The Library of Congress is proud to celebrate GIS Day, Wednesday November 16th, with a full-day series of talks and discussions highlighting GIS technology, research, resources, and opportunities on Capitol Hill and beyond!
The event will kick off at 9am and take place in the room LJ-119 on the First Floor of the Jefferson Building (10 First Street SE, Washington, D.C.) Geography and Map Division Reading Room in the Basement level of the Madison Building (101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington, D.C.). The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not needed. Individuals requiring accommodations for this event are requested to submit a request at least five business days in advance by contacting (202) 707-6362 or [email protected].
A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system for storing, analyzing, manipulating and displaying digital data that is linked to positions on the Earth’s surface. GIS provides the modern basis for digital geographic analysis and map-making.
Taking place during Geography Awareness Week, GIS Day is an annual celebration of GIS technology observed by hundreds of events held around the world. Formally organized since 1999, GIS Day aims to provide a welcoming forum that promotes the benefits of GIS research, demonstrates real-world applications of GIS, and fosters open, idea-sharing and growth in the GIS community. The GIS Day event at the Library of Congress will feature a wide range of speakers offering unique perspectives on GIS in K-12 education, academia, the federal government, and organizations in the private sector.
GIS Day morning sessions will include presentations from current students and recent graduates from local schools and universities showcasing their environmentally-focused GIS research. These sessions will also feature talks on the use of GIS in the federal government and non-profit organizations, as well as highlighting career opportunities in the growing field of GIS.
Afternoon sessions for GIS Day will focus on GIS activities and resources across the Capitol Hill complex. Cartographers, GIS analysts, and staff from the Geography and Map Division and the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress will discuss ongoing projects and services designed to broaden the availability of geospatial data and provide GIS analysis and custom cartography to Congress. The day’s lectures will end with talks from congressional aides who are leading the way in the use of GIS on the Hill to visualize geographic data and inform constituents of policy issues and news through digital cartography.
The event will conclude with tours of the Geography and Map Division’s collections, including the rare and valuable cartographic treasures of our vault.
EVENT SCHEDULE
9:00am-9:15am – Opening Remarks
Introduction to GIS Day at the Library of Congress
9:15am-9:45am – GIS in K-12 Education
“Celebrating K-12 student GIS projects”
Students from Loudoun County Public Schools, Virginia
Students from Washington-Lee High School, Arlington, Virginia
9:45am-10:45am – GIS in Undergraduate and Graduate-Level Research
“Web Mapping Application for Historic Sites”
Charlie Wells, undergraduate student at Towson University
“Spatial Analysis of Real Estate Valuation in the City of Fredericksburg”
Andrew Johnson, graduate of University of Mary Washington with Master’s in Geospatial Analysis
“Creating Efficiency with Geographic Information Systems at Stafford Regional Airport”
Chris Petroff, student in Geospatial Analysis Master’s program at the University of Mary Washington
10:45am-11:00am – Break
11:00 am-12:00pm – GIS in the Federal Government and Beyond
“GIS as a Career Choice”
Nina Feldman, Library of Congress
“The AAG: Advancing GIS for Research, Education, and Policy”
Candice Luebbering, American Association of Geographers
“Crowdsourcing the National Map”
Elizabeth McCartney, United States Geological Survey
12:00pm-1:15pm – Lunch, on your own
1:15pm-2:15pm – GIS at the Library of Congress
“Dynamic Indexing Project”
Amanda Brioche, Geography and Map Division
Erin Kelly, Geography and Map Division
“Congressional Cartography Program and Digital Geospatial Data Preservation”
Tim St. Onge, Geography and Map Division
“Congressional Research Service (CRS) Analysis & Mapping for a Data-Driven Congress”
Jim Uzel, Congressional Research Service
Calvin DeSouza, Congressional Research Service
Hannah Fischer, Congressional Research Service
2:15pm-3:00pm – GIS on Capitol Hill
“GIS for Congress: Use Cases and Resources for Staff”
Rebecca Steele, Digital Director, Office of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Tim Petty, Deputy Legislative Director, Office of U.S. Senator James Risch (R-ID)
Veneice Smith, Digital Librarian, U.S. House of Representatives Library
Lauren Lipovic, Esri
3:00pm-3:15pm – Concluding Remarks
3:15pm-5:00pm – Open House in the Geography and Map Division
Through this diverse program, we are excited to showcase the GIS resources available to Congress and further promote the value of GIS technology to the broader American public. We look forward to seeing you there!
Comments (3)
Is the date for the GIS Day event Nov 16 or 19 ?
Regina: the GIS Day event will be held on Wednesday, Nov 16th.
I know Elizabeth McCartney and Candace Luebbering – they are both great people and I love the LOC. I wish you all best success with this event. I am the GIS Day coordinator and I would very much like to hear how it goes. Thank you!