GIS in Education

Columbia residents hungry for information about their city and their property could soon have improved access to city geographic information system, or GIS, data.

On Friday, a four-person unit will begin working to centralize the city’s GIS capabilities. They will develop an interactive map of the city that will eventually be available for public use.

Assistant City Manager Tony St. Romaine, who headed a steering committee to establish a centralized GIS system, said the program should allow city staff and the public to see a topographical map of the city, click on a parcel of land and uncover information about the property such as zoning designations and the name of the nearest fire protection provider.

On March 7, the Columbia City Council approved the transfer of the four employees to the city’s Public Works Department to form the new GIS office. The staffing of the office is considered budget-neutral; the $134,096 to pay the salaries, travel expenses and benefits plans for the four employees was transferred from other departments.

John Fleck, the city’s GIS coordinator and a member of the new unit, said testing for the program would likely begin in May.

Use of GIS data is nothing new for city and county departments. Those looking to buy property in Boone County can already look at their potential purchase on the Boone County assessor’s website, which shows a satellite photograph complete with a graphic overlay indicating property measurements. The county also features an interactive map to display road closures. City departments have used GIS technology for several years, but access to the data has mostly been internal, and sharing it between departments has been complicated.

Federal and state departments have pushed for more integrated use of GIS data between government agencies for nearly a decade. In the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, federal agencies provided funds for GIS data in an effort to boost the performance of public safety and emergency management entities.

Fleck said those security concerns initially hampered the sharing of GIS data between departments. The locations of certain utility facilities was considered sensitive information. “We have kind of outgrown our initial security phobias,” Fleck said.

A 2008 report from the Missouri Geographic Imaging Systems Advisory Commission espoused the benefits of more integrated GIS systems. “The impact of improving geospatial coordination will be broad-reaching and include tangible benefits, such as saving money and saving lives, as well as intangible benefits, such as improving citizen engagement, protecting natural resources, and improving agency workflows and efficiencies,” the report said.
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Geographic Information Systems training at Selkirk College prepares individuals to be trained geospatial experts in the environmental planning, business, industry and resource sectors. Emphasis is given to real world projects that require the latest technology enabling students to gain expertise in Geographic Information Systems, (GIS) remote sensing, Internet mapping technology, database management applications, global positioning systems (GPS), 3D visualization and a variety of related software applications. We offer two credentials in GIS:

- Bachelor Degree
- Advanced Diploma

With the approval of the new Bachelor Degree in Geographic Information Systems (BGIS March 2007), Training in geospatial technologies at Selkirk College took a major step forward. Built on the foundation of the Advanced Diploma in Geographic Information Systems, the BGIS allows students to extend their academic maturity to a Baccalaureate Level. With unmatched flexibility, students can enter and exit at a variety of points and attain cutting edge skills that can be widely applied.

Click here to view the flexible pathways to achieving the Bachelor Degree In Geographic Infomation Systems. For general information contact the School Chair or for technical information specifc to GIS content, contact a GIS Instructor.

Pete Warden, a British-born programmer, launched a project called, Data Science Toolkit.

Some of the key features of Data Science Toolkit include:

- Geocoding (currently US only) - this uses the open source geocoder developed by geoIQ using TIGER data. There are no transaction limits or restrictive terms associated with it. Users can also run it offline.

- Reverse geocoding - takes a point and gives information about users where they are. This is not a unique feature, but has the same advantages as the geocoding functionality in terms of setup and lack of restrictions.

- GeoDict is a tool that emulates Yahoo's Placemaker and pulls location data out of unstructured English text - its API is identical to Placemaker.

Watch the video:

Join us in Boston, MA, March 30–April 1, 2011, for the 8th USENIX Symposium on Networked Systems Design and Implementation. NSDI 2011 will focus on the design principles, implementation, and practical evaluation of large-scale networked and distributed systems.

This year's program includes 27 technical papers carefully selected from 157 submissions. The high-quality papers represent a diverse range of hot research areas including data-intensive computing, energy and storage, debugging and correctness, and more.

In addition, NSDI '11 will feature a poster session where attendees can discuss emerging ideas in networked systems design with leading researchers who are introducing their ongoing work.

Take advantage of this opportunity to join researchers from across the networking and systems community in fostering a broad approach to addressing common research challenges.

There's still time. Register today!

DLR and Astrium GEO-Information Services support research following the Sendai earthquake.

The German radar satellite TerraSAR-X will acquire co-seismic data and a post-seismic time series of three months duration, covering the area around Sendai, Japan, in ascending (orbit 156, strip 9, incidence 35 degrees) and descending (orbit 42, strip 10, incidence 37 degrees) orbits in 3m resolution (StripMap Mode).

The data will be made available free of charge via the GEO Geohazards Supersites mechanism. First datasets are now accessible, and additional datasets will be uploaded regularly throughout the months of April, May and June.

Such radar data stacks will deliver valuable input for the activities of geophysical and particularly seismic researchers. The data can be used for performing long-term change detection, interferometric analysis, and for documenting even very small aftershocks of the recent quake.

Additional data of this area can be accessed via DLR's science service system for scientific purposes, and via Astrium GEO-Information Services TerraSAR-X Services for commercial purposes.

Contacts:
Cheryl Billson (Astrium Services GEO-Information division) Tel: +44 (0) 7791 720460

Jennifer Newlands (Astrium Services GEO-Information division) Tel: +33 (0) 5 62 19 40 09

Mareike Doepke (Astrium Services GEO-Information division) Tel: + 49 7545 8 3294

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) seeks public comment on the candidate OGC Open GeoSMS Standard - Core.

The candidate OGC Open GeoSMS Standard allows applications to location enable Short Message Service (SMS). SMS is the text communication service component of phone, web and mobile communication systems. SMS uses standardized communications protocols that allow the exchange of short text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices. Open GeoSMS enables developers to use extended Short Message Service (SMS) to facilitate communication of location content between different LBS (Location-Based Service) devices or applications. The encoding is extremely light weight and the standards document is quite short.

The Taiwan Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) contributed this candidate standard to the OGC. Open GeoSMS is already in use in a number of deployed commercial applications in Taiwan as well as in a number of disaster response applications such as those provided by Sahana.

The candidate OGC Open GeoSMS Standard can be found here. The period for issuing comments expires on 24 April 2011.

The OGC is an international consortium of more than 410 companies, government agencies, research organizations, and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available geospatial standards. OGC Standards support interoperable solutions that "geo-enable" the Web, wireless and location-based services, and mainstream IT. OGC Standards empower technology developers to make geospatial information and services accessible and useful with any application that needs to be geospatially enabled.

