The scientific community is often considered one of the most fascinating and rewarding fields to work in. Different branches of science are working hard to propel humanity forward. The beauty of science is that it is common for different branches to converge together and create entirely new areas of focus. Geostatistics, the intersection of statistics and geography, is a perfect example.
Geostatistics is a relatively new scientific field. It was used first developed and used in the mining industry to estimate the natural resources in a given area. However, scientists are discovering a wide array of uses for geostatistics.
What Is Geostatistics?
GIS Geography defines geostatistics as “the study of statistics with a focus on spatial and temporal information.” Geostatistics gathers and analyzes information about spatial patterns, makes predictions regarding spatial phenomena and measures the uncertainty for predicted values.
Although this branch of science started in the mining industry, it has applications in environmental science, meteorology, soil science and even public health. Here are three examples of how geostatistics can function across these industries:
- Predicting weather patterns across a certain geographic region
- Assessing the attributes of soil in a given region, especially regions with differing elevation, rainfall and mineral distribution
- Measuring the contaminant levels of a given space and determining their relation to cancer and other diseases
Why Is Geostatistics Important?
When you consider the number of global crises that the world is facing, geostatistics is a critically important branch of science. For example, the world is at the tail end of a multi-year pandemic that impacted many aspects of life in extremely challenging ways, which has led to a renewed focus on identifying and preventing infectious diseases. Geographic information systems (GIS) and the science of geostatistics help scientists monitor and predict how bacteria, viruses and other contagions spread. CDC epidemiologists, for instance, rely on GIS tools and methods throughout field investigations.
Additionally, we are in the midst of a massive climate crisis. There are dozens of ways that geostatistics could be valuable in helping combat this issue. For example, it could help scientists monitor weather patterns in different regions, assess trends and make deductions and predictions based on analysis of this data.
Pursuing Geostatistics
As you might imagine, there can be quite a learning curve when entering an emerging field of study like geostatistics. Moreover, since it is a newer field, the tenets of and ideas behind this branch of science have not yet fully permeated academia or society in general. In other words, geostatistics is not something that most people are familiar with.
One way to overcome this learning curve is to study geostatistics in a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program focusing on GIS. Demonstrating that you have developed the knowledge and skills needed to excel in geostatistics-related fields through earning this type of degree can also make you a more attractive candidate to prospective employers.
One such MBA program, offered online by Northwest Missouri State University, includes a wide array of relevant courses. Coursework covers topics like vector and raster data models, GIS operations, cartography and spatial analytics. Studies also focus on analyzing and learning from real-world case studies. The program prepares graduates to capture, manipulate, analyze and present geographic or spatial data.
Northwest’s MBA in GIS also offers a course titled Fundamentals of Geostatistics. In this course, you will become familiar with the analysis and statistical tools used by geographers. You will also learn how to present the data you collect in research and business environments. This specialized MBA program can be completed fully online in as few as 12-18 months.
Learn more about Northwest Missouri State University’s online MBA in Geographic Information Systems program.
