GIS Blog: Melanie A. Sutton

  Today I sponsored a Virtual GIS Day to explore ways to promote GIS in the future, using these sites: 101 Ways to Participate Creating and Conducting GuestPresentations for Students Promoting Your Event - particularly the section with templates for a flyer and a PowerPoint presentation During the event, attendees noted how one of the key take-aways from “Creating and Conducting Guest Presentations for Students” was the recommendation to help students consider what sets their local neighborhood apart. We discussed using a landmark familiar to students in a presentation explaining what GIS is and why it is important. For Pensacola, Graffiti Bridge was suggested. Another recommendation in the “Creating and Conducting Guest Presentations for Students” presentation was to choose a particular local or global issue and contrast maps over time to open up a discussion on the “whys of where.” In line with this and continuing with the suggested landmark theme above, we discussed how a pre...

For ongoing professional engagement I have selected GISCorps , a volunteer-based group which operates under the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association, an international non-profit that promotes "the effective and ethical use of spatial information and information technologies for the understanding and management of urban and regional systems." Becoming a "Friend" to GISCorps is free and allows you to receive their quarterly newsletter and announcements about developments within GISCorps, including the amazing work of their volunteers. Alternatively, if you are ready to use your GIS and geospatial expertise to help communities in need, you can register for free as a "Volunteer". Joining GISCorps with this level means you’ll be notified of volunteer opportunities that match your skills, and then you follow-up with an application. This level of participation includes agreeing to a GIS Service Pledge that includes a commitment from Esri for a d...