GeoCommons
A Place for Space
A Place for Space
A collaborative hub for geospatial research, education, & public engagement.
The Beginning ...
As the world's first "Spatial University," the University of Minnesota has a long-standing commitment to using spatial approaches to tackle grand challenges. To broaden and deepen the use of spatial approaches, the College of Liberal Arts, Minnesota Population Center, and Department of Geography, Environment, and Society have made a substantial investment to create the GeoCommons, a collaborative hub to empower spatial innovation, promote spatial thinking, and advance geospatial technologies through research, education, and public engagement across the University of Minnesota, state of Minnesota, and beyond.
Early architect rendering featuring the geovisualization screen, movable furniture, and breakout spaces.
With its flexible design and open layout, the GeoCommons will encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, spontaneous interactions, brainstorming, and creative thinking leading to breakthrough discoveries and solutions to real-world problems. The GeoCommons will have two "breakout" spaces with Zoom capability for hybrid collaboration, a large geovisualization screen driven by a powerful workstation using the latest geospatial software that will be mirrored by an accessible 43" multi-touch-screen for interactivity. The furniture, including couches, chairs, and tables, will be movable to create open spaces for technology-infused research experiences, such as Virtual Reality and Tangible Landscapes.
Eric Shook
Director
Bryan Runck
Associate Director
Michelle Andrews
GIS Professional
About Us
A collaborative hub for geospatial research, education, & public engagement.
Philosophy
Unearth Possibilities. Together.
Diverse & Inclusive
Let's build a world that welcomes all.
Connect with Us
Slack, email, or *gasp* face-to-face.