Software Technologies and SpatialTEQ released next version of Map Business Online service. With this new version users can do spatial searches, organize customers data into groups or marketing lists, import selected customer information into CRM or contacts manager products.

Sales and marketing professionals are using Map Business Online to create customers maps, collaborate on sales opportunities, perform customers prospecting and spotting.

Map Business Online reads data from variety of sources including Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage Act!, Intuit QuickBooks.

Map Business Online provides 1-month free trial to start with. The service is available here.

Far-sighted data policy and cloud computing are leading to the “democratization of satellite mapping,” one expert says — and the payoff will be wider access to information about the earth via platforms such as the new Google Earth Engine, a planetary-scale platform for environmental data and analysis.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

That is the view of South Dakota State University professor Matt Hansen, one of several scientists who worked with Google to launch Google Earth Engine. The new technology was showcased at the annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico, in December 2010.

Hansen, the co-director of the Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence at SDSU, said that up until now, analyzing remote sensing data from satellites has required a hefty investment in infrastructure and lots of training. But not anymore. New policies by the U.S. Geological Survey are making satellite images available for free. That change in policy, paired with the cloud-computing capability offered by organizations such as Google, is making it possible for ordinary people to analyze satellite imagery without having expensive equipment.

“Eventually — soon, I expect — they’ll have the entire Landsat archive online at Google. And they’ll have the cloud computing capability to process all the data,” Hansen said. “This is an incredible advantage in terms of generating the value-added products that we create for quantifying deforestation, natural hazards, cropland area, urbanization, you name it.”

Google Earth Engine was one of the innovative ideas unveiled at the Cancun climate talks. Hansen and postdoctoral researcher Peter Potapov of SDSU worked with Google to help process more than 50,000 images in order to produce a detailed map of Mexico to demonstrate the technology.

"We are very excited about our collaboration with Dr. Matt Hansen and SDSU,” said Rebecca Moore, engineering manager for Google Earth Outreach and Google Earth Engine. “We're hopeful that the combination of our technology and his deep scientific expertise will contribute to a better understanding of the earth and its dynamics."

Hansen noted that the technology is a response to a far-sighted decision by the U.S. Geological Survey to make satellite imagery data available for free. Just two years ago, a user would have had to spend $32 million simply to get access to the images Google and Hansen’s SDSU team processed.

[full report from newswise]

Key funding that supports scientific research and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is at risk of being cut as Congress struggles with fiscal year 2011 appropriations. A three-week continuing resolution (CR) has beenhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif passed by both the House and Senate, though it is scheduled to expire on 8 April. If a new bill does not pass before then, the federal government faces a shutdown. A long-term proposal, including more than $3.5 billion in cuts for scientific research and education, passed in the House on 19 February; it did not pass the Senate.

On 15 March, American Geophysical Union (AGU) sent a letter to members of the Senate encouraging them to consider the consequences for everything from agriculture and transportation to public health and national security, should investments in scientific research and development be cut.

Read the letter here.

A native of San Antonio, Texas, John Cain Carter currently ranches with his in-laws in Mato Grosso, Brazil. After witnessing the unfathomable speed at which the Amazon rainforest is being cleared, John formed the “Alliance of the Land” conservation group to help slow the destruction of the rainforest and create a sustainable balance between agriculture and the rainforest ecosystem.

Video 1:
John Carter, a 1993 graduate of TCU's Ranch Management program and founder of Alianca da Terra, is interviewed by TCU Magazine Kathryn Hopper about his efforts to save the Brazilian rain forest and encourage Brazilian ranchers and other food producers to practice sustainable agriculture.


Video 2: John Carter on David Letterman

Use of waveform lidar and hyperspectral sensors to assess selected spatial and structural patterns associated with recent and repeat disturbance and the abundance of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) in a temperate mixed hardwood and conifer forest

Author(s): Jeanne E. Anderson; Mary E. Martin; Lucie Lepine; Mark J. Ducey; Thomas D. Lee; Andrew Fast; Marie-Louise Smith; Ralph Dubayah; Michelle A. Hofton; Peter Hyde; Birgit Peterson; J. Bryan Blair.

Journal of Applied Remote Sensing 5(1), 053504
Date: 1 January 2011

Paper Abstract
Waveform lidar imagery was acquired on September 26, 1999 over the Bartlett Experimental Forest (BEF) in New Hampshire (USA) using NASA's Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS). This flight occurred 20 months after an ice storm damaged millions of hectares of forestland in northeastern North America. Lidar measurements of the amplitude and intensity of ground energy returns appeared to readily detect areas of moderate to severe ice storm damage associated with the worst damage. Southern through eastern aspects on side slopes were particularly susceptible to higher levels of damage, in large part overlapping tracts of forest that had suffered the highest levels of wind damage from the 1938 hurricane and containing the highest levels of sugar maple basal area and biomass. The levels of sugar maple abundance were determined through analysis of the 1997 Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) high resolution spectral imagery and inventory of USFS Northern Research Station field plots. We found a relationship between field measurements of stem volume losses and the LVIS metric of mean canopy height (r2 = 0.66; root mean square errors = 5.7 m3/ha, p < 0.0001) in areas that had been subjected to moderate-to-severe ice storm damage, accurately documenting the short-term outcome of a single disturbance event.

DOI: 10.1117/1.3554639
Current SPIE Digital Library subscribers click here to download this paper.

The launch of the Ukrainian Earth remote sensing satellite Sich-2 has been postponed again. Chief of the National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU) Yuriy Alekseev said the postponement was caused by the organizational problems arising from the Russian side.

According to available information, the satellite has been waiting for the start at the landfill for half a month now. Previously, the satellite's launch had been scheduled for October, then December 2010, the last time - for the first quarter of 2011. Yuzhnoye Design Office general designer Oleksandr Dehtyarev expressed confidence that the launch of the Dnepr carrier rocket from the Sich-2 satellite will be held in May or early June 2011.

Satellite Sich-2 is designed to address the practical and scientific challenges of regional and local level to monitor crisis situations, vegetation and soil cover of land, create digital terrain maps, as well as conduct resource management and planning on urban and coastal areas.

We invite GIS professionals to attend GI_Forum 2011. Be an active part and submit your extended abstracts for poster presentation!

