Geographic Information Science is commonly defined as a subfield of Geography concerned with the acquisition, storage, analysis and communication of geographic information. Within Clark Labs, however, the predominant emphasis is on analysis and the development of innovative means to gain information from spatially-arrayed data. We achieve this goal through both theoretical and applied research and as a result, our software provides an analytical depth that is unique to the industry.
Advancing geographic thought in our theoretical research ensures our products remain current and relevant to the community they serve. Through collaboration with a team of research scientists, we have pioneered both the theoretical advancement and application of GIS in areas such as:
- Multi-criteria and multi-objective decision making
- Environmental change and time series analysis
- Land cover change, change prediction and analysis of ecological implications
- Dynamic modeling
- Risk and uncertainty management
- Soft classification of remotely sensed imagery
In order to provide a real-world basis for the testing and development of new analytical approaches, Clark Labs engages in application research. Clients have included the US Department of Agriculture, the United Nations Environment Programme, Conservation International, and the World Food Programme. Projects have ranged from the detection of diseased trees using hyperspectral imagery and the predictive modeling of invasive species using neural networks, to the spatial and temporal analysis of climate cycles (El Nino/La Nina), to vulnerability in contexts as varied as landslides and droughts.
