USC Spatial Sciences Institute Resumes In-Person Geospatial Summit in Los Angeles
USC Spatial Sciences invites students, young professionals, and industry leaders in the geospatial industry for the opportunity to network and gain insights on GIS trends at the 2022 Los Angeles Geospatial Summit. Full Summit Details HERE
Los Angeles, CA– John P. Wilson, professor and founding director of the USC Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI) and the Program Committee of the Los Angeles Geospatial Summit has announced the details of the 12th annual hallmark conference: The 2022 Los Angeles Geospatial Summit taking place at the USC Hotel on Friday, February 25, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST.
“After last year’s virtual presentation, we are pleased to be gathering in person, COVID protocols permitting, for our 12th annual Los Angeles Geospatial Summit,” Wilson said. “We know that students, young professionals and industry leaders are eager to reconnect and are looking forward to the energy of active learning beyond a computer screen. This year our program focuses on solutions for sustainability, community resiliency and business productivity.”
The opening session will feature a keynote address by Los Angeles City Forest Officer Rachel Malarich on the use of geospatial data and analysis to implement the city’s urban forestry goals in integrated and equitable ways as part of LA’s Green New Deal. Malarich will join a panel of experts for a discussion on balancing environmental, economic and societal needs and objectives using geovisualizations. Joining Malarich and Wilson in this panel discussion will be Joel B. Farrier, West US Strategic Growth Leader and Regional Environment Manager, Burns & McDonnell, and Thomas Horan, H. Jess and Donna Senecal Endowed Dean’s Chair and Dean, School of Business, University of Redlands.
The program will also feature a panel on “Using Geospatial Solutions to Create Resiliency for Essential Services.” Laura C. Loyola, SSI assistant professor (teaching) and director of undergraduate studies, will moderate the discussion with Michael Ann Lane, Global Education and Sales Development Manager, Hexagon, and Ryan Lanclos, Director of Public Safety and Disaster Response Solutions at Esri.
This year, undergraduate and graduate students from local GIS programs will present their posters and compete for awards in a student poster competition sponsored by Esri. In addition to the opportunity to share their research findings in the dedicated poster session, students will have their posters evaluated by a panel of industry experts for recognition in three categories:
1) most innovative use of technology
2) most compelling communication using maps
3) most suitably applied methodology or analysis
Winners in each category will receive prizes provided by Esri and will be featured in Esri and SSI post-Summit communications.
During the lunchtime “Knowledge Network,” Summit participants will speak with representatives of leading companies and organizations, including the California Geographic Information Association (CGIA); California State University, Long Beach; California URISA; Eclipse Mapping and GIS; Emesent; Esri; Hexagon; Maxar Technologies; Southern California Association of Governments; Tableau; US Army Corps of Engineers; the University of Redlands; the USC Libraries; USC Spatial Sciences Institute and Women in GIS.
The afternoon program will feature use cases from the geospatial industry and the Maxar Student Lightning Talk Session, moderated by Barry C. Tilton, Technical Evangelist, Strategic Growth, Maxar. Three students will be selected by a faculty committee to present their research in the lightning talk session and will discuss their work with a panel of expert respondents.
Students participating in the poster and lightning talk sessions are coming from GIS academic programs at:
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona;
- California State University, Long Beach;
- the University of Redlands; and
- the University of Southern California.
A new addition to the program is a 30-minute, speed networking session that provides a framework for Summit attendees to connect with each other.
The Summit will conclude with a panel discussion on “The Challenges and Opportunities in Mapping Interior Spaces,” one of the burgeoning areas in the geospatial Industry. Platforms and sensors using LiDAR, inertial measurement units (IMUs) and terrestrial imaging used to collect data inside buildings, caves, tunnels and other interior spaces are rapidly entering the commercial market, and the data sets captured with these evolving technologies are being employed for building information modeling (BIM) and other interior mapping applications.
Summit participants will have the ability to access pre-recorded technical workshops presented by the Summit Gold Sponsors. This year’s Gold Sponsors to date include Eclipse Mapping and GIS, Esri, Maxar Technologies, the University of Redlands, Sheila and Richard Rozman, and the USC Spatial Sciences Institute.
Those interested in viewing recordings of the main stage sessions, the technical workshops and the poster gallery after the Summit date can register now for a special online registration rate of $25. USC alumni and members of CGIA, the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, and URISA can take advantage of a discounted registration rate.
“We thank our Gold Sponsors as well as our Bronze Sponsors – the California Geographic Information Association (CGIA); California State University, Long Beach Department of Geography; Hexagon; and Tableau – for their support in presenting a program featuring cutting-edge industry trends,” Wilson said. “We hope you will join us for a day of stimulating interactions.”
Summit Registration:
Friday, February 25, 2022
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
GIS and geospatial sciences students from any college or university, as well as industry professionals, can register for the Summit here.
A detailed program breakdown of the Summit can be found here.
Registration Rates:
About USC Spatial Sciences Institute:
Since its founding in 2010, the USC Spatial Sciences Institute has been using the power of connecting place, space, and time to help address global challenges like population growth, environmental sustainability, and human well-being. Housed in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the research and academic programs of the Spatial Sciences Institute contribute to the rapidly evolving body of geospatial knowledge and are innovating ways to empower decision-makers with the analysis, modeling, and visualization of location-based data. As the hub of spatial-related academic programs at USC, the Spatial Sciences Institute is unique in offering interdisciplinary courses and degrees at every higher educational level.
For more information about our research and academic programs, please visit https://spatial.usc.edu.