ALAN DAVID JONES

Teaching

I have a strong commitment to the use of modern technology and visual aids in teaching where these are relevant. As early as 1970-73 I used closed circuit TV in Aberystwyth in an effort to overcome problems of a badly designed laboratory and the requirement to repeat lectures. I experimented with the live recording of lectures and studio recording.
Since their introduction around 1979 I have received six academic initiative grants from the Distance Education Centre at the University of New England.

These have been:
 

1979	$400	Preparation of 6 tape/slide sets.
1983	$1500	Preparation of digital image processing software for Apple II.
1984	$1,665	Continuation of above project.
1987	$673	Modification of image processing software to run under MS-DOS.
1991	$2,000	Preparation of videos on digital image processing and remote sensing.
1996	$10,568	Development of computer aided learning package.

In all my courses I have believed in giving students practical experience, wherever possible. In courses on remote sensing and GIS this is difficult for external students and a mixture of aids such as those listed above and a very full 4 day residential school overcame many of the problems.
The image processing software developed above has been used at a number of institutions including:
The Centre for Remote Sensing, University of New South Wales, Department of Geography, University of Sydney, Department of Geography, University of Manchester, Department of Geography, University of Glasgow, Department of Geography, University of Aberdeen, Department of Geology, Victoria College.

My computer aided learning package, Geoskills, published by New Horizons in 2000 won awards from the Mapping Sciences Institute Australia.  It was placed second in the Individual Category of the Mapping Sciences Institute Australia and Hatch Associates 2000 Technology, Research and Development Award and was Highly Commended in the Excellence in Mapping Sciences Award by the Mapping Sciences Institute Australia.

New Courses

In 1991 I had a major role in the introduction of a new course in Geographic Information Systems(GIS). This involved assessing both the hardware and software required for a GIS Lab and a significant part of my last study leave was spent in assessing GIS facilities overseas. The GIS Lab has 20 micros linked to a server and we are running software such as PC Arc/Info, ERDAS and Supermap(using CD-ROM). The total cost of the hardware and software exceeds $300,000. I taught about half the course, which I also coordinated.   This course was merged with another course in 1995 to combine GIS with remote sensing.  I have also run a number of short courses in GIS and remote sensing.

Professional Activities

1970-73 Editor of The Cartographic Journal.

1977 Co-convenor of the annual Australian Map Curators' Circle conference held at the University of New England (UNE).

1985 - 88 Dean of the Faculty of Resource management, UNE.

1986 Establishment of a Landsat Reference Centre at UNE in association with the Australian Centre for Remote Sensing.

1986 Image processing training over a two month period at UNE for the head of the Gansu Grasslands Ecological Research Institute's remote sensing section and evaluation of image processing systems for installation at the Institute in Lanzhou, China. My report on the comparison between the ERDAS and MicroBrian systems was widely used by remote sensing experts in Australia. 1988 Convenor of Section L of the 26th International Geographical Congress held at Sydney. This also involved liaison with the Australian Institute of Cartographers whose 7th Cartographic Conference was being held concurrently and at the same location. 1988 Consultant for further training and advising on remote sensing techniques for the Gansu Grasslands Agricultural Research and Development Project. This involved a 5 week visit to Beijing and Lanzhou and Qinyang in Gansu Province.

1988 - 90 Member of NSW Remote Sensing Committee.

1989 Visiting lecturer at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. During my study leave I gave lectures and supervised a student group project in the Interdisciplinary Natural Resources Development and Management's 19th 13 week training course in Applied Remote Sensing.

1990 Consultant for Hassall & Associates - 4 week visit to the Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping and the Gansu Grasslands Ecological Research Institute at Lanzhou in connection with a major research project to monitor grassland productivity in the grasslands of northern China using NOAA satellite data.

1990 -93 Member of the Editorial Board of Cartography, journal of the Mapping Sciences Institute, Australia.

1996 Co-convenor of the annual Australian Map Curators' Circle conference held at the University of New England (UNE).

I have also conducted workshops in digital image processing and geographic information systems for the Australian Institute of Geographers, the Geography Department at Sydney University, the Australian Key Centre for Land Information Systems at Queensland, ESRI Australia, the Development Studies Program at UNE and for University Partnerships at Armidale.

General areas of expertise/experience

1) Education (undergraduate/postgraduate), in both internal and external modes, training and research in remote sensing and geographic information systems, with special reference to land use. Experience in China, Thailand and UK as well as Australia.
2) Development and use of the World Wide Web (WWW) for teaching and research. I have conducted several workshops in the use of WWW.
3) Production of low cost digital image processing software for training and distance education, videos and computer aided learning.
4) Over 40 publications in Australia, Thailand, UK and USA.
5)Production of computer aided learning material.

Specific experience

1996/7/8 Two day workshops in GIS for Development Studies Program on National Parks and Wildlife Management.

June-Oct 1994 Four month training program for visiting Indian soil scientist in GIS and remote sensing at Armidale (AIDAB funded).

Sept-Oct 1990 Consultant for Hassall & Associates - 4 week visit to the Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping and the Gansu Grasslands Ecological Research Institute at Lanzhou in connection with a major research project to monitor grassland productivity in the grasslands of northern China using NOAA satellite data (AIDAB).

Aug-Dec 1989 Visiting lecturer at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. During my study leave I gave lectures and supervised a student group project in the Interdisciplinary Natural Resources Development and Management's 19th 13 week training course in Applied Remote Sensing (AIT funded).

Jul-Aug 1989 Consultant to Hassall & Associates for further training and advising on remote sensing techniques for the Gansu Grasslands Agricultural Research and Development Project. This involved a 5 week visit to Beijing and Lanzhou and Qinyang in Gansu Province (AIDAB).
Sep-Oct 

1986 Image processing training over a two month period at UNE for the head of the Gansu Grasslands Ecological Research Institute's remote sensing section and evaluation of image processing systems for installation at the Institute in Lanzhou, China (Hassall & Associates - AIDAB). My report on the comparison between the ERDAS and MicroBrian systems was widely used by remote sensing experts in Australia.

Geography and Planning,
School of Human & Environmental Studies,
University of New England,
Armidale, N.S.W. 2351, Australia.

Phone +61 (0)267 73 2430  Fax +61 (0)267 73 3030
Email:ajones@metz.une.edu.au
Web page compiled A.D.Jones 4 February, 1999, modified 3 June, 2003

© 1999 Alan Jones