The Department of Geosciences has various computing resources available to students, faculty, and staff. This includes a geosciences student lab, a Linux lab, a computer classroom, and a GIS computer lab. In addition, there is a wide selection of peripherals, printers, and software available. The department manages servers that provide file storage, file sharing, printing, database services, and web services.
Several research centers and facilities, and faculty also provide other options for computing resources that include Unix and Linux type operating systems, and clustered systems.
Geosciences Student Computer Lab
The student computer lab is available to all geosciences students. The computer lab is setup as a homework-friendly environment and has 10 computers with LCD monitors. In addition, it has a whiteboard, refrigerator, microwave, couch, and extra table. The lab is open 5:30am through 12:30am, it is closed for automated computer maintenance daily between 12:30am through 5:30am.
Linux Computer Lab
The Linux computer lab is configured as a COW (Cluster of Work Stations). Geoscience students work on Unix based laboratory and homework exercises in the lab. The available software includes GNU C, C++, and Fortran compilers, Parallel Shell (PDSH), Scilab (an open source, freely available interactive software package with Matlab like syntax, includes all the tool kits), Maple (for symbolic processing), FELT (Finite Element Software), Seismic Unix, Basic Seismic Utilities, and all of the usual software available in a typical RedHat distribution. Students and faculty can also access the University
Beowulf Cluster from this lab.
Computer Classroom
This is a standard classroom that has 21 computers with 17″ LCD panels for instructional use in a classroom environment and includes an overhead digital LCD projector. Typically this room is used for teaching GIS courses using ESRI ArcGIS Desktop and Arc View, and Erdas Imagine and for teaching hydrologic sciences course using GMS (Groundwater Modeling System) and WMS (Watershed Modeling System). It is also used for some statistics classes.
GIS Computer Lab
The GIS computer lab contains 11 computers, an overhead LCD projector, and a whiteboard. It is primarily used for conducting GIS short courses offered by Boise State University or short courses offered by ESRI. The lab also serves as a homework overflow lab when the computer classroom is not available. More information can be found at the Boise State Univeristy Geospatial Reasearch Facility’s website.
Available Software
GIS Programs
- AutoDesk AutoCAD Map
- Erdas Imagine
- ESRI ArcGIS Desktop
- ESRI ArcGIS Workstation
Hydrologic Sciences Programs
- Aqtesolv
- GMS (Groundwater Modeling System)
- Rivix Rivertools
- RSI ENVI and IDL
- Visual Modflow
- WMS (Watershed Modeling System)
Other Software
- Microsoft Office
Graphics Programs
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe InDesign
- Deneba Canvas
