The Virginia Geospatial Extension Program conducts targeted programs that promote the use of geospatial tools and applications, and integrate geospatial concepts throughout the K-20 educational pipeline. These tools and applications include the global positioning system (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS) and using remote-sensing data sources -- satellite imagery and aerial photography -- to provide innovative perspectives on local, regional, state and national issues. The program seeks to expand opportunities for citizens and organizations across the commonwealth to apply geospatial tools for economic and social benefit.

The program provides:  K-12 educational outreach in collaboration with the Virginia Space Grant Consortium's OVERspace program and other partners, specialized workforce courses and training through Virginia's Community College System and other four year colleges and universities, faculty development, and linkages to NASA and other geospatial resources, data and programs. A key component of this program is support for Virginia cooperative Extension agents and specialists in all four program areas (Agriculture and Natural Resource (ANR), Community Viability (CV), Food and Consumer Sciences (FCS), and 4-H Youth Education), to support the dissemination of information, training and application development at the grassroots level.

The Virginia Geospatial Extension Program is a founding member of the National Geospatial Technology Extension Network (NGTEN) http://www.geospatialextension.org and serves in a leadership capacity with Map@syst, an eXtension initiative. (http://www.extension.org/pages/Map@Syst_Community_Page).

The program is funded through Virginia Cooperative Extension, and is co-located at Virginia Tech in the College of Natural Resources and the College of Agriculture/Virginia Cooperative Extension.

CONTACT: John McGee, Geospatial Extension Specialist, 307C Cheatham Hall (0324), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, Phone: 540-231-2428, Email: jmcg@vt.edu.