Date of Award
Summer 2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS) in Geographic Information Science & Technology
Department
Chemistry & Geosciences
Committee Chair
Dr. Sean Chenoweth
Abstract
This thesis advocates the establishment of an official US government diplomatic policy, and recommends specific means for its implementation. By combining a written narrative with a unique and highly detailed Geographic Information System (GIS,) this thesis argues that securing the Philippines archipelago from further Chinese annexations is a US strategic imperative. To that end, US military forces and capabilities- particularly those of the US Marine Corps (USMC)- would be integrated into the revamped defense of the Philippines.
Utilizing a variety of datasets, the thesis GIS depicts such features as geopolitical boundaries, conflict zones, maritime trade routes, bathymetry, navigational hazards, undersea fiber optic cables, satellite overflight paths, island roadways, environmentally protected areas, active volcanoes, and many more, including evaluations of every airfield and significant port throughout the entire Philippines archipelago. Applying thesis GIS results to the USMC “Force Design 2030" organizational plan reveals the sites best suited to serve as bases for the deployment of US troops and equipment.
Coupling a narrative that establishes political and strategic perspectives to a GIS that lays out a logistical framework for military preparedness, this thesis presents a compelling call for an assertive diplomatic decree that would discourage further Chinese aggression, bolster the security of the Republic of the Philippines, and guarantee the free flow of commerce through its territorial waters in the Sulu Sea.