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CaGIS is pleased to announce the results of the CaGIS 2023 Officer Election:

Caglar Koylu will become the CaGIS Vice President.  Dr. Koylu is an Assistant Professor of Geographic Information Science in the Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences at the University of Iowa. He received his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 2014.

Samantha Arundel was elected to another term on the CaGIS Board of Directors.  Dr. Arundel is a research geographer in the Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science at the U.S. Geological Survey. Her research focuses on automating terrain feature mapping and modeling using various techniques like traditional raster modeling, GEOBIA and machine learning.

Sam Stehle will join the CaGIS Board of Directors for his first term in 2023.  Dr. Stehle is a data scientist for the Center for Analytics at the U.S. Department of State. Sam is interested in geopolitical applications of machine learning and natural language processing, which he applies as a project manager, engineer, and civil servant. Sam received his PhD in Geography from Penn State in 2017 with his dissertation titled “Mapping Semantic and Spatial Mediascapes in the Catalonian Independence Movement: Geopolitics, Sports, and Black Boxes.”

We want to thank everyone who participated in the election, including those who ran for an office and those who voted and look forward to a successful and productive year!

The Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS) proudly announces that applications are now being accepted for the Society’s annual scholarship awards. The scholarships recognize academic achievement and encourage the continuing success of outstanding cartography and geographic information science students. The scholarships also recognize achievement or potential for achievement in original research advancing the specific disciplines of cartography or geographic information science.

Applications are due by February 28, 2023 and will be reviewed by the CaGIS Scholarship Committee. Award recipients will be announced in April, 2023.

Please see the Student Scholarships page for more information.

Brianna Bambic will be presenting “Allen Coral Atlas: A New Technology for Coral Reef Conservation” at the next GeoBytes webinar on Friday, September 23 at 12:00 pm ET. The webinar is FREE for all CaGIS members. See attached abstract for more information about the presentation.

Please see the CaGIS GeoBytes page for more information on registering.

Abstract

Coral reef managers and decision makers at multiple scales need information, in near real time, to react to the increasing threats facing reefs. However, more than three quarters of the world’s coral reefs have never been mapped and lack monitoring. To address this knowledge gap and to support, inform, and inspire critical actions to manage and protect coral reefs, the Allen Coral Atlas combines high resolution satellite imagery, machine learning, and field data to produce globally consistent benthic and geomorphic maps and monitoring systems of the world’s coral reefs. The initiative’s goal is to help stakeholders ranging from local communities to regional and national governments reach their conservation targets and improve their coastal resilience. The multi-disciplinary partnership is led by Arizona State University, in collaboration with Planet, University of Queensland, and the Coral Reef Alliance. Baseline maps have multiple uses, including: sustainable coastal development, site selection of marine protected areas, planning of restoration activities, and reef fisheries management. In this presentation, we will demonstrate how the Allen Coral Atlas supports data-driven management, conservation, and restoration of coral reefs at local, national, regional, and global scales. We have developed online courses to facilitate increased use and impact of the Atlas, and are collaborating with networks of individuals and institutions who can be alerted when changes are detected (e.g., large-scale bleaching or sedimentation events).

Brianna Bambic leads the Allen Coral Atlas Field Engagement team at the National Geographic Society and Arizona State University. With a coral reef biology and resource management background, she was an Independent Researcher for 7 years that culminated in a virtual reality experience of Half Moon Caye National Monument, Belize with a National Geographic Explorer Grant, helping communicate science to the public. Brianna received her MS in natural resource management from the University of Akureyri, Iceland in 2019. Her expertise includes coastal and marine management, global science communication, and developing capacity around remote sensing and mapping. With countless hours underwater and >700 logged dives, she loves spending time exploring the ocean.

The Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS) invites proposals for research or outreach projects that have the potential to transform global challenges into new opportunities that advance and promote Cartography and GIScience.

Creativity, novelty, and the potential for broader impacts to society will constitute key criteria for evaluating these proposals for funding.

Proposals may request a budget up to $10,000, and CaGIS expects to fund at least one project during this funding cycle. We welcome early-career individuals or teams to submit proposals, and at least one person on the project team must be a current CaGIS member (visit cartogis.org/membership to join CaGIS).

Please see the CaGIS Rising page for more information!

Rodney Jackson will be presenting “2022 Update of the USDoL Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM)” at the next GeoBytes webinar on Friday, June 3 at 12:00 pm ET. The webinar is FREE for all CaGIS members. See attached abstract for more information about the presentation.

Please see the CaGIS GeoBytes page for more information on registering.

Abstract

In collaboration with the US Department of Labor (USDoL), the National Geospatial Technology Center (GeoTech Center) is updating the Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM). The GTCM framework was developed through a collaborative effort involving the US DoL Employment and Training Administration (ETA), the GeoTech Center, and industry experts. We are seeking geospatial professionals to complete a review of the GTCM. Their commitment to participate in an assessment of the GTCM tiers via online survey will enable us to update the competency model to best reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed in the geospatial industry.

Dr. Rodney D. Jackson serves as the Director for the Special Operations School of Information Technology (SOSIT). He has 20 years of experience in higher education, having held various teaching and administrative positions at community colleges, universities, and governmental institutions of higher learning. A geographer by training, Rodney is Certified Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP). He prefers to fly-fish local freshwater streams during his free time. Rodney retired from the United States Army Reserves as Lieutenant Colonel in the Engineer Corps (Geospatial Designator) in 2017.

Bo Zhao will be presenting “Deep Fake geography? A humanistic GIS Reflection upon Geospatial Artificial Intelligence” at the next GeoBytes webinar on Friday, May 27 at 12:00 pm ET. The webinar is FREE for all CaGIS members. See attached abstract for more information about the presentation.

Please see the CaGIS GeoBytes page for more information on registering.

Abstract

The ongoing development of Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) has raised deep concerns about the emergence of deep fake geography and its potentials in transforming the human perception of the geographic world (Zhao et al 2021). This seminar presents a humanistic GIS reflection upon GeoAI (Zhao 2022) and its social implications using an empirical study that dissected the algorithmic mechanism of falsifying satellite images with non-existent landscape features. To demonstrate our pioneering attempt at deep fake detection, a robust approach is then proposed and evaluated. Our proactive study warns of the emergence and proliferation of deep fakes in geography just as “lies” in maps. We suggest timely detections of deep fakes in geospatial data and proper coping strategies when necessary. More importantly, it is encouraged to cultivate critical geospatial data literacy and thus to understand the multi-faceted impacts of deep fake geography on individuals and human society.

Bo Zhao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington, Seattle. His recent research interests include GIScience, geographical misinformation, and social implications of emerging GIS technologies, especially in the context of the United States or China.

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