Information Technology and Economics for Sustainable Development
Rensselaer Strategic Investment Grant, 1999-2000
Project Summary
This grant supported an investment in an IT-Economics computer laboratory,
infrastructure for large enrollment laptop economics courses, development
of laboratory and teaching materials for incorporating geographical information
systems (GIS) analysis, and an IT-intensive course in regional economics.
This initial investment helped merge four areas of strategic promise in the
Economics Department: the IT-Economics undergraduate degree, the economics
of technology and structural change, regional economic development, and GIS
economic and demographic analysis. For example, in the Regional Economics
course, students used two major informational tools extensively. The first
is an extensive Geographical Information System (GIS) database supplied by
MapInfo, Inc. an industry leader in GIS software development. We have been
working closely with MapInfo in developing departmental resources, as well
as negotiating the university-wide donation of software and technical support.
The second information system used in the course is IMPLAN (Impact Analysis
for Planning), a software and database for constructing input-output tables
at the regional level. Four groups of students in our class used these two
systems to analyze regional economies at the county level (Albany, Saratoga,
Rensselaer, and Warren), and evaluate various economic impact scenarios.
Each of these studies was done in the context of achieving healthy and sustainable
local economies. As a final project for this class, each group member chose
a development issue in their study region, conducted their own analysis, and
wrote a short article.