MAPPS, NSPS Announce 2016 National Surveying, Mapping & Geospatial Conference

- MAPPS and National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) today announced registration is now open for the second annual National Surveying, Mapping, and Geospatial Conference, to be held March 14-18, 2016 at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City (Arlington), VA. Building on the success of last year's conference, this year's joint conference will again bring together professionals in the surveying, mapping and geospatial field to discuss public policy, business, professional practice and new technology. Providing a forum for discussions on best practices, technology, issues and policies, the conference gives participants an opportunity to share information, knowledge and tools, as well as opens doors to new markets and facilitate collaboration on data acquisition, processing, applications and the use of new and emerging technology.

The conference will include the traditional MAPPS Federal Programs Conference (open to all attendees) March 15-16. Presentations by Federal agencies, the Obama Administration, and members of Congress will include briefings on programs, budgets, and requirements for the acquisition of geospatial services, data and products by contract from the private sector. MAPPS and NSPS members will visit some 200 Congressmen and Senators at the U.S. Capitol, advancing a common agenda of legislative issues that serve the public and engage the surveying and mapping community. NSPS will host the finals of its annual Student Competition on Monday, March 14. The conference will also include a Mock Trial; a workshop on the newly revised ALTAsurvey standards; plenary sessions presented by individuals as well as NGS; an exhibit hall; social networking activities; and meetings of NSPS committees, its Board of Directors, and its annual General Membership Meeting. "The feedback from last year's conference was phenomenal," said NSPS Executive Director Curtis W. Sumner.

"This year the conference will be even more integrated between MAPPS and NSPS, and we are implementing improvements based on our experience and feedback from last year. "Bringing together all disciplines within of the mapping, surveying and geospatial profession, and partnering with with federal agencies, as well as promoting the community in Congress, is what makes this conference unique and a must-attend event for MAPPS members, NSPS members, and other practitioners in the community," said MAPPS Executive Director John M. Palatiello. Registration is now open.

Go to www.surveyingandmapping.net for more information.

About MAPPS

Formed in 1982, MAPPS is the only national association exclusively comprised of private firms in the remote sensing, spatial data and geographic information systems field in the United States. The MAPPS membership spans the entire spectrum of the geospatial community, including Member Firms engaged in satellite and airborne remote sensing, surveying, photogrammetry, aerial photography, LIDAR, hydrography, bathymetry, charting, aerial and satellite image processing, GPS, and GIS data collection and conversion services. MAPPS also includes Associate Member Firms, which are companies that provide hardware, software, products and services to the geospatial profession in the United States and other firms from around the world. Independent Consultant Members are sole proprietors engaged in consulting in or to the geospatial profession, or provides a consulting service of interest to the geospatial profession. About NSPS NSPS is a national professional society and federation of state societies of professional surveyors and persons trained, registered, or interested in the profession of surveying and mapping. NSPS advances the sciences and disciplines within the profession and strives to establish and further common interests, objectives, and political efforts to help bind the surveying profession into a unified body in the United States.

If you're interested in more information, or would like to set up an interview, please call: Beth Hawley Communications Manager 703-787-6996 beth@mapps.org