Directions Magazine has a short write up on GeoJSON (Geographically-enabled JavaScript Object Notation), which, like it’s cousins XML and KML, is a data-interchange format that can be manipulated by any language. It turns out, though, that GeoJSON is extremely JavaScript friendly (it’s right there in it’s name!) and would work well with any JavaScript web client like the Yahoo! or Google Maps APIs. If you’re interested in learning more about the guts of GeoJSON, this article is a good place to start.

Another excellent tool (referenced in the Directions Mag article) comes from the OpenLayers dev team. This tool allows you to either upload GeoJSON, KML, GeoRSS, GML, or WKT and see how it is rendered in OpenLayers, or draw points, lines or polygons and see those features enoded in any of those formats. You can find this tool here.

This week I was trying to create the shape file for this project using QGIS (which I never use before).  It was fun activity because not only I did I learn about the open source software but I experience converting and using different file formats such CVS and txt.  The only problem I came across had to do with a list of hotlines, crisis lines, and list of scholarships that don’t have an specific location to map.  We are still trying to figure what to do with those categories.

Alexis Monetti

We’ve been busy here at NiJeL, and with the 4th of July and all the festivities and traveling, we have yet to give a proper introduction to our two new interns for the Summer of 2008! They are Alexis Monetti and Zhu Zhu Xiao, and we’re very excited to have them both helping us with several of our mapping projects. Thank you Alexis and Zhu Zhu! Also a special thanks to Dr. Sarah Elwood, the faculty sponsor of NiJeL’s intern program at the University of Washington.

Alexis Monetti is a Geography major at the University of Washington. She currently works at the University of Washington’s Office of Minority and Diversity Affairs Counseling Center where she assists students in findings appropriate academic advising, creates educational workshops, and provides general advising to students. Ms. Monetti was awarded a University of Washington Merit Award in February 2006.

Zhu Zhu Xiao is a Biology major at the University of Washington. She currently is a full time GIS intern at the Environmental Protection Agency in Seattle, and also works at Magic Mouse Toys, the coolest toy store in Seattle. Ms. Xiao also has worked at the University of Washington’s Department of Psychology and Department of Pharmacology. Ms. Xiao appeared on the University of Washington’s Dean’s List in both 2004 and 2005.

Welcome to NiJeL, Alexis and Zhu Zhu!