Geoinformatics Forum Salzburg 2011 / GI_Forum Salzburg: GI Community in Focus:

The beautiful world cultural heritage city of Salzburg is the setting for the Geoinformatics Forum (GI_Forum) symposium to be held from July 5-8, 2011 at the University of Salzburg Austria, organised by the Centre of Geoinformatics in cooperation with the Institute for GIScience at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the German University of Technology. A scientifically challenging programme, attractive events and a vibrant interdisciplinary GIS community from academia, industry and government is awaiting you to analyse progress and to explore new research directions in GIScience.

Topics range from geospatial data acquisition and GI-techniques, advanced spatial analysis, visualisation and cartography to dynamic modelling and simulation. The workshop “ Spatial assessment and analysis of vulnerability” and the special symposium “ Learning with Geoinformation” complete our extensive offer. Our program will be online by the end of March.

Deadline for Early Registration (online): May 20, 2011

For further information please visit www.gi-forum.org/registration.

Bing Maps Webcast
Event Date: March 24, 2011
Event Time: 2:00pm – 3:00pm EST

Latest features in Bing Maps APIs: Silverlight, AJAX, REST

Attend this webcast and learn about the latest features in Bing Maps including AJAX and REST APIs.

Latest Bing Maps features include:

* AJAX 7 API
* REST API
* Synthview

We’ll discuss these new APIs and capabilities. We will look at code samples and how to get started. We will also look at the AJAX Map DataConnector allowing easy integration with SQL Spatial databases.

Click here to register!

VrLidar allows you to add value to LiDAR data using the Vr Mapping Software. VrLiDAR is software that integrates LiDAR data into the time tested Vr Mapping Software packages, VrOne and VrTwo. This package allows the display and editing of LiDAR point data in 2D and in true three-dimensional stereo. The four configurations available in VrLiDAR enable vector, symbol and text entities to be collected and edited using the extensive VrOne/VrTwo mapping tools.

Mapping professionals now not only need the ability to collect three dimensional vector data from traditional photogrammetric sources such as aerial and close range photography, but there is also a growing demand to collect the same vector data from LiDAR in the form of points over photographic stereo images and from point clouds without any photography. In today's market one method of data collection is no longer adequate and VrLiDAR offers several options using photography and (or) LiDAR point data, offering the user multiple choices

Features Include:

* A familiar, existing Vr Mapping interface
* Multiple, true three-dimensional working environments>
* Ability to store large amount of points along with vector data
* LiDAR point and polygon editing tools
* Ability to collect and edit vector mapping data on top of LiDAR data
* Compatible with aerial and ground based mobile and static LiDAR data
* Support for over 190 existing Vr Mapping commands and applications
* Automatic Cursor Draping available in the 3D ViewPoint environment
* Up to 16 LiDAR attributes per point including intensity and classification
* User defined point density, point size and decimation density
* High speed input and output to and from LAS and other data formats
* Offered as an addition to VrOne and VrTwo

From Reuters: Underground quartz deposits worldwide may be behind earthquakes, mountain building and other continental tectonics, a discovery that may aid in predicting tremblers, according to a study released on Wednesday.

The findings by Utah State University geophysicist Anthony Lowry and a colleague at the University of London, to be published Thursday in the journal Nature, may solve a riddle of the ages about the formation and location of earthquake faults, mountains, valleys and plains.

He and research partner Marta Perez-Gussinye examined temperature and gravity across the Western United States from a movable network of seismic instruments to describe the geological properties of the earth's crust.

The scientists discovered that quartz crystal deposits are found wherever mountains or fault lines occur in states like California, Idaho, Nevada and Utah.

The Utah State geoscientist said the breakthrough came after repeated testing revealed a correlation between quartz deposits and geologic events that was "completely eye-popping."

Using newly developed remote sensing technology known as Earthscope, Lowry and Perez-Gussinye found that quartz indicates a weakness in the earth's crust likely to spawn a geologic event such as an earthquake or a volcano.

Title: Model-based inference for biomass estimation in a LiDAR sample survey in Hedmark County, Norway

Abstract: In forest inventories, regression models are often applied to predict quantities such as biomass at the level of sampling units. In this paper, we propose a model-based inference framework for combining sampling and model errors in the variance estimation. It was applied to airborne laser (LiDAR) data sets from Hedmark County, Norway, where the model error proportion of the total variance was found to be large for both scanning (airborne laser scanning) and profiling LiDAR when biomass was estimated. With profiling LiDAR, the model error variance component for the entire county was as large as 71% whereas for airborne laser scanning, it was 43% of the total variance. Partly, this reflects the better accuracy of the pixel-based regression models estimated from scanner data as compared with the models estimated from profiler data. The framework proposed in our study can be applied in all types of sample surveys where model-based predictions are made at the level of individual sampling units. Especially, it should be useful in cases where model-assisted inference cannot be applied due to the lack of a probability sample from the target population or due to problems of correctly matching observations of auxiliary and target variables.

Author:Göran Ståhl, Sören Holm, Timothy G. Gregoire, et al.
Publication: Canadian Journal of Forest Research
Publisher: NRC Research Press
Date: Jan 1, 2011

Find the article here.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Caraga region will launch Regional Geographic Information System (GIS) Center.

According to NEDA-Caraga regional director Carmencita S. Cochingco, as the socioeconomic planning agency of the region and the secretariat of the Regional Development Council (RDC), their office will spearhead the institutionalization of a geographic information system (GIS) in the region as support mechanism for effective planning and resource allocation and management, policy making, decision making, investment programming and monitoring and evaluation of socio-economic and environmental initiatives, programs and projects.

This initiative will strengthen further the linkage between the NEDA, regional line agencies, academe, local government units and other stakeholders through data/information exchange, RD Cochingco added.

The establishment was made possible through the assistance of Korea Overseas Volunteers (KOVs) and equipment support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

KOICA will provide funds for the procurement of a plotter, a large format scanner, global positioning system and a GIS software.

The launching is scheduled on March 22 at the regional office of NEDA-Caraga.

Those who would want to download free satellite images from Sendai Japan to study the extent of damage from the massive earthquake and tsunami, you may get the images from NASA via Earth Observatory. There are links I provided below.

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired the top image of the Sendai region on March 12, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. There is another image, taken by Terra MODIS on February 26, 2011, that is provided as a point of reference (before the earthquake and tsunami occurred).

NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC.

Sample image:

March 12, 2011 satellite images:

download large image (9 MB, JPEG)
download GeoTIFF file (60 MB, TIFF)

February 26, 2011 satellite images:

download large image (15 MB, JPEG)
download GeoTIFF file (78 MB, TIFF)

Update: March 13, 2011 satellite images (cloud-free):

download large image (10 MB, JPEG)
download GeoTIFF file (55 MB, TIFF)

If you are interested, you may visit ESRI's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Map.

