Science is increasingly driven by data, and spatial data underpin the science directions laid out in the 2007 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science Strategy. A robust framework of spatial data, metadata, tools, and a user community that is interactively connected to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way—known as a spatial data infrastructure (SDI)—must be available for scientists and managers to find, use, and share spatial data both within and beyond the USGS.


Over the last decade, the USGS has conducted breakthrough research that has overcome some of the challenges associated with implementing a large SDI. Advancing Strategic Science: A Spatial Data Infrastructure Roadmap for the U.S. Geological Survey is intended to ground those efforts by providing a practical roadmap to full implementation of an SDI to enable the USGS to conduct strategic science.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Summary
1 Introduction
2 Background
3 Key Challenges and Lessons Learned
4 A Vision for Optimizing the USGS Spatial Data Infrastructure
5 A Roadmap for Spatial Data Infrastructure Implementation
Appendixes
Appendix A: Committee and Staff Biographies
Appendix B: Presentations to the Committee
Appendix C: On-Line Questionnaire
Appendix D: Questionnaire Responses