Larry Nierth, the GIS Supervisor at the City of Houston, said the Map Gallery provides a venue for him to try out new things: “I use the Map Gallery as a chance to challenge myself with different and unique presentation and analysis techniques and see how well they’re perceived and understood. Since the maps I submit are often part of an important project for the City of Houston, the comments I receive from fellow GIS professionals and Esri’s staff cartographers help me ensure that my messages are conveyed well graphically.”

Larry Nierth and Esri president Jack Dangermond

“I’ve received several awards for my work in the Map Gallery, including first place in the Best Analytical Presentation category for my 2010 map 3D Modeling of Microwave Transmission Corridor Obstructions,” Nierth said.  “The recognition acts as a kind of confirmation or time stamp that validates a cartographic piece as a good overall achievement for the year.”

Kellee Koenig, a GIS manager and cartographer for Conservation International, has submitted a map every year since 2005. “My first supervisor at Conservation International encouraged me to share my work and it’s really become another way for us to communicate what we’re working on with a larger audience,” Koenig said. “It’s also a way for us to show our appreciation to Esri for their support of Conservation International.”

Kellee Koenig’s work has been published in Volume 21, 23, and 24 of the Esri Map Book.

While Koenig has never won a Map Gallery award, her work has been published in several volumes of the Esri Map Book. “Because it’s published by GIS users for GIS users, that recognition is meaningful in a unique way.”

“The Map Gallery is a great way to share what we’re doing and get feedback on ways to improve,” said Jesse Rozelle, a risk analyst and GIS coordinator for FEMA Region VIII. “It’s an opportunity for us to brainstorm ways to help each other and connects us with people we wouldn’t normally work with.”

Rozelle’s 2009 project earned a Map Gallery award and was published in Volume 25 of the Esri Map Book.

Rozelle, who often submits maps detailing risk mitigation and damage estimates from catastrophic events, has won awards for his submissions and has also been published in the Esri Map Book. “The best part about having our maps included in the Map Books is that it allows us to share our findings and methodology with as many people as possible.”

The 2012 Map Gallery is your chance to wow the GIS community and connect with others just like you. Submit your work by June 15.

Stay Connected

Share your maps in our Flickr Map Gallery and get the latest news and join the UC conversations on Twitter and Facebook.

In speaking with you, we know that you’re interested in figuring out the best ways to take advantage of this new computing paradigm. Some of you, like Dana Nibby from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, are interested in the resource capabilities the cloud offers. “Working in the cloud puts customers in a ‘Goldilocks’ zone for accessing just the right amount of resources,” Nibby said. “It enables public sector employees to operate like startup entrepreneurs who’ve always had to do more with less.

Deploying ArcGIS in the cloud offers a range of benefits for any organization.

Others see the cloud as a way to enable greater collaboration within and between organizations. Brian Mac Sharry, a spatial data and GIS officer for the European Centre on Biological Diversity, said he’s excited about the ability to do his work from anywhere. “A possible future where I can access and work on my data over the web without having to be at my office computer is very interesting to me.”

We’ll address these issues, and more, at this year’s UC.  These sessions will be more than just your primer or introduction to the cloud. This year’s presentations are aimed at equipping the cloud-initiated with the information and answers you need to successfully implement cloud solutions.

For the geospatial technologist with one foot in cartography, this means addressing the design challenges of dynamically-changing visualized maps on the web.  You will see some great web designs, but better yet, hear from the experts as they explain design rationale, lower-level technical challenges, UX/UI strategies for optimal communication, and implementation techniques for building great web maps holistically. If you’re a web developer, these sessions should be a high priority.

You’ll also see an abundance of sessions about ArcGIS Online, aimed at exposing attendees to the variety of functionality present in Esri’s SaaS offering.  Some highlights include demonstrations about consuming external content to craft well-designed symbols and pop-ups; and how to move your on-premise desktop maps from ArcMap into an ArcGIS Online organizational account — a new offering which allows you to tailor ArcGIS Online to your business or agency.