"There is a critical need to refocus the mission and priorities of the USGS, and to align its budget with this new direction," John Palatiello, Executive Director of MAPPS (www.mapps.org), told a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives March 9.

Palatiello's testimony before the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the House Committee on Natural Resources entitled "Examine the Spending Priorities and the Missions of the U.S. Geological Survey and the President's FY 2012 Budget Proposal."

"The USGS operates primarily under authorization provided by the Act of March 3, 1879. It has been decades since Congress last enacted major surveying and mapping legislation for USGS. As a result, surveying and mapping has proliferated among more than 40 federal agencies, resulting in duplication, a lack of coordination, gaps in coverage and the absence of a strategic approach to providing the basic geographic information needed in the 21st century. The need for better coordination of Federal surveying and mapping activities has been well documented," Palatiello said.

"The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), established by President Clinton and reaffirmed by President Bush provides a framework for the geographic information America needs today. However, this priority is not reflected in the USGS budget."

"We are surprised and deeply disappointed that funding for NSDI, and the partnerships to facilitate this activity, is proposed to be cut in the President's FY 2012 budget by $3.5 million," Palatiello said. "This is the last place we should be cutting the USGS budget. A reduction in partnerships will result in more duplication, less coordination, less leveraging of scarce resources," he said, citing USGS's own analysis that for every dollar in funds appropriated to USGS for NSDI framework data, more than $11 in partnership dollars is leveraged. He also opposed "the proposed decrease in funding for the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) by $200,000. FGDC is a USGS office that is responsible for Federal coordination."

Concern was also raised about the lack of utilization of the private sector and execution of directives from Congress by USGS, with Palatiello noting "USGS is not coming close to meeting the instruction of Congress established in the FY 1996 Interior Appropriations Act".

"On the bright side," Palatiello said, "we are pleased the budget request includes an increase, or reallocation, of $48 million to support the current and future mission of the National Land Imaging Program, principally through LANDSAT. The moderate resolution data provided by LANDSAT does not compete with the private sector and is an appropriate government investment. It provides for data that is primarily used in research and scientific applications, much of it funded by the government, which complements higher resolution satellite and airborne capabilities available from the private sector. This funding by the Obama Administration continues implementation of the 'Future of Land Imaging' program initiated in the Bush Administration. We support this bipartisan program. MAPPS supports the increase, or reallocation, of $48 million to support the NLIP, principally through LANDSAT. The bipartisan program provides government funding for satellites that will ensures data continuity, which compliments higher resolution satellite and airborne capabilities from the private sector."

"The USGS was once the envy of the world for its leadership in the mapping and geographic information field," Palatiello said. "We look forward to working with the Subcommittee on this important and long-overdue review and reform of USGS's mapping and geospatial activities so it can once again be a leader."

Joining Palatiello as public witnesses at the hearing was Dr. Richard Aster of the Seismological Society of America, Dr. Jonathan G. Price, on behalf of the Association of American State Geologists, and Dr. Craig M. Schiffries, Geological Society of America. Each of the witnesses urged Congress to reprioritize funding for USGS from what has been proposed in the President's budget request. Palatiello's full testimony and the archived webcast of the hearing can be viewed here.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Map. On March 11, 2011, at 05:46:23 UTC, a magnitude 8.9 earthquake hit off the Oshika Peninsula of Japan. This is the largest earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history and one of the largest in the world since records began. The earthquake has triggered tsunamis, which have hit coastal areas of Japan.

The goal of the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami website is to disseminate information widely, inform the general public of the worst hit areas, and facilitate recovery planning. Map layers are being added over time as more data becomes available.

James W. Sewall Company of Old Town, Maine has selected GeoCue Corporation to deploy a GeoCue managed LIDAR production workflow solution. Leveraging a GeoCue enterprise configuration, LIDAR specific workflows, and Terrasolid LIDAR editing tools, Sewall will be fully equipped for all aspects of LIDAR production from receipt of geo-coded LIDAR data in LAS format to final map product delivery.

As part of this contract, Sewall LIDAR technicians and management staff have also participated in GeoCue’s well established LIDAR ‘Bootstrap’ training program, an intensive on-site training curriculum delivered through a series of week-long, hands-on training exercises designed to provide Sewall LIDAR production staff with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to successfully generate high-quality LIDAR map products and derivatives.

The deployed system includes a GeoCue Server with LIDAR specific production tools and will provide Sewall with an advanced workflow management solution to ensure efficient production methodologies and stringent quality control/assurance procedures are built into all LIDAR production projects.

According to Sewall Vice President, Brian Norris, PLS, “We selected the GeoCue product and training program to continue to meet our clients’ evolving geospatial needs. Our increased capabilities in processing LIDAR will enable them to realize the enormous benefits of the technology in a wide range of geospatial, environmental, and energy-related applications.”

Founded in 1880, Sewall is an integrated team of geospatial, engineering and natural resource consultants who partner with clients to create practical, sustainable solutions. The company’s diverse portfolio is based on 100 years of experience in surveying, forestry consulting, and civil engineering; 60 years in aerial mapping; and 20 years in geospatial systems and software. In the last 10 years, Sewall’s offerings have expanded to include services in environmental engineering, renewable energy, and web-based technologies. For more information about Sewall, contact: Lisa Schoonmaker, Communications Director, at 207-827-4456, schl@sewall.com or visit the web site at www.sewall.com.

GeoCue Corporation (www.geocue.com) is a software development and consulting services company specializing in geospatial production management solutions and LIDAR data processing tools.

GeoCue is a registered trademark of GeoCue Corporation.

Representatives from a wide variety of industries and companies have announced that they have joined together to form the "Coalition to Save Our GPS" to resolve a serious threat to the Global Positioning System (GPS) - a national utility upon which millions of Americans rely every day.

The threat stems from a recent highly unusual decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant a conditional waiver allowing the dramatic expansion of terrestrial use of the satellite spectrum immediately neighboring that of GPS, potentially causing severe interference to millions of GPS receivers. The conditional waiver was granted to a company called LightSquared.

A representative of one of the founding members of the coalition, Trimble Vice President and General Counsel Jim Kirkland, will testify on this issue on Friday, March 11 before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science of the House Appropriations Committee.

