NOTE: This workshop will be held in-person on the 2nd floor of Davis Library

This is a three-part, hands-on GIS course. No previous GIS experience is required. The first session on Monday will be a general overview and introduction to the benefits of Open Source GIS in general, to QGIS in specific, and will include our first hands-on session with QGIS. Topics to be covered include: the QGIS user interface, loading vector and raster files, QGIS plug-ins, web mapping functions, QGIS data manipulation, icons and pull-down tools, basic data manipulation, working with attribute tables, and general familiarity with QGIS. 

Part 2 on Wednesday will continue our work with QGIS, including using the vector, raster, and web analysis functions, using the print composer.  We will also cover the QGIS website, tutorials, listserv, discussion groups, sources of help, etc. 

Part 3 on Friday will focus on the GRASS GIS and other advanced tools available through the QGIS Processing Toolbox within the QGIS interface. Topics covered will include the GRASS vector and raster data formats, GRASS vector, raster, and imagery analysis, GRASS 3-D data (voxels), the raster map calculator, the print composer, and other GRASS capabilities. You can attend just the first, first two, or all dates.

Laptops are required for this course, no computers are in the room. Students should download QGIS (www.qgis.org) before the class, and will download the sample data and tutorials (QGIS includes a current version of GRASS) at the start of the class. QGIS runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the end of the course, students will have a general ability to use QGIS and GRASS, and can continue learning on their own using the data and tutorials provided.

It is highly recommended to bring your power cords, extension cord, and/or powerstrips for your laptops. Feel free to contact the instructor at madrys@email.unc.edu with questions about the class or problems loading QGIS.