GIS Project Ideas topics Collection For Engineering Students - 2023

GIS or Geographic or Geospatial information system is a rapidly growing field. Research on this topic is at its peak and students are opting for GIS projects in their third and final year. Students in Computer Science and IT branches develop GI Systems to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data.

As a project, students can develop a GIS application or tool that allow users to create interactive queries (user-created searches), analyze spatial information, edit data in maps, and present the results of all these operations.

For example here are some projects from Carnegie Institute -

Carnegie Museum of Natural History Pennsylvania Unconventional Natural Gas Wells Geodatabase

How many Marcellus Shale gas wells are drilled in Pennsylvania? In reality, this is a difficult question to answer. The GIS lab is seeking to figure this out and use the data for multiple projects. Information on well permits, when wells were drilled, how much natural gas is being produced, and violations will be included in the geodataset.

Regional Macroinvertebrate Stream Survey

Certain macroinvertebrate communities in streams are indicators of stream health. Utilizing GIS will help us develop a comprehensive dataset to continually monitor macroinvertebrate communities in our region. As Marcellus shale gas wells continue to develop in Pennsylvania, water resource protection will continue to be an important issue for the residents of our region.

Powdermill Nature Reserve: The Changing Landscape

Aerial photos are an important source for maps and geodatasets. By observing historical aerial photos, we can gain insight of the changes to the local ecosystems of Powdermill. This project will provide high-quality aerial imagery over time and allow us to use the imagery to delineate historically forested and un-forested areas from as early as 1939.

Ligonier Landowners Map

Our neighbors are an important part of the life of Powdermill. This map will help landowners in the Ligonier area understand the local economic and environmental impacts that the Marcellus shale gas drilling industry could bring to the region.

New Public Trail and Canopy Walk Planning Analysis

Do you like the idea of having more hiking options at Powdermill Nature Reserve? We do, too! So we are in the process of determining new areas for trail development.

Comparing Vegetation Ground Surveys with Remotely Sensed Data to Measure Forest Succession (Proposed)

During the summers of 2006–2008, Powdermill completed an extensive vegetation survey from field observations. Remote sensing techniques can also be used to quantify vegetative land cover. By using the ground observations already collected, we hope to determine the effectiveness and accuracy of remotely sensed data to quantify not only the present species, but also to estimate measures of tree height, diameter, and density.

Vegetation Survey

A detailed vegetation survey was completed for more than 4,600 forested plots and 800 plots in maintained fields. More than twenty permanent vegetation monitoring plots have been established. This dataset provides Powdermill with an extremely detailed vegetation baseline upon which future research can build.

Louisiana Waterthrush Stream Survey

The GIS Lab produced a large-scale GIS dataset of Powdermill streams for this collaborative project with the National Aviary.

Golden Eagle Project

The GIS lab was a key partner in a study of golden and bald eagles in eastern North America. The project studied the migration of eagles along mountain ridges where there is potential conflict with installation of wind energy turbines.

Esri Geoportal Server

Esri Geoportal Server is a free open source product that enables discovery and use of geospatial resources including datasets, rasters, and Web services. It helps organizations manage and publish metadata for their geospatial resources to let users discover and connect to those resources. The Geoportal Server supports standards-based clearinghouse and metadata discovery applications.

ArcGIS Editor for OpenStreetMap

ArcGIS Editor for OpenStreetMap is an ArcGIS add-on that allows ArcGIS users to download data from OpenStreetMap, store it locally in a geodatabase, and use the advanced editing environment of ArcGIS for Desktop 10 to create, modify, or delete data. Once the edits are complete, the changes can be posted back to OpenStreetMap and made available to the OpenStreetMap community. It was released under the Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL) and is available on CodePlex.

Esri ArcGIS Silverlight Toolkit

This project contains the source code and libraries for the Esri ArcGIS Silverlight Toolkit SDK. The library is an extension of the ArcGIS API for Microsoft Silverlight/WPF. Included are a number of controls, widgets, and tools that you can use to enhance your Web applications. It was released under the Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL) and is available on CodePlex.

ArcGIS API Lite for Flex

This is a new Open Source code project available from Esri on GitHub. It is built as a wrapper around the ArcGIS API for Flex. It is a simple API targeted at those who are new to GIS and/or Esri, enabling you to embed mapping capabilities into Flex projects.

Update: Adding a few more ideas for the benefit of readers-

Title: Urban Heat Island Mapping and Analysis

Summary: This project involves mapping urban heat islands in a city and investigating their impact on local climate and energy consumption. Students would collect data on temperature, building materials, and land use, then use GIS to visualize and analyze the data. This project could help urban planners design cities that are more resilient to heat waves and climate change.

Title: Predictive Modeling for Natural Disasters

Summary: In this project, students can create predictive models for natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, or earthquakes using GIS. These models can be used to determine high-risk areas and help authorities better prepare for and respond to disasters. Students would need to gather historical data about previous incidents and other relevant factors, such as vegetation, climate, and geology.

Title: Optimizing Public Transportation Routes

Summary: Students can use GIS to optimize public transportation routes. This project could involve mapping existing routes and analyzing factors such as traffic, population density, and points of interest. The goal would be to suggest improvements that increase efficiency, reduce travel times, and improve service for riders.

Title: Analysis and Visualization of COVID-19 Spread

Summary: This project involves mapping the spread of COVID-19 in a particular region or worldwide. Students would collect data on confirmed cases, deaths, recoveries, and vaccination rates, then use GIS to create visualizations that reveal patterns and trends. This project could contribute to our understanding of the disease and aid in future pandemic response planning.

Title: Crime Analysis and Prediction for Urban Safety

Summary: Students can use GIS to map and analyze crime patterns in a city. This could involve visualizing data on different types of crime, their frequency, and their location. Using these data, students can develop predictive models to identify potential crime hotspots. The project could help law enforcement agencies allocate their resources more effectively.

Title: Land Use/Land Cover Change Detection

This project involves the use of GIS and remote sensing techniques to monitor and analyze changes in land use/land cover over a specific period. Students will need to process and analyze satellite imagery data at different time points to track and understand changes, such as urban expansion, deforestation, changes in agricultural areas, etc. The study could provide valuable insights for sustainable planning and natural resource management.

Title: Wildlife Habitat Mapping and Conservation Planning

In this project, students can utilize GIS to map wildlife habitats and identify potential areas for conservation. The project could involve tracking animal migration patterns, identifying key habitats, and assessing the impacts of human activities on these habitats. The findings can contribute to the development of more effective wildlife conservation strategies and policies.

Title: Spatial Analysis of Soil Erosion and Conservation

Students can use GIS to analyze soil erosion patterns and devise conservation strategies. This project may require them to collect data on soil types, vegetation, topography, and rainfall, then use GIS to map areas at risk of soil erosion. The output can provide valuable insights for farmers, environmentalists, and policy makers on how to prevent soil degradation and promote sustainable agriculture.

Title: Analysis of Access to Healthcare Facilities

This project involves using GIS to map and analyze access to healthcare facilities in a particular region or city. Students will need to collect data on the locations of healthcare facilities, their services, and population demographics. Using GIS, they can visualize healthcare accessibility, identify underserved areas, and provide recommendations for improving healthcare provision.

Title: Water Resource Management

In this project, students can utilize GIS for mapping and monitoring water resources like rivers, lakes, groundwater, etc. They can also analyze factors affecting water quality such as pollution sources, land use patterns, and climate factors. The project could help in planning for sustainable water management, pollution control, and mitigation strategies.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you need a few more project ideas.