company). This specialist meeting originates in discussions over the potential of integrating design more fully into GIS, and over the development of curriculum in spatial thinking. The central question might be posed as "To what extent are the fundamental spatial concepts that lie behind GIS relevant in design?" or "To what extent can the fundamental spatial concepts of design be addressed with GIS?" or perhaps "Is it possible to devise a curriculum designed to develop spatial thinking in both GIS and design?"

Juan Carlos lectured in the integration of GIS and Design through participatory design and planning methods technologies. Other speakers include: Mike Batty (Center for Spatial Analysis, University College London , Fritz Steiner, Dean, School of Architecture, University of Arizona; Jack Dangermond, CEO, ESRI; Ervin, Stephen and Carl Steinitz, Harvard University, Lee, Kun University of Seoul, Sara Fabrikant, University of Zurich, Stoltz, Ron, Director School of Landscape Architecture, University of Arizona.