The City of Salem, Oregon uses ArcGIS Online for organizations to improve efficiency and ROI.

Of course, questions about the value and validity of cloud and geo are still swirling, so there will be sessions that take a candid look at deploying ArcGIS for Server in the cloud. We will cover issues ranging from data upload latency and information exposure to the benefits that many seek to attain in the cloud, such as elastic scalability and the low barrier to entry.  Models and platforms for deploying ArcGIS in the cloud will also underscore the business value that cloud can provide, but will be grounded by topics surrounding costs, cloud infrastructures, and other realities when adopting a cloud ecosystem.

Make 2012 the year you turn a buzzword into your blueprint towards success. We look forward to seeing you at the UC cloud sessions!

By: Victoria Kouyoumjian

While we hope you spend time delving into the full breadth of the agenda, here are a few of the topics that are generating buzz throughout the GIS community:

• The Cloud—Explore a range of sessions aimed at helping you leverage the cloud to publish and share your maps.

• Mobile GIS—Review tips and strategies for integrating GIS workflows on mobile platforms such as iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.

• ArcGIS Online—Get an overview of ArcGIS Online for organizations and hear best practices about topics including web mapping applications design, caching, and more.

• ArcGIS 10.1—Learn about the latest enhancements in ArcGIS and find out how it will affect your work.

As you can see from the agenda, 2012 is shaping up to be a must-attend year for the UC. Register today and prepare for the power of where.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stay Connected

Get the latest news and join the UC conversations on Twitter and Facebook.

You’re not alone. Join our map, chart, and data production team at the Esri UC and explore how new tools and workflows can help you meet greater demands despite having fewer resources. From SDI and imagery to cartography and national mapping, you’ll find the information and help you need to meet your goals. Mark Cygan, Esri’s map, chart, and data production industry manager, previews what we have in-store at this year’s UC.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Connect with Mark and the rest of our national mapping experts at the UC to see how you can do more without spending more. You’ll also be able to collaborate with other map, chart, and data production professionals that face the same challenges as you. Browse the Agenda Preview to find a range of sessions that will boost your productivity and use our justification letter to explain why this is the year you need to join the worldwide geospatial community in San Diego.

Stay Connected

Get the latest news and join the UC conversations on Twitter and Facebook.

Did you know that you may qualify for a complimentary pass to the Esri UC? Find out if your software maintenance program includes this benefit.

As you review the list of paper sessions, tech workshops and demo theater presentations, you’ll see that many topics are featured in multiple forums to meet your needs: cloud and mobile technology, web mapping, ArcGIS 10.1, ArcGIS Online, and more. These game-changing advances in geospatial technology will not only help you improve your productivity and extend GIS throughout your organization, but they will also serve as a platform for you to communicate your ideas and shape the world.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We’ll be releasing our interactive agenda planner in the coming weeks that will include descriptions, speakers, dates, and times for each of these sessions. In the mean time, you can use the agenda preview in conjunction with our justification letter to help your organization understand why you need to join the worldwide Esri community in San Diego. Register today to take advantage of discounted registration and travel rates.

Stay Connected

Get the latest news and join the UC conversations on Twitter and Facebook.

Keep up with these changes in imagery and remotely sensed data by attending Imagery at UC, a three-day series of keynotes, case studies, lightning talks and technical sessions during the Esri UC. You will be able to meet with other geospatial and imagery experts and learn from Esri staff and partners about the best way to integrate image data and analysis into your workflows.

Imagery at UC will show you how managing, using and analyzing very large numbers of images can be easily accomplished with ArcGIS. Producing imagery on the fly means no more coffee breaks while you wait for the imagery to process. Viewing many images, zooming into any location, and visualizing the information that is there allows you quality check your work more quickly and produce more products than ever before.

Don’t wait – check out this event and come away equipped with the best methods to manage your imagery.

