URISA's Vanguard Cabinet Announces the Results of the 2021 University Student and Young Professional Digital Competition
URISA's Vanguard Cabinet is pleased to announce the results of the 2021 University Student and Young Professional Digital Competition.
Eligible participants must be enrolled in a college or university, be a recent graduate (spring or summer 2021), or a young or emerging geospatial professional with fewer than five years of experience. The competition was limited to projects that utilize web and mobile platforms, such as ArcGIS Online, Tableau, Mapbox, or Power BI. Projects showcased the visualization functions of these platforms while also demonstrating knowledge and proficiency in spatial analytics, cartographic design, and/or geospatial techniques.
Abstract submissions were reviewed, and the finalists were invited to present their projects to a panel of judges and enthusiastic URISA members on August 23, 2021.
Event Judges:
- Kevin Mickey, GISP President of URISA and Director of Professional Development and Geospatial Technologies Education at The Polis Center.
- Matt Gerike, PhD, GISP, Geospatial Program Manager with Virginia’s 9-1-1 & Geospatial Services Bureau.
- Meredith DiMattina, GISP, GIS Specialist for the UNCG Center for Housing & Community Studies and the Burlington Police Department.
The eight finalists selected were:
Classifying Swimming Pools Using Remote Sensing and LIDAR in Staten Island, New York: Presented by Robert Abugel, Hunter College, New York, New York.
California State University, Long Beach - Benefits of Trees: Presented by Andrew Pineda, CSU Long Beach, Long Beach, California.
Road Accidents in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India: Presented by Vinaya Thakur, CEPT University, Ahmedabad, India.
Assessment of Recent Satellite-Based Digital Elevation Models over Kenya: Presented by Alex Yumbu, The University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Emergency Response to Terrorist Attacks in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India: Presented by Viraj Shah, CEPT University, Ahmedabad, India.
Intelligent Weather Forecasting and Alerting: Presented by Eufrasia Diatmiko, Indonesia, University of Twente, Faculty Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation The Netherlands.
Rising Hate: An Analysis of White Hate Groups, 2016-2019: Presented by Aaron Osowski, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Hopkins, Minnesota.
A Study of Spatial Concurrence of Deaths Due to COVID-19 Pandemic and Drug Overdose Epidemic in the US: Presented by Navya Tripathi, Buchholz High School, Gainesville, Florida.
All eight presenters were awarded a complimentary one-year URISA membership.
The top three projects presented were:
First Place Winner: Eufrasia Bianca Diatmiko for Intelligent Weather Forecasting and Alerting
Second Place Winners (tie): Vinaya Thakur for Road Accidents in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India and Andrew Pineda for California State University, Long Beach - Benefits of Trees
These three presenters will receive a complimentary registration to GIS-Pro, a $500 stipend for travel, and the opportunity to present their work live during the Lightning Talks session at GIS-Pro. This benefit will be offered to the three winners as an option to attend in 2021 or 2022.
The full recording of the competition can be viewed at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKXY7lr2irg
The Vanguard Cabinet appreciates the time, effort, and contribution to the geospatial field made by all competition participants. We enthusiastically look forward to following their careers!
The Vanguard Cabinet (VC) is an advisory board made up of passionate, young (35 years of age or younger) geospatial professionals who strive to engage young practitioners, increase their numbers in the organization, and better understand the concerns facing these future leaders of the geospatial community. The VC's mission is to collaborate with URISA’s Board of Directors and URISA committees in creating and promoting programs and policies of benefit to young professionals and to enhance overall innovation, collaboration, networking, and professional development opportunities.