The Geospatial Science Summer Camp for High School Students introduces students to geospatial science through hands-on experience with GIS, mapping, drones, GPS, and emerging technologies.
Geospatial science is a rapidly growing field used in areas such as environmental science, urban planning, national security, and data science. This immersive camp provides practical learning, introduces geospatial career pathways, and exposes students to cutting-edge technologies used by industry and government.
Sponsoring University: University of Missouri-St. Louis
Department: UMSL Geospatial Collaborative
Eligibility: High School Grades (9 – 12) from Greater St. Louis Area
Program Modality: In-person
Program Dates: Monday – Thursday, June 29 – July 2, 2026
Program Times: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Application Deadline: May 15, 2025
Cost: Free
The Geospatial Science Summer Camp for High School Students aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Introduce students to geospatial science and GIS technologies
- Provide hands-on experience with mapping, drones, GPS, and spatial data collection
- Demonstrate real-world applications of geospatial technology
- Increase awareness of geospatial college and career pathways
- Engage students with emerging technologies including StoryMaps and Virtual Reality
- Strengthen the pipeline from high school to higher education and the geospatial workforce
Student selection criteria for the UMSL Geospatial Science Summer Camp:
- The student must have never attended the UMSL geospatial summer camp.
- Application Materials: the online application, transcripts, and recommendation letter must be submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Academic Performance: Students with the highest current and/or cumulative GPA will be selected.
- Recommendation Letters: Letters of reference from a student's teachers or counselors evaluating the student's behavior, performance, and ability to thrive in a camp setting.
- Geographic Representation: To encourage more perspectives on geospatial science, the camps should include students from a variety of geographic locations and school districts within Greater St. Louis.
- Availability and Commitment: Students must commit to the entire course of the program, thus applicants must be available during the camp dates.
Day 1 – Introduction to Geospatial Science
- Welcome and camp orientation
- What is geospatial science?
- Real-world applications of GIS and mapping
- Introduction to GIS and digital mapping tools
- Hands-on mapping activity
Outcome: Students will gain foundational knowledge of geospatial science and create their first digital map.
Day 2 – Outdoor Geospatial Field Activities
- Drone demonstration and flight overview
- GPS data collection
- Survey123 field data collection activity
- Outdoor geospatial mapping exercises
- Team-based field project
Outcome: Students will collect and visualize real-world spatial data using professional geospatial tools.
Day 3 – Story Mapping & NGA Career Pathways Event
1:00 – 3:00 PM | Story Map Development
- Introduction to ArcGIS StoryMaps
- Creating interactive story maps
- Visual storytelling using maps and collected data
3:00 – 5:30 PM | NGA Geospatial Career Pathways Event
Students and families will participate in a special engagement session introducing geospatial careers and education pathways.
The event will include:
- Overview of geospatial careers and workforce demand
- Academic pathways: High School → College → Workforce
- Introduction to UMSL geospatial programs and opportunities
- Student and family engagement with faculty and program leaders
- Networking and discussion session
This event supports the NGA Geospatial Workforce Development initiative by increasing awareness of geospatial careers and strengthening the future workforce pipeline.
Day 4 – Virtual Reality & Emerging Technologies
- Application of VR/AR technologies
- Try it out! Use VR equipment in the lab
- Take it outside! Watch Spot collect data and learn about drone data collection and processing
- Wrap up and group photo
Outcome: Students will experience advanced geospatial visualization technologies and understand their real-world applications.
By the end of the Geospatial Science Summer Camp, participants will:
- Develop a basic understanding of geospatial science and its applications
- Gain hands-on experience with GIS, drones, GPS, and mapping tools
- Create a digital map and Story Map project
- Increase awareness of geospatial careers and academic pathways
- Engage with UMSL faculty, students, and geospatial professionals
- Explore future opportunities in geospatial education and workforce fields
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- Applicant Must be enrolled in 9-12 grade.
- A student has never attended the UMSL geospatial summer camp.
- Minimum GPA (current or cumulative) of 3.0.
- Complete and submit the online application.
- Upload the high school transcript by deadline.
- Agree to student participant and parent/guardian commitment.
- All participants must agree to meet attendance, performance and behavior requirements for successful completion of the camp.
- All participants are expected to complete assigned tasks and fully participate in class activities to meet program requirements.
Have a Question? Please Contact:
Professor: Gizelle Cota
UMSL Geospatial Collaborative
University of Missouri-St. Louis
402 Benton Hall, 43 Benton Ct, St. Louis, MO 63121
Email: cotag@umsl.edu
UMSL Geospatial Collaborative Website