USGIF Assembles Academic Consortium

Academic Consortium: USGIF has assembled an Academic Consortium (UAC) to respond to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)’s GEOINT Learning through Academic Programs (GLAP) initiative. The GLAP initiative is a five-million-dollar contract with a period of performance from August 17, 2020 to August 17, 2025.

Under the prime leadership of USGIF, the UAC delivers condensed format GEOINT training courses to students working within the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG), ASG and other US and foreign government entities. The UAC is comprised of 11 USGIF accredited universities: Pennsylvania State University, George Mason University, University of Maryland, University of Southern California, University of Texas at Dallas, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Delta State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Central University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.

“The key to the success of the GLAP educational training program is a well-led team of skilled and competent faculty, access to state-of-the-art logistics support, and strong coordination across USGIF, UAC member institutions, and NGA participants,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professional Development Camelia Kantor, Ph.D. “We hope to further expand this model in the future and provide similar support to our industry partners to ensure a well-integrated and sustainable ecosystem needed to maintain the U.S. supremacy in production of knowledge, technology and innovation.”

As an integrated consortium, the UAC provides the best possible arrangement for NGA to achieve the desired depth and breadth in course offerings, varied delivery methods, and level of responsiveness. A single-institution arrangement does not provide the same opportunity for an integrated solution. In addition, the UAC provides flexible, comprehensive delivery capabilities including on-line, synchronous or asynchronous that meets the need of a varied and geographically distributed GEOINT professional workforce. The UAC solution offers an unparalleled number of certified condensed format courses and minimizes administrative overhead.

Courses will be available as are instructor-led in-person, online, and self-paced. Topics include Artificial Intelligence; Bathymetry; Computer Vision; Data Analytics and Visualization; Data Modeling; Geomatics/Geodesy/Geodetic Engineering and Surveying; Geospatial Data Management; GIS and Analysis Tools; Machine Learning, Remote Sensing and Imagery Analysis; Spatial Statistics; and Structured Analytic Techniques.

“While the classes offered by the GLAP are important, the deeper and often unnoticed significance is the bringing together of the NSG and academia. It’s a catalyst for cross-fertilization,” said Dr Todd Bacastow, Teaching Professor, Department of Geography, Pennsylvania State University. “Those who practice GEOINT in government and those who teach GEOINT-related topics in academia will exchange opinions and views, course materials, pedagogy, and the like. This is professionalization of both preemployment education and continuing education.”