I wanted to share a little commentary on an event I attended last week in my 'home county' just North of New York City. It was amazing to see the variety of people attending, from an independent technology researcher learning about GIS for the first time, to major utilities systems designers trying to solve problems related to tribal knowledge of the location of gas mains. So many people are curious about this science and its application.
The presentations offered a glimpse into another side of the GIS coin, with so many focused on how various non-profit associations are leveraging GIS to their advantage. These group covered the gamut from land preservation, to public health, to leveraging open data to improve the lives of the citizens of New York. A student at Purchase College (the institution that hosted the day) described a great on-campus initiative that crowd funds ideas for sustainability-related projects. A public servant from Albany described the challenges of a coastal state trying to prepare for the changes in sea levels as a result of global warming.
For a relatively small event it was incredibly informative and inspiring. @Sam Wear?and his team did an excellent job of putting together the agenda and coordinating the entire day. It's worth mentioning the he and his team in Westchester County are enabling many of the initiatives above through their work and volunteerism. A great example of community!
If as a GIS you aren't attending events like this or hosting them, I highly recommend you seek them out. If you are, please share your learnings with your peers on Li360.