GEOSTAT (The full name of GEOSTAT is “Spatio-temporal data analysis with R+SAGA+Google Earth”) is a 5-day training course and a workshop, initiated by the author of this report, which is run 1-2 times a year at different locations in Europe, and in collaboration with a group of colleagues (Gerard B.M. Heuvelink, Edzer Pebesma, Victor Olaya Ferrero, Roger Bivand, Olaf Conrad, Alexander Brenning). GEOSTAT aims at PhD students and young professionals interested in using open source packages for combined statistical computing and geographical analysis. The core topic of the course is applied spatio-temporal data analysis; specific sub-fields vary from day to day. The lecturers often put focus on methods that help scientists bridge the gaps between statistical and GIS analysis. Or as nicely put by one of our colleagues: “GEOSTAT is where geostatistical computing meets geographic analysis”.
