As Geography Awareness Month 2024 has wrapped up, we reflect on the overwhelming success of DMV GIS Day, held on November 20. This inaugural virtual event brought together a dynamic and engaged audience to celebrate the transformative power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the innovation driving progress across the District, Maryland, and Virginia. DMV GIS Day was a standout moment for the geospatial community with world-class speakers, thought-provoking panels, and an impressive turnout.
The day began with opening remarks from Ghermay Araya, organizer and CEO of New Light Technologies, and Bill Dollins CEO of Cercana Systems. Their inspiring messages emphasized the role of GIS in tackling critical challenges like climate change, equity in urban development, and public safety. Darryl Wiggins (via Ghermay Araya) delivered the DMV GIS Day proclamation, recognizing the geospatial community’s vital contributions to the region’s growth and resilience.
Ran Goldblatt’s Welcome Message:
Good morning,
I`m excited to welcome you all to the 2024 DMV GIS Day. New Light Technologies is proud to host this event along with our partners from across the DMV.
We are all passionate about the advancements, innovations, and applications in GIS that we see happening in the DMV area, making it a central hub of GIS innovations and collaborations. We are all part of a community of professionals who are excited and dedicated to using GIS to benefit communities in the DMV and, in fact, in the entire country.
The DMV is home to globally leading academic institutions that offer top notch geospatial science education; it`s a home to local, regional and national level public sector agencies; as well as to hundreds of private enterprises who are instrumental in advancing geospatial applications across various domains. Many of these are partners of this event and we will all hear from them today.
At NLT, we increasingly see ourselves as a research institution and a scientific hub that connects the private sector with the public sector and academia. By collaborating with the entire community - meaning all of you - we integrate science and technology into every service that we provide. Whether it`s theory or applied research, we work on staying at the forefront of all scientific domains. As you know, GIS bridges scientific fields such as geography, computer science, statistics, environmental science, urban planning, and more. As we will hear today from the many great keynote speakers and panelists, GIS also helps us ensure we promote an inclusive and diverse community. Thanks to all of the innovations we see in these fields, we can ensure that not only does the DMV continue to be one of the most advanced GIS hubs in the World, but also that the DMV community - including vulnerable communities - will benefit from these advancements.
Today we will hear from some of the best GIS professionals in the region, from leaders, practitioners, and policy makers, how they - or we - bring science, technologies and innovations into the GIS world to improve the quality of life of our fellow community members. We will hear about the evolution of the geospatial DMV community; about transformative GIS projects and technology that make a community impact; and about the future of GIS in the DMV.
When you listen to the insights of the speakers, please think about the community: Both, our professional GIS community and the community who benefits from our work. Think about collaborations and partnerships. And think about how to apply all of the recent scientific and technological innovations into our daily work to improve the lives of the people in our region.
Thank you to all again for taking part in this inaugural event and I look forward to today`s discussions and outcomes.
Chad Shuskey, Chief Operating Officer at the Washington DC Economic Partnership, further emphasized the economic impact of GIS on the DMV region, setting the tone for a day filled with dynamic conversations and invaluable insights. He also gave a presentation and demonstration of geospatial technology use-cases in Washington, DC to attract and retain corporations and retailers to open office space, grocery stores, and other facilities in Washington, DC.
The first keynote of the day, Mapping and GIS in Public Safety: A Historical and Contemporary Perspective, was delivered by David Clow, Chief Information Officer of the Metropolitan Police Department of DC. Clow traced the evolution of GIS in public safety, from its early use in hand-drawn crime maps to its current role in real-time situational awareness, hazard identification, and resource optimization. His presentation showcased how GIS empowers public safety agencies to protect communities and enhance emergency response.
This keynote underscored the immense potential of GIS to address complex challenges in today’s dynamic environment, leaving attendees inspired by its transformative applications.
Two Geo in Action sessions, moderated by Ran Goldblatt of New Light Technologies, explored practical applications of GIS across diverse sectors. These sessions featured an impressive lineup of panelists:
These sessions showcased how GIS is driving innovation and creating impactful solutions, from disaster resilience to community planning.
The afternoon sessions highlighted the rich history of GIS in the DMV region. Moderated by Ghermay Araya, panelists reflected on milestones that shaped the region’s geospatial landscape:
The discussions celebrated the DMV’s GIS pioneers and their contributions to the community’s growth while exploring how this legacy continues to inspire innovation.
Moderated by Bill Dollins, the Emerging Technologies sessions provided a forward-looking view of GIS advancements. Speakers included:
These sessions explored the potential of technologies like AI, IoT, and real-time data integration to transform geospatial solutions.
The event concluded with reflections from Ghermay Araya, Bill Dollins, and Christy Monaco, Chief Operating Officer at the Open Geospatial Consortium. Robert Pitts, Executive Vice President at New Light Technologies, emphasized the importance of fostering collaboration within the geospatial community. The DMV GIS Reunion provided a final opportunity for attendees to connect and celebrate the day’s achievements.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all speakers, panelists, and contributors, including:
As we reflect on the success of DMV GIS Day 2024, we are thrilled to announce several exciting initiatives and resources to continue building on the momentum of this event.
In the coming weeks, New Light Technologies (NLT) will be producing and sharing content from the event, capturing key insights, presentations, and discussions to extend the impact of DMV GIS Day. Stay tuned for these updates as we aim to make the knowledge shared during the event more accessible to the broader geospatial community.
In addition, NLT has prepared and released two valuable community resources:
Looking forward, we are excited to announce plans for a series of monthly DMV GIS events leading up to the second annual DMV GIS Day next fall. These events will feature speakers, content, and involvement sourced from the community, addressing a wide variety of geospatial topics and interests. The first event will be scheduled for January 2025, with more details to be shared soon. We invite you to stay connected and join us in this ongoing journey to foster collaboration and innovation within the DMV geospatial community.
DMV GIS Day 2024 showcased the immense talent, creativity, and dedication of our geospatial professionals. As we prepare for the year ahead, we remain committed to supporting this vibrant community and exploring the limitless possibilities of GIS to address global challenges and create meaningful change.
For updates on our work and future events, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let’s continue exploring and advancing geospatial technology together!
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