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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Indiana University celebrates GIS Day on November 17

Tom Evans, director of the Center for the Study of Institutions, Population, and Environmental Change (CIPEC) at Indiana University, to deliver keynote

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2010

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University will celebrate GIS Day on Wednesday, November 17 with a host of informational booths and activities showcasing the work that IU, local businesses, and government agencies are doing with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). All sessions will take place in the Herman B Wells Library on the IU Bloomington campus.

This year marks the 12th anniversary of GIS Day, the worldwide, annual event celebrating GIS technology and its applications. GIS supports a geographic approach to problem solving, connecting people with the geo-intelligence needed to work more efficiently and to make better decisions. From Google Maps technology to systems that monitor the spread of disease, GIS technologies help people innovate, take action, and make a measureable difference.

The event will largely focus on the GIS job market, training and certification, and the many ways that GIS technologies are shaping the way we live, learn, and do business. GIS professionals will showcase topics including environmental, library science, and mapping applications. Representatives from the Indiana Geological Survey and the Indiana Geographic Information Council will demonstrate IndianaMap, a public source for map data in Indiana, and provide information about new local projects and emerging technologies.

This year's highlight is the keynote by Tom Evans, "GIS Sustainability: Science, Application, and Implementation." Evans' work focuses on the interactions between people and the environment with an emphasis on forest and agricultural dynamics in South America, Southern Africa, and the Midwest United States. His current projects include analyses of reforestation in the Midwest United States and Brazil, urban forest cover in Bloomington, and the resilience of smallholders to climate variability in rural Zambia. Evans' presentation will take place at 5pm in the Herman B Wells Library Conference Room E174.

IU's GIS Day Celebration will include GIS-based games and giveaways and an exhibit of satellite images of famous locations. The Indiana University Geocaching Club will host a geocaching event with the winner receiving a $50 VISA gift card provided by 39 Degrees North.

For more on GIS Day, visit the event web site at: https://gisday.indiana.edu.

What is GIS?

GIS is a multibillion-dollar industry employing hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. GIS converts the rows and columns in databases and spreadsheets to maps displaying locations for new businesses, routes for emergency responders, or geological features for locating minerals, oil, or gas. GIS technologies provide value to organizations of all sizes and users in almost every industry by supporting better decision-making, improved communication, and greater efficiency.

GIS at Indiana University

Indiana University staff provides support for GIS technologies on all Indiana University campuses, and contributes to state efforts in building a single map for Indiana. Indiana University's advanced computing and networking infrastructure serves as the foundation for state-of-the-art GIS instructional facilities. The Indiana University GIS community has access to enterprise GIS services, geospatial data libraries, and professional software to support academic and research excellence in diverse fields.

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