2017 Polis Center Annual Report 2017 Polis Center Annual Report | Page 5

C O R P O R AT E A N N U A L R E P O R T | 5
Our accomplishments during FY2017 are 3 a
true measure of our most valuable assets of all
– our outstanding staff.
Community Informatics
This area focuses on building customized data solutions that support placed-based
decision-making to help nonprofit and community-based organizations be more strategic
and effective. We transform and integrate administrative data from local, state, and
national sources; develop and analyze community-level indicators to understand social
issues and how they impact communities; build online data dashboards and decision
support tools to make the data accessible in meaningful formats; create actionable
information; build data literacy; and build capacity in organizations to use the data to
achieve greater impact.
Geoinformatics
In our geoinformatics initiatives, we combine geospatial analysis, modeling, and outreach
activities to address problems faced by planners, engineers, and government officials.
The majority of our FY2017 grants and contracts supported activities to prevent or
reduce significant losses from natural disasters.
Health Geoinformatics
Here, we focus on advancing the application of spatial information and methods
for translational health research toward improved community health planning and
intervention, public health decision support, and patient-centered decision support. It
supports the growing disciplines of public health and population health management.
Our associated research goals are to facilitate spatial data mining of synthesized clinical
and community data, develop spatial analytics, create tools for assessment and decision-
making, and build community engagement platforms.
Professional Education
The Polis education program has delivered workshops, presentations, and related
services in more than 100 cities in 40 states and multiple countries since its inception.
While this program services a wide range of audiences, one of the key focuses of
program activities during the period covered by this report has been the application of
geospatial technologies for reducing social and economic impacts from natural hazards.
Spatial Humanities
This area of emphasis serves an international community of humanities scholars
who are int erested in applying geospatial technologies to the disciplines within the
humanities to explore new questions about the relationship of space to human behavior
and social, economic, political, and cultural development.
Spirit & Place
Spirit & Place is a community initiative managed by The Polis Center at IUPUI with a
mission is to be a catalyst for civic engagement and enduring change through creative
collaborations among the arts, humanities, and religion. Through its annual November
festival, people-centered community engagement, and year-round activities, Spirit &
Place facilitates cross-sector collaborations, training sessions, and public events that
spark connections and build bridges between people, ideas, organizations, and places.
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