GigaPanning Geology

Just another one of our amazing workshops to be presented this November as part of the Fine International Conference on Gigapixel Imaging for Science. Ron Schott of Fort Hays State University will present. Ron is one of the original pilot scientists in the Fine Outreach for Science Fellows program and has worked hard to push the limits of GigaPanning since the fall of 2007, particularly as applied to geology. He was among the pioneers in anaglyph GigaPanning, GigaPan guided audio tours, petrographic gigaphotomicrographs, and currently has more public gigapixels on the GigaPan.org site than anyone else (>620 gigapixels in >550 GigaPans).

His workshop will focus on the application of GigaPanning to geologic research and education. Participants will explore some of the existing applications of GigaPanning in geology (e.g. field site documentation, GigaPan-based visual correlation of outcrops/specimens, macro-GigaPans, petrographic microGigaPans, etc.) and discuss future directions in geologic GigaPanning. Examples of classroom pedagogy and research use of GigaPans will be offered to spark the discussion.

See you in November, Ron!

A few Fine Fellows

This year, we welcome 26 new Fine Fellows to Pittsburgh. This will be the fourth class of fellows, who will receive a GigaPan, training on how to use the equipment and our special Gigapan Stitching software. This incredible program is supported by the Fine Foundation and brings scientists and researchers from all over the world together, requesting only that they use the GigaPan in their research and post their images at www.gigapan.org

This year we welcome, among others:

Dr. Laurel Bestock Assistant Professor of Egyptology and Ancient Western Studies, Brown University. Dr Bestock led the inaugural excavation season of the Brown University Abydos Project (BUAP). Abydos, located in southern Egypt, is central to scholars’ attempts to unravel the early history of Egypt.

Dr. Faysal Bibi Postdoctoral Fellow, Institut International de Paléoprimatologie, Université de Poitiers. Faysal Bibi recently completed a PhD in Geology and Geophysics at Yale University and is at the start of a two-year postdoc at the Université de Poitiers, France. His research interests focus on the evolution of mammals in the Neogene, particularly bovids. He has worked in Mongolia, Turkey, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the United Arab Emirates.

Dr. Raymond S. Bradley University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Director of the Climate System Research Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dr Bradley's interests lie in climate variability across a wide range of time scales. He is particularly interested in how present day climate differs from climates in the past, and what may have caused climates to change and has written or edited eleven books on climatic change and paleoclimatology and authored over 120 articles on these topics.

Gigapixel advanced registration - September 13 deadline

With Labor Day just behind us, we are squarely set into fall. Which means that the FIRST Fine International Gigapixel Conference is coming soon! November 11th, to be precise. So while many of you are leaving behind fond summer memories and kicking off new semesters, don't forget to take advantage of the early registration rate of $200, with the rate rising to $250 after Monday, September 13th. You can find all of the registration details here

The conference is packed with really exciting workshops, speakers, panels and an opportunity to learn from and meet with a lot of really great people. On opening night, we have a keynote from Mark Bauman of the National Geographic Society followed by a reception at the Carnegie Museum featuring selected gigapixel images.

We hope you will join us!

Fine Fellows and Int'l GigaPixel Conference

We are getting really excited to host the new class of Fine Fellows this November in Pittsburgh. The 2010 Fine Fellows will kick off with a workshop to learn how to use a GigaPan and the stitching software. The fun does not end there. Kicking off at Carnegie Mellon University on November 11th is the FIRST Fine International Conference on Gigapixel Imaging for Science. Brought to you by CREATE Lab, Carnegie Mellon University with The Fine Foundation, the conference aims to explore innovative uses of GigaPan in the classroom, the field and the laboratory by leading scientists. Tell your colleagues and get on board, because this conference is going to be packed with arts, smarts and camera parts. The main purpose of the event is to bring together students, researchers, scientists, teachers and practitioners to present and discuss their latest techniques, ideas, applications and research findings related to various aspects of gigapixel imaging for science. Google's Alan Eustace, Senior Vice President, Engineering & Research leads Friday morning's keynote with a welcome by CMU's President Dr. Jared Cohen. Keep checking the website for additional details on the conference.