By: Karen Richardson

With these factors in mind, our utilities team has developed a comprehensive program of events, presentations, and speakers that are geared toward helping you solve your biggest utilities problems with GIS.  Bill Meehan, Esri’s director of utility solutions, explains why he’s excited about this year’s UC.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Join Bill and the rest of Esri’s utility experts at the UC to explore new tools for solving your utilities challenges. You’ll also experience real world success stories from other utilities professionals like you and learn proven methods for maximizing your geospatial resources. Register today to secure the best hotel rates and get a head start on planning your agenda.

Fast-forward to 2012. Dominique still teaches three GIS classes at the school: Marine Science Research, Environmental GIS, and the Geology of Disasters. The classes are not only popular, but her students have been regular winners of the Lexus Eco Challenge, an environmental action contest for U.S. students from 6-12 grade.

Since 2007, Clark Magnet High School students have won two Land/Water Challenges, two Air/Climate Challenges, two first place wins in the Final Challenge, and one Grand Prize totaling over $145,000 in scholarships and grants from the Lexus Eco Challenge. Just this year, the student group (called the Carbonators), won a $10,000 prize for their research on the negative effects of ozone smog.

The opportunity for scholarships has provided the students with additional motivation and brought them professional recognition, such as the chance to present their work at various science symposiums and the Esri UC.

Says Dominique, “As students become proficient with GIS software, their confidence in their own abilities grows immensely. They recognize the scope and power of GIS and their ability to harness that power for future academic and career applications.”

Join us at the 2012 Esri UC to learn about other inspiring and innovative stories from groups like the Carbonators. You’ll also experience best practices and review the latest trends for putting GIS into action at your educational institution. Register now to secure the best hotel rates and get a head start on planning your agenda.

By: Jim Baumann

You’re also sharing your reputation. The more than 900 maps submitted to the Map Gallery every year are actually first impressions for the Esri cartographers that create the annual Esri Map Book.

Having your work published in the Esri Map Book is a prestigious honor reserved for only the very best maps that are submitted each year. It’s a sign to your organization, the GIS community, and the world that you have unparalleled cartographic talent. Your published maps also help to communicate the breadth and possibility of geospatial technology.

If you want 2012 to be the year you break out of the pack, here are some helpful tips from the very Esri staff that you’ll be trying to impress.

• Tell a story with your map, and let your map tell the story. Don’t dominate your poster with explanatory text.

• Print quality is important. A screenshot of your web map will not do your map the justice it deserves.

• Draw the audience in. You want your map to grab the thousands of attendees browsing the Map Gallery and make them spend some quality time appreciating your work.

This is your year.  Take advantage of this opportunity to inspire your peers and gain the recognition your work deserves. Submit your map by June 15.

Remember that you must be registered for the UC in order to submit your work to the Map Gallery.

Stay Connected

Get the latest news and join the UC conversations on Twitter and Facebook.

One of our favorite parts of the Esri UC is learning about the diverse ways people all over the world use geospatial technology to solve problems, improve communities, and inspire change.  And even though the UC is still several months away, we still love learning about, and sharing, this great work.

With that in mind, we’re launching a new feature that highlights recent stories from around the world that showcase innovative and inspirational uses of geospatial technology. We will be posting new volumes every few weeks.

• App Makes Swamp Rabbit Trail More User-Friendly
  The County of Greenville, South Carolina created an interactive map that gives hikers helpful information about access points, available parking, and restrooms along the Swamp Rabbit Trail.
• The Trees Shall Rise Again
  Arborist Derrick Catlett maps and tracks tree plantings at Macon Street College as part of the campus’ landscape restoration project following a devastating tornado.
• The Arizona Experience, A New Online Tour and History of Arizona
  Multimedia web portal commemorates 100 years of Arizona statehood with interactive maps and new content updated each month during 2012.
• AidData Partners with CCAPS to Launch Foreign Aid Mapping Tool
  Online mapping tool shows how aid projects, climate change vulnerability, and conflict intersect in Africa.

Do you have a recent story you’d like to share? Post your link on our Facebook page or tag your tweet with #esriuc and we may use them in a future post.