GITA News Hub

Call for papers

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

Call for papers closes May 29!

Please consider being part of the inaugural EnerGIS conference by submitting an abstract for consideration and inclusion in the conference.

Some suggested topics:

GIS in oil, gas or coal exploration
GIS uses and application for natural gas distribution and transmission systems
GIS applications for electrical distribution and transmission systems
GIS management of land records, mineral leases and right of ways
How GIS assists your firm with long range planning
Environmental issues/concerns within the energy industry, and how GIS is helping
Customized software and applications
GIS management issues, hardware, software and staffing
Emergency management and GIS within the energy industry
Doing more with less on tight budgets and deadlines
Remote sensing/aerial photography for mineral prospecting
Conversion and capture of historic data; maps, well records, etc.
Geological/prospecting software that utilizes GIS
Combining real-time SCADA data with your GIS
Web based GIS applications

Top 10 awesome features coming in the new Google Maps

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

By Glenn Letham: I'm sure more than a few of you have been catching the 2013 Google I/O livestream, unless you happen to be there in person (lucky you). It's always a treat to hear about Google and what's coming next. For myself I was interested to hear all about the future of Google Maps and Google Maps for mobile. Google has reinforced that Maps are all about exploring and discovering, especially on mobile. The experience will only get better, for the developer and end user.

70 percent of Americans favor infrastructure investments for security

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

By Jesse Berst: For a while now I have felt that the electric power industry has a major problem — namely, its poor skills in telling its own story. Modernizing the grid has a long list of business and societal benefits. But far too often, we fail to communicate those benefits in terms consumers can relate to. For instance, until Hurricane Sandy, many utilities were not connecting grid upgrades with reliability improvements.

Using GIS for disaster management

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

The devastation of Hurricane Sandy and the western wildfires in 2012 are sobering reminders that utilities always need to be prepared to respond to large-scale natural disasters. When faced with incidents of that size, a utility is forced to look at all of its resources in preparation, including those it doesn't typically utilize under normal conditions.

The geography of hate maps geotagged hateful tweets

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

A few days ago, I sent out a tweet about some interesting research from Humboldt State University on the geography of hate and the hate mMap of racist and homophobic tweets — interesting to see that today the maps seem to be going viral on Twitter.

White House moves to harden infrastructure against GPS disruption

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

System engineers across the country may soon be planning, in some cases perhaps for the first time, what they would do if they could not use the GPS service. The effort is part of an expanded White House initiative to protect the nation's critical infrastructure.

Mainstream geospatial: Industry trends lead mankind into a brighter future

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

It was only 10 years ago that the term "professional" was first applied to GIS. The geospatial world was relatively unfamiliar to the public at large, and it took decades of establishing it as a credible technology before it has finally become mainstream — where it has always belonged. Today, people young and old navigate virtual maps with ease — something that previously was a playground for GIS specialists.

Beyond surveillance: Envisioning the future drone workforce

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

Jonathan Downey is the kind of guy you want flying you around. The 29-year-old MIT-educated engineer not only has a commercial pilot's license, but he also helped set the record for longest unmanned helicopter flight (18.7 hours) and pulled off among the highest hovers out of ground-effect (20,000 feet). Downey has taken his pilot and pilotless chops and turned them toward his own commercial drone company, Airware.

GPS IIF-4 successfully launched from Cape Canaveral

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

A U.S. Air Force Global Positioning System satellite built by Boeing was successfully launched. The fourth GPS IIF satellite, Space Vehicle Number (SVN) 66, was carried aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V Launch Vehicle at 5:38 p.m. EDT May 15 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Maps and the geospatial revolution MOOC

21 May 2013 16:32:24 CDT

Wouldn't it be amazing if thousands of people could learn about the power of mapping, start making their own web maps, and begin thinking spatially in new ways? MOOCs (Massively Open Online Courses) make it possible for universities to open higher education to many more students than was previously possible. Beginning July 17, Dr. Anthony C. Robinson, geography professor at Penn State University, will offer a MOOC entitled "Maps and the Geospatial Revolution."