The "Coalition to Save our GPS" includes representatives from a broad range of industries, including, aviation, agriculture, transportation, construction, engineering, surveying and GPS-based equipment manufacturers and service providers. Washington, D.C.-based Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld is leading the government relations effort. The Coalition's website is www.SaveOurGPS.org.

A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan earlier today, Friday, and tsunami warnings have been issued in countries where they are possible to hit. As of this writing, the tsunami has reached the Hawaiian shores with the highest wave recorded at 6 feet at Maui’s Kahului Harbor.

Waves are predicted to hit the western coast of the United States between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. EST Friday.

Here is a map of the tsunami travel times, from Japan to the U.S.

Nominations for URISA GIS Hall of Fame are being accepted until May 1, 2011. URISA established the GIS Hall of Fame in 2005 to recognize and honor the most esteemed leaders of the geospatial community. To be considered for the GIS Hall of Fame, an individual’s or an organization’s record of contribution to the advancement of the industry demonstrates creative thinking and actions, vision and innovation, inspiring leadership, perseverance, and community mindedness. In addition, nominees must serve as a role model for those who follow. URISA Hall of Fame Laureates are individuals or organizations whose pioneering work has moved the geospatial industry in a better, stronger direction.

URISA welcomes nominations from any profession and is not restricted to those having a past or current relationship with URISA. This award is not given every year, and some years there may be multiple recipients.

The selection criteria for this honor are:

* At least 25 years of sustained professional involvement in the GIS field.
* Original and creative contributions to the field.
* Well known and respected by a wide range of peers.
* Consistent demonstration of sound professional and personal ethics.

Previous inductees include:

* 2005 Inductees: Edgar Horwood, Ian McHarg, Roger Tomlinson, Jack Dangermond, Nancy Tosta, and the Harvard Lab
* 2006 Inductee: Dr. Gary Hunter
* 2007 Inductees: Don Cooke and Michael Goodchild
* 2009 Inductees: Will Craig and Carl Reed
* 2010 Inductee: C. Dana Tomlin

Nominations must be submitted to URISA by May 1. For details and to learn more about current members of URISA’s GIS Hall of Fame, visit the website.

The Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial (FOSS4G) conference has released a lineup of 24 hands-on workshops for the 2011 conference, which will be held Sept. 12 - 16 in Denver, CO, USA. FOSS4G is the premier international conference focused on open source geospatial software.

The bulk of the workshops provide an opportunity for in-depth insight into different tools of the open source geospatial stack from leading developers and practitioners. Many of the workshops focus on the customizing of code to match specific needs. There are also several introductory courses to help the novice gain familiarity with capabilities and applications of this robust software.

The three-hour workshops will take place in morning and afternoon sessions on Monday, Sept. 12 and Tues., Sept. 13, with the main conference running from Wed. through Fri. Computers will be provided to participants. A full lineup of workshops, with descriptions, can be found online here.

About FOSS4G
FOSS4G is the global conference focused on Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial that is organized by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo) with support from an all-volunteer organizing committee and professional conference management from the Geospatial Information Technology Association (GITA). The 2011 FOSS4G event in Denver marks the first North American event in four years, with the prior three events taking place in Barcelona, Sydney and Cape Town.

SPIE Remote Sensing conference abstracts are due 21 March. Submit your abstract and share your research at the premier European meeting focused on recent breakthroughs in atmospheric and Earth surface sensing, next-generation satellites, SAR image analysis and techniques, image and signal processing, among others.

Abstracts are accepted in:
• Remote Sensing for Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Hydrology
• Remote Sensing of the Ocean, Sea Ice, Coastal Waters, and Large Water Regions
• Sensors, Systems, and Next-generation Satellites
• Remote Sensing of Clouds and the Atmosphere
• Optics in Atmospheric Propagation and Adaptive Systems
• SAR Image Analysis, Modeling, and Techniques
• Image and Signal Processing for Remote Sensing
• Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring, GIS Applications, and Geology
• Lidar Technologies, Techniques, and Measurements for Atmospheric Remote Sensing
• Addressing Natural Disasters and Sustainable Resources Using Satellite Data
• High-Performance Computing in Remote Sensing
• Special Joint Session on Airborne Remote Sensing

Conference Details:

SPIE Remote Sensing Conference 2011
19 - 22 September 2011
Clarion Congress Hotel Prague
Prague, Czech Republic

Submit your abstracts here.

Enter the International Conservation Mapping Competition 2011. Created in association with Esri and the Society for Conservation GIS (SCGIS) to bring special recognition to those involved in conservation initiatives, the International Conservation Mapping Competition is open to all nonprofit conservation groups and the individuals who support them. A total of $10,000 in prize money will be awarded in the following categories.

* Grand Prize: Best exemplification of conservation mapping
* Best Traditional Cartography: Best design and art in a static map (hard copy or online)
* Best Interactive Web Map: Best design and usability in an interactive web map
* Best Use of Science: Best design and impact in presenting challenging scientific concepts
* Best Societal Impact: Most compelling impact on society
* Best Innovation: Most creative use of mapping tools to communicate a conservation message

Winners will be announced in the summer 2011 issue of Conservation Magazine.

Exhibition plans for accepted maps include a featured display with SCGIS and the Society for Conservation Biology at the Esri International User Conference, July 11–15, 2011, in San Diego, CA.

Details and Deadlines:

* Entries must be created using Esri GIS as a primary tool.
* An essay describing your map is required.
* The deadline to receive entries is 11:59 p.m. (PST) March 18, 2011.

Enter contest here.

TerraGo Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of geospatial collaboration software solutions and Esri Gold Tier partner, has released TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS version 5.6 for both desktop and server environments. TerraGo Publisher extends leading geospatial applications such as Esri ArcGIS to create highly portable, interactive TerraGo GeoPDF maps and imagery.

TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS version 5.6 offers significant enhancements and user benefits, including:

* Compatibility with Esri ArcGIS 10: Customers who have upgraded to ArcGIS 10 can now install TerraGo Publisher 5.6 to create, as well as import and view, GeoPDF maps and imagery.
* Advanced layer control: The new, advanced layer control in TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS enables GIS professionals to control layer order and select layers to include (or not include) within the GeoPDF export configuration. Once layers are selected they can also be "sealed" to simplify the output for the GeoPDF consumer.
* Easy options for ISO and OGC specifications: TerraGo Publisher offers a new feature for easily selecting ISO 32000 or Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) specifications for publishing geospatial PDF.
* Internationalization: TerraGo Publisher now supports internationalization so that the application can be localized in languages other than English. TerraGo is working with strategic partner Hitachi Solutions to offer TerraGo Publisher in Japanese.

