various earth features and phenomena by examining imagery acquired from terrestrial, air 
craft and satellite sensors and using both visual and computer-assisted interpretation tech 
niques. This rather bread yet detailed definition of remote sensing includes the disciplines of 
aerial and close-range photogrammetry, digital image processing and pattern recognition, ae 
rial and satellite image analysis, and photographic acquisition and interpretation. 
É 
Geographic information systems (GIS) are computer-oriented information systems for the 
collection, management, storage-and-retrieval, update, analysis, and display of spatially- 
distributed data and information to be used in a decision-making context. An important aspect 
of GIS is not only the computer hardware and software, but also the peopleware required to 
operate the systems. 
- * 
Established in 1934, the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 
(ASPRS) is the principal organization in the United States for providing direction, leadership and 
service to professionals at various levels of practice — iocal, regional, state, national,'and, in 
deed, international. ASPRS is an organization that strives to achieve the lofty goal of advancing 
human knowledge about our earth, in order to contribute to a betterment of the world in which 
we live, by fostering an environment of scientific inquiry, multidisciplinary cooperation, tech 
nology transfer, and education through its varied programs in the area of earth resources ob 
servations. The many services and programs of the ASPRS are oriented toward 
photogrammetrists, remote sensing specialists and applicationists, and geographic information 
systems (GIS) users in governmental, industrial, and educational sectors. 
Given the breadth of involvement of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote 
Sensing in earth resources-reiated disciplines, the Society is logically structured into five major 
Divisions: 
• Remote Sensing Applications 
• Photogrammetric Applications 
• Geographic Information Systems 
• Primary Data Acquisition 
• Professional Practice 
Each of these Divisions has its respective, specific approaches to education. Several of 
them have technical committees addressing solely that topic. 
i 
At the Society-level there is a national committee on education and a joint committee 
with the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM). The ASPRS Education 
Committee consists of a Chairperson and at least one representative from each of the five 
Divisions. This committee is responsible for a variety of educationally-related programs and 
activities. 
Education is a major emphasis of ASPRS. The Society, like many other professional or 
ganizations, approaches education from a number of directions and employs a variety of 
formats, such as its monthly journal, manuals, specialty publications, papers from technical 
meetings and symposia, and other printed material. The Society also sponsors semi-annual 
conventions and a number of regional meetings. Workshops and other formats of instruc 
tional media (i.evideotape) are becoming vogue as well. Recognizing the importance and 
needs of its student membership, ASPRS has a very active student affairs committee. 
This paper describes the philosophy and role of the ASPRS in remote sensing and GIS 
education by way of examples of past, current, and planned activities. 
• THE ROLE OF ASPRS IN REMOTE SENSING AND GIS EDUCATION 
Perhaps the best way to describe the involvement of ASPRS in earth resources-reiated 
education is by summarizing some of the individual Division activities, as well as those 
being conducted by ASPRS national committees.