GIS User Conference slated for September 23-24

Persons interested in geospatial technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), are invited to learn more about these by participating in the Jamaica GIS Virtual User Conference 2020, slated for September 23-24.

The Conference, which is being held for the second time since 2017, will be hosted by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation through the National Spatial Data Management Branch (NSDMB) and Land Information Council of Jamaica (LICJ), under the theme – ‘Geospatial Technologies: Shaping Our Future’.

Topics to be covered include: Climate Change; Urban and Regional Planning; Water Resources; Regional Geospatial Initiatives; Crime Analysis; and Geospatial Application and Workflow.

Among the targeted participants are: current GIS users and potential users from the public and private sector, academia, and general citizenry.

Presentations will be delivered by local, regional and international speakers from entities including: the Planning Institute of Jamaica, University of the West Indies, Mona and St. Augustine Campuses, and OpenStreetMap.

There will also be vendor demonstrations by representatives from GeoTechVision and Spatial Innovision Ltd.

Keynote speaker will be President of the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), Dr. Jack Dangermond.

Esri is the largest GIS software provider and training institute, and has provided Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with access to GIS software over recent years.

All sessions will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on both days.

Senior GIS Manager and Trainer at the NSDMB, Simone Lloyd, encourages persons to participate in the conference, especially as the event is being facilitated digitally.

Noting that support for the initial conference was “overwhelming”, she emphasized that “we want as many persons to benefit from it being online and… open to all who are interested in terms of learning and sharing”, adding that “it is really an opportunity to both learn and exchange ideas”.

Ms. Lloyd told JIS News that this year’s event will focus on how geospatial technologies/geographic information systems are driving and shaping Jamaica’s future, “and how they are being used in various areas to propel how we move forward”.

Among these inputs, she indicated, are: software, applications, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), remote sensing technologies, and other geospatial technologies related to location or place-based information.

Persons may visit the LICJ’s webpage: http://www.licj.org.jm/index.php/registration-form/, to register.