"TerraGo is a valuable Esri partner that we work closely with in our efforts to transform the way customers use geospatial intelligence," said Ann Jachim, partner manager at Esri. "TerraGo software and GeoPDF extend Esri ArcGIS 10 to offer a complementary way for mobile users in the field to access geospatial information, capture field data, and share their intelligence with other users."

TerraGo GeoPDF maps and imagery created from TerraGo Publisher are georeferenced versions of standard PDF files, serving as highly portable containers of mapping information, imagery and data from geospatial applications. Mobile users in the field who do not use GIS software and operate in disconnected environments use GeoPDF to exploit valuable geospatial intelligence.

With intuitive applications such as TerraGo Toolbar™ and TerraGo Mobile™, anyone, anywhere can personalize geospatial intelligence, collaborate with other mobile users, and round-trip field data back to the enterprise.

"TerraGo GeoPDF solutions that extend Esri ArcGIS 10 are mission-critical to Esri and TerraGo's joint government and commercial customers," said Jim Sheen, vice president of products and services at TerraGo. "Through working closely with strategic partners such as Esri, TerraGo is accelerating the development of joint solutions and ensuring continued, rapid delivery of innovative and intuitive capabilities for geospatial collaboration."

To upgrade to the latest versions of TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS or TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS Server, please contact support(at)terragotech(dot)com. To purchase TerraGo Publisher, please contact sales(at)terragotech(dot)com. More information and free trial downloads are available at http://www.terragotech.com.

ESA’s GOCE satellite has reached its ambitious goal of mapping Earth's gravity with unprecedented precision. In two short years, the sophisticated satellite has collected the measurements needed to record the 'geoid' reference shape of our planet.

"GOCE is one of ESA’s most innovative missions. The number of 'firsts' it embodies led to many challenges for our scientists, engineers and more than 40 companies involved in building the satellite," said Volker Liebig, Director of ESA's Earth Observation Programmes.

"I am happy to announce that their hard work and dedication have paid off. The satellite has recorded the measurements necessary to enable us to produce a high-resolution map of the 'geoid' that is far more accurate and has a much higher spatial resolution then any other dataset of this kind."

The geoid is the shape of an imaginary global ocean dictated by gravity in the absence of tides and currents. It is a crucial reference for accurately measuring ocean circulation, sea-level change and ice dynamics – all affected by climate change.

The planned mission of the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite, launched in March 2009, included two six-month measurement periods. On 2 March it completed its 12th month of gravity-field mapping.

In the coming weeks, these data will be calibrated and processed for scientists to create a unique model of the geoid.

Although GOCE has completed its planned mission, the low solar activity during the last two years led to a lower fuel consumption than anticipated.

Based on this fuel saving, the good health of the satellite and the excellent quality of its data, ESA decided in November 2010 to extend the mission until the end of 2012.

"By nearly doubling the mission’s lifetime, GOCE data will provide an even better gravity field map and geoid products," said GOCE Mission Manager Rune Floberghagen.

"Once the gravity models are completed, they will be made available to all users, free of charge in line with ESA's data policy."

The new GOCE products and the science derived from these products will be presented and discussed at the Fourth International GOCE User Workshop held at the Technische Universität München in Munich, Germany, on 31 March–1 April.

Media representatives will be invited to attend the event. For more details, please see the programme at http://www.goce2011.org.

Two Michigan State University professors have developed interactive maps that offer a visual perspective of urban food deserts. By using GIS (geographic information systems) technology, they are showing, rather than simply telling, how urban residents are losing access to fresh produce and balanced nutrition.

Phil Howard, assistant professor of community, agriculture, recreation and resource studies, and Kirk Goldsberry, assistant professor of geography, conducted their research in Lansing. They found that many supermarkets have closed their stores that serve urban areas and have moved to the suburbs. They also showed that Michigan’s state capital is a model for what’s happening to food environments around the country.

The maps give residents, city officials and community organizations an outreach tool to visualize their food environment. Having a highly detailed method to examine each city’s food environment provides a graphic illustration of areas where produce is abundant and where it’s lacking, Howard said.

Video:

Complete story here.

ESRI GIS Webinar on ArcGIS Data
Event status: Not started
Date and time: Thursday, April 14, 2011 10:00 am
Western European Summer Time (London, GMT+01:00)
Duration: 1 hour

Description:
This first session will look at getting data into desktop; in particular non-standard Esri formats as well as exploring using open source data and data services available over the web.

Registration is required to join this event. If you have not registered, join here.

2nd Education Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) Workshop
February 23, 2011
NASA Marshall Institute
US Space and Rocket Center
1 Tranquility Base
Huntsville, Alabama 35805

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Education is accepting proposals under the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) NASA Research Announcement. This NEW announcement is an umbrella announcement for opportunities under the Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP), and includes calls for proposals in the following program elements for Fiscal Year 2011:

• Curriculum Improvement Partnership Award for the Integration of Research into the Undergraduate Curriculum (CIPAIR)
• Innovations in Global Climate Change Education (IGCCE)
• MUREP Small Projects (MSP)
• Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Center Unique Projects
• Stennis Space Center (SSC) Center Unique Projects

Eligibility Information:
Proposals will be accepted from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other minority-serving institutions including those with high Hispanic enrollment. For some program elements, community colleges are also eligible and public school districts, and nonprofit organizations that reach a large under-represented and/or under-served audience are also eligible. NASA centers and other organizations may apply through partnership with the lead organization in some cases.

Interested parties may attend the EONS Workshop on: February 23, 2011.

On site registration beginning at 8:00 a.m CST. Participation is not required to submit a proposal. For more information regarding this opportunity, please visit the EONS page on the NSPIRES website. Go to http://nspires.nasaprs.com and click on Solicitations, then on Open Solicitations.

This workshop will include a networking session to give institutions and organizations an opportunity to collaborate.

If you have additional questions concerning the workshop please email NASAEONS2011@nasaprs.com.

The Geomatics Lab, Geography Department at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin seeks highly qualified and motivated candidates for PhD Position in Remote Sensing (Ref-#: AN/020/11).

(duration 36 months; payment according EGr. 13 (half time position) TV-L HU, starting date: 1st April 2011)

The successful applicant will develop his/her research in the EU-funded international research project ‘VOLANTE: Visions of Land Use Transitions in Europe’. VOLANTE seeks to develop a roadmap for future land resource management in Europe by developing novel, integrated approaches to understand analyze human-environment interactions, understand feedbacks in land use systems, assess land use transitions, and identify critical thresholds in land system dynamics.

