Geospatial HelpDesk
For questions about geospatial research or general inquiries related to the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions or the Earth Observation Lab—including lab access, equipment use, collaborations, and more—please reach out to geospatialhelp@yale.edu with the following details:
- Position (Undergraduate, Graduate, Faculty, Staff, Postdoc, Alumni)
- Affiliation (School/Department)
- Inquiry Details: Please provide as much background information as possible to help us assist you effectively.
Geospatial Consultation
Yale Library’s GIS experts are available to support your geospatial research and projects with cutting-edge insights and technical guidance.
Earth Observation Lab Resources & Access
The Earth Observation Lab (EOL) is a dedicated research and teaching facility focused on studying the Earth through satellite imagery. As a centralized resource for Yale University students, faculty, and staff, the lab supports the processing, visualization, and analysis of satellite data for academic and research purposes.
Request Equipment
We offer a wide range of equipment available for checkout to Yale-affiliated students, faculty, and staff. Items are organized into three tiers based on complexity and required experience.
Tier 1 items are the most accessible and can be checked out without prior training. Tier 2 and Tier 3 items require verified experience, with higher tiers potentially needing a brief orientation or proof of proficiency.
All equipment is free to use for educational or research purposes, as long as users manage operation, data collection, and processing independently, and the number of days is limited. Most requests are processed within 2-5 business days.
Request Planet Labs Data
The Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions holds a subscription to Planet Labs satellite imagery.
Hybrid Office Hour
- Date & Time: Every Wednesday | 11 AM - 12 PM
- Location: Hybrid – join in person at the Earth Observation Lab (21 Sachem St Room 119) or via Zoom
Our Remote Sensing Supervisor, Austin Madson, holds hybrid office hours every Wednesday from 11 AM to 12 PM. Feel free to bring any questions related to remote sensing or UAVs, whether for coursework, research, or both. No appointment is needed—just drop in!
YCGS Google Earth Engine Access
The YCGS holds project space in the Google Cloud Platform for Google Earth Engine. If you are running into compute and data volume limits on your personal Google Earth Engine account, then you may apply to request access to the YCGS Project space for Google Earth Engine. We will respond within 2–5 business days with next steps. You may only use this space for Research and Educational purposes only. Please be mindful of compute, as if we begin incurring costs, then we may require a COA to cover costs.
For smaller studies, consider setting up your own project on the Google Cloud Platform with a personal email address. You can still use GEE for free, but you need to register the project for noncommercial use.