The GIP Lab was established to both facilitate primary research and training in a laboratory environment, and to support spatial analyses and data management needs of coastal research and management organizations.  The GIP Lab is an integral part of USC's participation in the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS), a group of distinguished universities and organizations that specialize in research and education involving spatial data handling.

Staffed by professionals, graduate, and undergraduate students in GIS, remote sensing, environmental health, marine science, and database management, the GIP Lab is available to assist in the training, the database development and management, and the use of GIS and remote sensing as research and management tools.  The GIP Lab experiments with the latest technologies, while bridging the gap between environmental research and learning, and environmental/resource management (at the university, local, state, and national levels).