News

The University of Manchester, Tuesday 19 March – Friday 22 March 2013

The University of Manchester has organised a week of activities to enthuse school children about studying science and engineering. The programme is designed to showcase how science, engineering, technology and maths impact on everyday life,and shape daily decisions. Pupils have the opportunity to get up close with some of the cutting-edge research going on at The University of Manchester and take part in a range of activities designed to inspire them to become the scientists of the future.

UKMap Augmented Reality (AR) App

One of the cutting-edge technologies being showcased is the new UKMap AR App which allows pupils to interact with different mapping layers from the UKMap database originally collected by The GeoInformation Group and hosted at Landmap, Mimas. Matt Ramirez at SCARLET provides further details of how the app was developed in his blog post "Visualising rich spatial data with 3D and AR".

It is personally rewarding to see school children excited about discovering geospatial data in this unique way with comments such as "cool" as they flick between layers of geospatial information such as building heights, land use and retail classifications. Anyone can try out the application with an iPad or Android device by scanning the postcard or QR code with the free to download application Junaio. For the National Science and Engineering event a quick quiz sheet was devised where pupils answer 5 questions based on the geospatial layers.

Download UKMap AR Postcard PDF (1.5 MB)

Download UKMap Exercise Sheet PDF (305 KB)

Pupils preferred working as a small group when doing this exercise, with a couple of pupils operating the app, whilst another pupil took the lead in writing down the answers. Many pupils were so enthusiastic about the app that they took the postcard home so that they could scan it and show the UKMap data to their parents.

Having this experience, watching pupils in action with the UKMap AR App has highlighted how much potential there is in using AR in education, especially in the geospatial field. The experience also highlighted parts of the app that could be improved such as more distinct colours for the classification of building heights and changing the icon for the freeze/transparency function, as pupils tried to swipe the icon rather than just touch it. Such observations will help to improve the usability of the app in the future.

Further details about the event can be found below:

10:00 – 12:30
Interactive workshops led by current PhD students in a range of science subjects
Hands-on Science Fair where pupils can interact with academic staff and students from across the University about their research

13:30 – 14:30
Expert Lecture delivered by a leading academic staff member from the University

This is a free event for pupils in Year 7, 8 and 9. Schools can bring a group of up to 25 young people.

For more information please visit www.manchester.ac.uk/nsew or call 0161 306 6506 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Over the past 11 years we have been delighted to be able to provide Landmap, a Jisc-funded service, to 139 institutions with a wide range of geospatial datasets and e-learning materials to support research and teaching.

During this period we have been fortunate to receive funding for this service solely from Jisc, the independent education charity.  However the harsh economic climate is forcing Jisc to review the number of projects and services they are able to support on an ongoing basis.

Jisc has now confirmed, because of changes to their business priorities, 2013 will be the last year that they will be able to support the provision of Landmap. The service will continue to be available until 31 December 2013. However, Jisc has initiated a working group to look at the optimisation of the geospatial data services it supports and Landmap is part of this review.

This means that Landmap will continue in its current form until the end of the year. Jisc and Mimas are now working hard to secure alternative funding and to identify different ways in which some or all of the current service might continue to be made available in 2014 and beyond.

No decisions have yet been made about Landmap¹s long-term future, and we will keep you updated on our progress as the year unfolds.  We look forward to working with you during this year and hopefully beyond.

Please do express your views by completing the Landmap: Funding Flux Survey 2013.

Google Maps and Google Earth have triggered an explosion of interest in our planet's land, sea and atmosphere.

Thanks to a partnership with the University of Bonn, we've launched Spatial Science for Schools - new tutorials that aim to bring this enthusiasm into the classroom by improving pupils' understanding of remote sensing images of satellite and aerial photography.

Inspiring the new generation

Spatial Science for Schools is the latest addition to Landmap's popular Learning Zone. The tutorials help students apply their digital skills to a range of educational scenarios, from drawing conclusions about the Haiti earthquake crisis to understanding map coordinates. Gail Millin-Chalabi, GeoKnowledge Project Manager, explains:

"The tutorials in Spatial Science for Schools provide an integrated approach for embedding images of the Earth for topics such as tsunamis, earthquakes, species extinction, floods, atmospheric circulation and contrast enhancement of images. Part of the Landmap vision is to educate the new generation regarding the use of remote sensing so that they are better informed of the application opportunities available to them. "

 The tutorials are aimed at 9 – 18 year old pupils, and encourage them to develop skills in topics such as interpreting satellite and aerial photography.

Encouraging science in schools

We want to encourage the use of remote sensing by teachers in geography, biology, mathematics, geomatics and physics lessons, and many of the materials directly support the national curriculum.

The interactive tutorials include exercises and quizzes alongside a wide range of materials and data to bring subjects to life and make lessons more fun. For example, pupils can access:

• Satellite images
• Weather maps
• Aerial photographs
• Animations
• Google Earth KMZ files

Kamie Kitmitto Landmap Manager says:

"Landmap is hosting this website to contribute to the UK government agenda to promote science and technology in schools. The tutorials offer a range of possibilities for teachers to encourage pupils' interest in natural sciences, mathematics or engineering through the use of fascinating satellite images."

A European partnership

The original tutorials were developed as part of the Fernerkundung in Schulen (FIS) Project at the University of Bonn, and are funded by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.

We're pleased to bring these materials to the UK, and make them available via our Landmap Service. If you would like to know more about Spatial Science for Schools, please contact us.

A Geo-Data and Geo-Services Assistant Graduate Internship vacancy is now available within Mimas please go to Manchester University Careerslink. Login with your University of Manchester student username/password and search for vacancy ID: 14595. Further details can be found below:

Number of Positions Available: 1

Hours: Full time

Duration: 12 months

Essential Skills:
• Have some experience with one or more, image processing software or GIS. On the job training will be provided as appropriate.
• Have keen understanding of geo-data processing issues.
• Have an awareness of OGC standards and their applications.
• Be a clear and concise communicator with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Be creative and able to channel their ideas appropriately and to best effect.
• Have excellent time management and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise their own workload.
• Be an effective team player but also be able to operate independently and proactively, as appropriate.
• Be open to working in a flexible manner, where service necessitates.

Desirable Skill:
• Have an awareness of the Landmap service, its data and services.

Salary: £15,900 per annum, pro-rata