USGIF Participates in Esri UC

Foundation hosts exhibit booth, West Coast GEOINTeraction Tuesday, and more

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USGIF had a strong presence at the Esri User Conference (UC), held July 10-14 in San Diego, Calif. Esri UC attendees learned about USGIF and its wide range of initiatives via a variety of engagement opportunities.

“This was the most comprehensive engagement USGIF has had at the Esri UC in several years,” said USGIF CEO Keith Masback. “As GEOINT rapidly expands beyond its traditional bounds, the Esri UC represents a unique opportunity to reach across multiple sectors where the unifying thread is understanding the power of location.”

USGIF hosted a special edition of its flagship GEOINTeraction Tuesday networking event July 11. Approximately 120 individuals attended to network and hear from guest speaker Pino Nobile, head of the geospatial section at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Headquarters Situation Centre in Brussels, Belgium. The Situation Centre was established in 1968 and has since adapted to use more geospatial tools to alert and provide situational awareness to decision-makers.

“NATO’s mission is to operate on the same picture no matter where you are,” Nobile said.  

Additionally, Masback moderated a panel focused on the analyst tradecraft during Esri’s Defense and Intelligence Summit.

USGIF CEO Keith Masback moderated a panel on analytic tradecraft at Esri UC.

“Fundamentally, the Esri UC is about technological advances,” Masback said. “Having a panel of analysts on stage provided valuable insight, and was a reminder that the concept of analytic transformation extends beyond just technology and its discussion must also include people, processes, and data.”

USGIF’s Young Professionals Group (YPG) co-hosted two socials throughout the UC in collaboration with Esri’s Young Professionals Network. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about the groups and discuss their conference experiences.

The Foundation exhibited in the expo hall throughout the week, handing out got geoint? T-shirts and educating conference goers about USGIF events and educational programs. USGIF also had tabletop exhibits at Esri’s Education GIS Conference and Academic GIS Program Fair.

Dr. Camelia Kantor, USGIF’s new director of academic programs, represented the Foundation for the first time at the Esri Education GIS Conference.

“The Esri Education GIS Conference was a success in bringing together academia, K-12, and industry in a laudable effort in which Esri re-emphasized the value of geospatial education in the U.S. and abroad,” Kantor said. “‘The Science of Where’ ought to be learned from early ages and leveraged through continuing education into adulthood. USGIF and Esri have a similar educational mission of empowering people of all ages to think spatially and to use geospatial technologies in decision-making. During the conference, both organizations discussed ways to leverage the existent partnership in helping create a pipeline of students with a strong foundation in GIS and analysis as well as in remote sensing and geospatial data management.”

In addition, USGIF offered its Universal GEOINT Certification Program exams to Esri UC attendees at a discounted rate. The certification program helps further an individual’s professional development in the GEOINT Community and includes exams in GIS and analysis tools, remote sensing and imagery analysis, and geospatial data management.

Main Photo Credit: Esri

Posted in: Event Recaps   Tagged in: Analysis, Civil, GIS, Intelligence

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