GIS Software for GSD Students
ArcGIS Desktop Licenses are managed by CGIS. This includes ArcGIS Desktop 10.8.x, ArcGIS Pro 2.x.
Harvard's site license for ArcGIS permits any Harvard student or staff member to install ArcGIS on their own computer. The software will run provided you are connected to the Internet inside Harvard or through the Harvard VPN. GSD students will find the necessary installers for ArcGIS from the GSD Software Server.
ArcGIS Business Analyst extension:Harvard has a license for a product named ESRI Business Analyst that provides information on the locations of all of the businesses in the country from 2006 through 2011. These data are available to GSD users through the shared network drive Goliath/geo/esri_business_analyst. Documentation of these datasets can be viewed in ArcMap through Right-Click > Data > View Item Description.
Google Earth Pro is freely available for download. Google Earth Pro allows users to download aerial photographs at a higher resolution than Google Earth. Google Earth Pro also lets users view a few "premium" data sets, like census data, and record video of flight paths and tours.
SketchUp Pro is available for download by GSD students, staff, and faculty. SketchUp Pro has many useful capabilities for importing and exporting a variety of data formats from other tools. It also allows users to create video files. Harvard affiliates can find tutorials on SketchUp Pro through LinkedIn Learning, formerly known as Lynda.com.
Online Mapping Tools
- CartoDBSign up for free as a student for this easy-to-use mapping tool!
- PolicyMapPolicyMap is an online mapping application. Create simple maps showing various data, including: census data, real estate data, health data, mortgage trends, unemployment data, crime statistics, neighbourhood data and education data. The data ranges from 2000-2011, and is US-wide.
- SimplyAnalytics (formerly SimplyMap)Use SimplyMap via Harvard to map census and other demographic data. All of the data can be downloaded and brought into a GIS software. Harvard also subscribes to premium content including Experian Simmons Local for market research data and D&B for business demographics.
https://segmentationsolutions.nielsen.com/mybestsegments - Social ExplorerAccess both historical and current demographic data. Includes census data and data from the American Community Survey.
** Make sure to check the boxes "Output ALL geographic identifiers" and "Output DBF friendly column names" on Social Explorer's download page. Click on the red csv-link to download the file, and on the red Data Dictionary link to download the data dictionary
