Geospatial Virtual Data Enclave (GVDE)

Dr. Douglas Richardson, the P.I., has received a grant from the NSF to build out the Geospatial Virtual Data Enclave to conduct collaborative research on addressing key issues associated with using and sharing confidential geospatial data. The GVDE team have already achieved proof of concept and developed an experimental and testable Geospatial Virtual Data Enclave (GVDE), a virtual machine environment designed specifically for geospatial confidentiality research needs. It lets researchers share, use, and analyze remotely hosted geospatial data on their desktop computers but doesn’t allow them to download it. The GVDE includes advanced GIS, spatial statistical, and other analytical and modeling tools, as well as masking and encryption methods to enable anonymized maps or data visualization to also be removed from the GVDE after review.

In collaboration with the OpenDP Project, the IGHRN team is utilizing differential privacy methods to achieve this protection of individuals' data in the GVDE.