VOLANTE brings together a team of leading scholars in European land system science and is closely linked to the IGBP/IHDP Global Land Project. The Geomatics Lab participates in this project to map hotspots of recent land use transitions, analyze the drivers of these transitions, and to develop an understanding of archetypical pathways of land use transitions in Europe.

We seek a candidate with an above-average MSc degree or equivalent in Geography, Environmental Sciences, Landscape Ecology or related fields. This position will develop satellite-based tools to quantify land use conversions and intensification in Europe, and carry out European-wide mapping of recent land use transition hotspots. We expect a strong interest in land system science, sustainability science, and global change issues.

Prior research experience in land use / land cover monitoring is an asset. A sound background in environmental remote sensing, satellite image processing, as well as excellent command of the English language, good communication skills, and willingness to integrate yourself in an international research environment are mandatory. The position includes teaching duties at the level of 2h/week (during teaching terms).

Additional information:
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is located in the Berlin-Brandenburg research area and closely linked to neighbouring institutions like the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) or the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The German capital Berlin is Germany’s largest city with an inspiring metropolitan flair and great scientific networking opportunities.

Researchers of all nationalities are welcome to apply. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin strives to increase the share of women in research, is a certified family-friendly university and strongly encourages women to apply. We are committed to promoting handicapped individuals and applicants with disabilities who are equally qualified will be favored.

Applications including a letter of motivation, full CV, a sample writing representative of the candidate’s work (e.g. a scientific article), and the names and contact details for two references shall be sent in a single PDF file to Dagmar Wörister (dagmar.woerister@geo.hu-berlin.de). Please include the reference number in the content line of your email.

The Geomatics Lab, Geography Department at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin seeks highly qualified and motivated candidates for PhD Position in Land Use Science (Ref-#: DR/007/11)

(duration 36 months; payment according EGr. 13 (half time position) TV-L HU, starting date: 1st April 2011 or earlier)

The successful applicant will develop his/her research in the EU-funded international research project ‘VOLANTE: Visions of Land Use Transitions in Europe’. VOLANTE seeks to develop a roadmap for future land resource management in Europe by developing novel, integrated approaches to understand analyze human-environment interactions, understand feedbacks in land use systems, assess land use transitions, and identify critical thresholds in land system dynamics.

VOLANTE brings together a team of leading scholars in European land system science and is closely linked to the IGBP/IHDP Global Land Project. The Geomatics Lab participates in this project to map hotspots of recent land use transitions, analyze the drivers of these transitions, and to develop an understanding of archetypical pathways of land use transitions in Europe.

We seek a candidate with an above-average MSc degree or equivalent in Geography, Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Landscape Ecology or related fields. This position will assess changes in land use intensity by integrating land use, environmental, and socio-economic data. A second task will be to analyze patterns and drivers of recent land use transitions in Europe. We expect a strong interest in land system science, sustainability science, and global change issues.

Prior research experience in land use science and with spatial-statistical models is an asset. A sound background in geodata processing and statistics, as well as proficiency in relevant software packages is required. Excellent command of the English language, good communication skills, and willingness to integrate yourself in an international research environment are mandatory.

Note:
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is located in the Berlin-Brandenburg research area and closely linked to neighbouring institutions like the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) or the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The German capital Berlin is Germany’s largest city with an inspiring metropolitan flair and great scientific networking opportunities.

Researchers of all nationalities are welcome to apply. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin strives to increase the share of women in research, is a certified family-friendly university and strongly encourages women to apply. We are committed to promoting handicapped individuals and applicants with disabilities who are equally qualified will be favored.

Applications including a letter of motivation, full CV, a sample writing representative of the candidate’s work (e.g. a scientific article), and the names and contact details for two references shall be sent in a single PDF file to Dagmar Wörister (dagmar.woerister@geo.hu-berlin.de). Please include the reference number in the content line of your email.

Geosparc, the company professionally supporting the open source GIS application framework Geomajas, today announced the new release and immediate availability of its GIS software framework to build web-based, high performance, secure and scalable GIS solutions: Geomajas 1.8.

Geomajas is a Java based GIS framework. By leveraging the Google Web Toolkit (GWT), Hibernate, GeoTools and Spring, Geomajas offers an enterprise environment for building web GIS applications. This way Geomajas can be used to power a company’s or government spatial data infrastructure.

The software enables developers to build end-to-end GIS solutions integrating the spatial data on the back-end (server-side) whereas the embedded web-mapping technology allows the client-side (via a simple web browser) to deploy interactive and user-friendly GIS applications. All this can be done without having to give up the integrity of the software logic, instead providing powerful possibilities to update and maintain GIS data in the thin-client environment. The software also allows integrating different data sources (external or internal databases) and provides additional functionalities through plug-ins.

Geomajas core features include:

- Integrated client-server architecture
- Geometry and attribute editing
- Custom attribute definitions
- Advanced querying capabilities (CQL)
- Out-of-the-box security
- Extensible plug-in mechanism
- Multiple front-end technologies
- Cross browser support, without the need for browser plug-ins

Some of the new or improved features of Geomajas 1.8 include:

- An update to the newest versions of GWT and SmartGWT
- Better integration support within non-GWT technologies
- Performance improvements
- Addition of multiple passive controllers on the map
- On-the-fly changing of layer order
- Provide a way for properly caching (and compressing) SmartGWT library
- Allow embedding Geomajas map widget for integration with other web framework
- And many more

A full overview of the new and improved Geomajas 1.8 specifications can be found at www.geosparc.com. The software can also be downloaded via www.geosparc.com

ERDAS will team with GeoSystems Group for Information Technology in Saudi Arabia to host a series of 11 World Tour events in the Middle East.

The first event will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 7th in conjunction with the Saudi Arabian national science agency, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). On March 8th, the tour moves to Muscat, Oman with an event at the Theater Hall of Waljat College of Applied Sciences. The final event will take place on March 9th at the Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

During the events, presenters will demonstrate the exciting new enhancements in the ERDAS 2011 Software Release, including portfolio-wide changes such as the ability to localize ERDAS products for a global audience, integrated support for Microsoft Bing™ Maps base imagery and map data, distributed processing throughout the desktop offerings, and a new product, ERDAS Engine.

For more information about ERDAS or its products and services, please call +1 770 776 3400, toll free +1 877 GO ERDAS, or visit www.erdas.com.

