KARS, established in 1972, is one of the longest continuously operating applied remote sensing research programs in the United States. To date, KARS has completed more than 150 projects that have involved land use/land cover inventory, rangeland and forest characterization, wildlife habitat evaluation, mapping of irrigated lands, surface mined lands inventory, soil conservation needs assessment, wetlands inventory, and urban area analysis. The program has 16 research and professional staff members in addition to 10 graduate students, and includes specialists with backgrounds in geography, ecology, biology, computer science, mathematics, agriculture, environmental studies, and natural resources management – resources that reflect its inter-disciplinary approach. KARS staff have extensive experience in providing national and international workshops, short courses, and training sessions on remote sensing techniques and applications.

The Data Access and Support Center (DASC) was established at the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) in 1991 and serves as the central repository of the Kansas GeoDatabase and the Kansas Satellite Imagine Database (KSID). DASC staff members have a great deal of experience in the technical issues surrounding QA/QC, archival, distribution, and maintenance of geospatial data. DASC staff members have expertise with the following software packages: ArcGIS 8.x, ArcSDE 8.x, ArcView 3.x, Oracle 8i, ColdFusion, Apache web servers, Jakarta Tomcat. Additionally, DASC staff have web-based application development experience using the following tools: ArcIMS, ArcView IMS, MapObjects IMS, ColdFusion Application Server, JavaScript, HTML, Visual Basic, XML. DASC staff have extensive experience in providing regional and national workshops, short courses, and training sessions on GIS techniques.

The GIS Policy Board works to ensure a technological environment in which GIS is recognized as an integral and indispensable tool for government and businesses to serve the integrated information needs of citizens and customers. The Board formed a cooperative relationship with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), by becoming a Cooperating Partner of the FGDC in support of the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The Board also is a members of the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) and the MidAmerica Geographic Information Consortium (MAGIC). Each of these relationships promotes the development of GIS standards at local levels, maintains the Board’s Data Access and Support Center (DASC) as a NSDI Clearinghouse site, and forwards the implementation of the NSDI.

An office of the Kansas Department of Administration, KITO supports the statutory responsibilities of the Chief Information Technology Architect (CITA) and the Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO). KITO is responsible for developing policies, architecture, and methodologies in support of agency IT activities. The State GIS Director, who presides over the GIS Policy Board and oversees the Kansas GIS Initiative, is located at KITO. KITO works collaboratively with the Information Network of Kansas (INK) and the GIS Data Access and Support Center (DASC) to enable E-Government applications and services through the accessKansas web portal. The office will continue to refine the Project Management Methodology (PMM) training program content and provide project management assistance on IT projects throughout Kansas government.

Launched in late 2000 as part of the university strategy to support scholarly endeavors, KU-DLI supports scholars and educators in the cycle of discovery and innovation by making information resources readily available electronically through a common architecture and infrastructure. KU-DLI leverages the University’s institutional resources by focusing on projects that support the teaching and research of faculty, that support the learning and research of students, and that provide access to information resources for citizens of the state.