Project Report for GISCorps: Geocoding Locations of NGOs in Sierra Leone

Non-government organization (NGO) activity in developing countries is difficult to track due to limited infrastructure. URISA’s GISCorps, which coordinates short-term, volunteer-based GIS services to underprivileged communities, was asked to assist the Craig Bellamy Foundation in creating an interactive map showing the locations of international and national NGO offices and their programs in Sierra Leon, a developing country in Western Africa. Michael Knapp, a GIS specialist from Anchorage, Alaska, describes how a combination of Esri and Google technology accomplished the task.

GITA Cancels Oil and Gas Conference; Board Examining Future of Organization

The GITA website explains that its Oil and Gas Pipeline Conference, set for Oct 22-24 in Houston, has been cancelled. This would have been the 21st iteration of the event. The website text goes on to note the status of the organization is unclear: The GITA Board of Directors is meeting in the near future to discuss what the future holds for the association. More information will be released on this website, as well as to GITA’s various stakeholder groups as soon as possible. - GITA website (copyright 2011)

Bike Score Rates (and Maps) Bikeability

Bike Score is the biking equivalent to Walk Score; it’s a measure of the bikeability of cities. 

CNN Reports on Aging Earth Observation Satellites

In a brief report entitled "U.S. could lose aging eyes in the sky," CNN listed the challenges with aging earth observation satellite system this way: Tights budgets, growing costs and failed launches hurt satellite programs, report finds "We'll be hobbling through the year ... Continue reading

NGA Staffer Who Enabled Bin Laden Capture Receives Bonus

A staffer from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) was fetted with monetary bonuses for his work on the imagery analysis that led to the capture of Osama Bin Laden. Per Senior Executives Association spokeswoman Carol Bonosaro, who speaks on behalf of senior government ... Continue reading

Three Geographers Recognized as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Peter Rogerson (State University of New York at Buffalo), John Kelmelis (Penn State University) and Daniel A. Griffith (University of Texas at Dallas) were recognized as 2011 Fellows by their peers for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its ... Continue reading

Health and Human Services Dashboard and other Health GIS News

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today launched of the Health System Measurement Project, an extensive performance dashboard that provides data on about 50 U.S. health system measures, in an accessible, data-driven interactive experience. The breakthrough site, ... Continue reading

AP Uses TileMill, Leaflet in its New Zoomable Map Platform

The Associated Press is leaving other mapping systems and Flash behind with a new HTML based map to be used for its interactive media offerings. Among the tools used are TileMill (to make the map tiles) and Leaflet (for the JavaScript interaction) according to Michelle ... Continue reading

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