Dear GEC Members,

It is already that time of the year again to submit session proposals for the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting, to be held 5-9 December at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif. A record number of researchers attended last year (almost 19,000!). GEC sessions have been dramatically increasing in popularity, up from 82 abstracts in 2004 to almost 900 in 2010! In order to meet the challenges of the growing attendance, AGU has decided to move forward session proposal and abstract submission deadlines this year. The key dates for the 2011 Fall Meeting are:

1. Session proposal submission opens 25 February and closes 20 April; and
2. Abstract submissions open 8 June and close 4 August.

It is the vision and creativity of the session conveners that shape the meeting. Keep in mind that broad and interdisciplinary sessions have a greater chance of attracting many abstracts, and thus more oral presentation allocations. Please remember that even if a session proposal is accepted, its status as an oral or a poster session is large determined by the number of abstracts received. Invited presenters may end up delivering an invited poster rather than a talk if the overall session does not receive enough abstract submissions to warrant an oral session. If overall abstract submissions to the Fall Meeting continue to rise, more sessions will likely be poster-only, as the number of available lecture halls is limited. This means that it is up to the session proposers/conveners to take the initiative to advertise their session(s) and solicit abstracts. Also, in the interest of maximizing the opportunity for oral talks, those receiving a small number of abstract submissions are often consolidated with other sessions presenting a similar topic.

Our special sessions on AGU Authors and the new Stephen Schneider GEC Lecture were very well attended last year. We encourage you to contact us (below) directly if you have ideas about novel special sessions that GEC might sponsor at this year’s annual meeting.

We encourage students and young scientists to propose sessions, but strongly recommend that they team up with well-established scientists in their fields when doing so.

To submit a session proposal or for more information, please visit the AGU Web site.

We are looking forward to your session proposals.

Best regards,

Don Wuebbles, GEC Chair
Steve Lloyd and Figen Mekik, GEC Program Committee

Please make plans to join your fellow IDL and ENVI users at VISualize 2011 in Washington, DC from April 12 - 14. VISualize is designed to bring together IDL and ENVI users to provide opportunities for networking, sharing ideas, and working on strategies that advance our geospatial, scientific data analysis and visualization community.

By popular demand, we have expanded VISualize to three days, and you are welcome to attend one, two, or all three days of workshops and presentations. Our workshops will take place on Tuesday, April 12.

IDL Workshop Topics:

· Making Presentation Quality Graphics
· Mapping with Graphics
· IDL Tools for Organizing Your Data
· IDL 8.1 Enhancements
· Extending IDL with ENVI

ENVI Workshop Topics:

· Working with SAR Data
· Calibrating Remotely Sensed Data with ENVI: Why, When, and How
· Extending ENVI with IDL and Extending Arc with ENVI

Remember, we are currently accepting abstracts for VISualize 2011. If you have an interesting application, a desire to report success that furthered your research, or want to demonstrate a creative approach using ENVI or IDL, VISualize 2011 offers the perfect venue to share it with your peers or to get feedback from other users in the community.

The abstract submission deadline is March 11, 2011. Your abstract submission should include the title of your presentation, your name and contact information, the organization you are representing, a short informal description of your proposed presentation, and a short biography. Please submit your abstract via email to hcline@ittvis.com.

Looking to attend an emerging and cutting edge geospatial oil and gas event? Join us for one of the leading geospatial conferences in the industry - GITA's GIS for Oil and Gas Conference. Decision makers from oil, gas and pipeline are looking for new ideas and technological solutions from your company!

The conference features in-depth seminars, technical paper presentations, discussion forums, panel deliberations, and several networking events. A product and service exhibition will showcase companies with offerings that target the unique needs of the energy industry. Attendees will gain valuable insight into the potential of GIS as a tool providing instant access to information, increased efficiency, and improved decision-making abilities.

Sharing Experiences and Expertise

Oil and gas company representatives and GIS experts will share their knowledge and experience in implementing GIS-related technology. The conference is one-of-a-kind—devoted exclusively to applications and technologies for the following upstream/downstream oil and gas segments:

-Exploration and Production
-Gathering Systems
-Public Awareness
-Environmental Systems
-Local Distribution Companies
-Land/Lease
-Pipeline
-Retail
-Refining
-Marketing
-One-call

GISCI Certification (GISP Credits)
GISCI Certification takes into account your education, professional experience and contributions to the profession. Attending the GIS for Oil & Gas Conference provides several ways to earn necessary points in the contributions and education components section to become a GISP. GITA’s geospatial industry network also connects individuals to companies, organizations, and educational institutions that provide the education and experience points needed. In addition, GITA half-day seminars offer continuing education units (CEUs), which can be used toward fulfilling your education points to become a GISP.

Conference Details:

What: GIS for Oil & Gas Conference
Date: October 24 - 27, 2011
Where: Marriott Westchase Hotel, 2900 Briarpark Dr., Houston, Texas

Registration here.

Hexagon AB, leading, global provider of 3D solutions to design, measure and position objects and to process and present data, will host its inaugural international conference, Hexagon 2011, 6-9 June at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida, USA. As part of the Geosystems @ Hexagon 2011 track, Leica Geosystems is currently seeking speaking candidates for its Trends in Mapping & Positioning for Government & Industry sub-track.

Hexagon 2011 will bring together the latest technologies and user communities from Leica Geosystems, Z/I Imaging and Intergraph, as well as Hexagon’s Metrology and Technology divisions, in one location to provide attendees with a user experience of unprecedented scope and value. The conference will feature more than 200 targeted break-out sessions tailored by tracks, incorporating hands-on training courses, previews of new technologies, interactive technical demonstrations and workshops and compelling customer testimonials. Additionally, the Hexagon 2011 agenda offers insightful keynote presentations on industry and corporate trends as well as unlimited networking opportunities.

As the track designed specifically for Geosystems participants, Geosystems @ Hexagon 2011 offers the chance to learn from progressive users and Leica Geosystems and Z/I experts about an unprecedented breadth of technologies, solutions and market and industry trends in surveying, laser scanning, mapping and positioning for government and industry.

Speakers interested in presenting as part of the Trends in Mapping & Positioning for Government & Industry sub-track should contact Andrew Hurley ( Email Contact; +1 404 493 0895). A number of speaking opportunities are still available, and all conference registration fees are waived for speakers.

Early conference registration savings are available through March 21, and Leica Geosystems customers are eligible to receive a special discounted rate. Contact your local Leica Geosystems representative or Leica Geosystems conference coordinator Angelique Ortega ( Email Contact; +1 925 790 2318) to receive the discount registration code. For more information and to register, please visit www.hexagonconference.com.