UCGIS Symposium 2025

1:30pm MDT

Teaching Introduction to Geographic Information Science: Best Practices and Reflections

Tuesday June 24, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT

This session will compare practices and discuss methods for teaching introduction to GIS and other geospatial courses, bringing together a diverse group of faculty. The participants will share their experience teaching the course, their format for the course, and what does and does not work in the classroom (projects vs. exams, teaching both lecture and lab vs. teaching lecture with TAs teaching labs, types of projects, working with/around AI, etc., ESRI software vs. others, hybrid vs. face-2-face vs. online, etc.).

This session will also focus on the future direction of GIS and teaching it, and how we are instructors of GIS courses prepare our students to work within today’s geospatial world while also discussing how our methods have changed over time. Anyone interested is invited to also share their experiences in teaching the course, along with ideas on how to give students the best experience concerning learning GIS.

Moderators

Caroline McClure

Georgia State University

Tuesday June 24, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
TBA

Presentations, Panel discussion

3:30pm MDT

Building Robust Infrastructures for Future GIS Applications: Insights and Innovations

Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:30pm - 5:00pm MDT

TBA

As we focus on “Navigating the Geospatial Frontier: Future Directions for Academia and Its Partners” for UCGIS 2025, the need for discussion on building robust infrastructures to support future GIS applications is important. The rapidly advancing fields of geospatial big data science and GeoAI demand scalable, cost-efficient, and high-performance infrastructure. This panel will explore the design and implementation of infrastructures that integrate key components such as data acquisition, storage, processing, analysis, visualization, and security. The discussion will feature as a use-case Harvard CGA’s project on “Building a Robust Infrastructure for Geospatial Big Data/Data Science”. Funded by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, this project aims to empower Harvard researchers to execute Geospatial AI Data Science projects across diverse research use cases by strengthening the university’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) infrastructure and services for future GIS application. Utilizing the computing resources of the New England Research Cloud (NERC) and Harvard High-Performance Compute Cluster FASRC, we have developed a suite of products and solutions designed to make geospatial analytics more accessible, faster, cost-effective, and impactful for Harvard researchers. This suite of products include geospatial datasets, GIS big data solutions, GIS big data systems deployed on cloud, software and data licenses, user learning resources, open-source Github repositories, publications and more. The panel will also address strategies for managing diverse datasets—including social media, climate data, and WebAI—while promoting the use of open-source geospatial datasets for broader academic applications. Emphasis will be placed on high-performance infrastructures that support both vector and raster big data using scalable storage systems, distributed computing frameworks, and cloud-based solutions. This session aims to present Harvard’s initiatives in this area while fostering a collaborative exchange of ideas and experiences on other initiatives. By sharing case studies and demos, we seek to provide actionable insights and strategies for designing, implementing, and managing cutting-edge infrastructures tailored to the evolving demands of future geospatial analytics.

Moderators

Devika Jain

Harvard CGA

Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:30pm - 5:00pm MDT
TBA

Presentations, Panel discussion

1:30pm MDT

From Student to GIS Pro: GIS Career Readiness Workshop

Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT

TBA

Join us for a workshop for strategies on seeking mentorship, building your professional network, investing in your professional development and navigating the exciting world of GIS careers. You will hear from the Geospatial Professional Network (GPN) and how to access and leverage their Mentor Network. Esri Young Professionals Network (YPN) will cover the power of networking and strategies to establish a strong support system and grow your presence in the GIS community. GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) will discuss leveraging the PreGISP exam for your own professional development and to jumpstart your GIS career. GISphere will cover resources and opportunities for GIS scholars. To wrap up, you'll participate in an interactive networking activity, giving you the chance to refine your skills and forge meaningful connections.

Presenters:
Hannah Walters
hannahw5280@gmail.com
GIS Analyst, Denver Water
Affiliation: Geospatial Professionals Network (GPN)

Austin Stone
Astone@esri.com
Account Manager – Education, Esri
Affiliation: Esri Young Professionals Network (YPN)

Jochen Albrecht
Jochen.albrecht@gmail.com
Professor for Computational and Theoretical Geography and Graduate Adviser, Hunter College CUNY
Affiliation: GIS Certification Institute (GISCI)

Armita Kar
akar3@gmu.edu
Assistant Professor, Geography and Geoinformation Science, George Mason University
Affiliation: GISphere

Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
TBA

Presentations, Panel discussion

3:30pm MDT

Past Presidents' Panel

Wednesday June 25, 2025 3:30pm - 5:00pm MDT

TBA

Wednesday June 25, 2025 3:30pm - 5:00pm MDT
TBA

Presentations, Panel discussion

1:30pm MDT

Spatial science and data sharing across disciplines: Insights from the Wyoming Adapting to Climate-Water Transitions project

Thursday June 26, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT

TBA

Many scholars have pointed to spatial data as an important boundary object in inter- and trans- disciplinary environmental work. And these sorts of complex, integrated projects are becoming more common in the face of funder pressure, shifting scholarly norms, and the deep complexity of modern socio-ecological crises. Therefore, it has never been more important to understand the potential translational role of spatial data in joining together large teams of environmental scientists, engineers, and social scientists. The current Wyoming Track 1 EPSCoR program, called Wyoming Adapting to Climate-Water Transitions (WyACT), puts this to the test. Environmental data are inherently spatial, and the project has been designed to promote interdisciplinary synergies via overlapping study locations and data that can crosswalk via spatial thinking. Even beyond the work already done, several of the sustainable deliverables of the program revolve around this concept of spatial science as boundary object, including: 1. An intersectoral modeling laboratory which centers spatial data (called CLIMES); 2. A long-term sensor network focused on collecting climate-water data throughout the state (WySEASON); and 3. A spatial data communication platform, which has become the host for most data collected through the project (WyADAPT). In this session, members of the WyACT team will discuss the ways that spatial data and spatial thinking have shaped their experience of WyACT, and how GIScience has influenced the outcomes of the project. We will use these presentations to catalyze discussion of the future of spatial science as a cornerstone of a more integrated academy in the 21st century.

Speakers

Jason Hawes

University of Wyoming

Shannon Albeke

School of Computing, University of Wyoming

Thursday June 26, 2025 1:30pm - 3:00pm MDT
TBA

Presentations, Panel discussion

UCGIS Symposium 2025

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