Directions on the News Podcast Previews 2007 NSGIC Annual Conference

Joe Francica and Adena Schutzberg, of Directions Media, have posted a 12-minute Directions on the News podcast that looks ahead to the 2007 NSGIC Conference in Madison, Wisconsin.

In their discussion, Joe and Adena review the importance of GIS Coordination at all levels of government and discuss the potential for the new position of GIO (Geographic Information Officer) to meet that need.

They explore the differences between the roles of a GIO and a data coordinator and various areas in which each needs to have some expertise, from the technical, to the managerial, to the political.

There is also a brief discussion of the need to develop new GIS leaders for the future. Adena notes the role that NSGIC is now playing in developing new state-level leaders. She also points to the new URISA Leadership Academy and to new aspects of some Masters in Geographic Information Sciences programs.

Summer/Fall 2007 NSGIC News Now Available

The Summer/Fall 2007 edition of NSGIC News (PDF) has been added to the collected NSGIC Newsletters on the NSGIC web site.

This edition includes an informative update from NSGIC President Stu Davis (Ohio) and information on a variety of topics of interest to the NSGIC membership:

• Using Ramona to update the NSGIC State Summaries
• Plans for the annual conference in Madison
• The Cost Benefit Analysis for Imagery for the Nation
• Honoring members of your GIS community
• The 2010 Census
• Nominations to the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC)
• USGS/State Partnerships for the NSDI
• National Hydro Data
• And more!

NSGIC News is published semi-annually share information about NSGIC activities and related state and federal initiatives.

Updates from the GIS in the Rockies Conference

Joe Francica, of All Points Blog, is reporting this week from the GIS in the Rockies Conference and has posted some interesting notes from the Mile High conference site.

So far, he's reported on Jack Dangermond's Keynote Address, a discuss of Service Oriented Architecture for GIS and a multi-agency federal update that folks planning to attend the NSGIC Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, later this month may want to review.

There's also an announcement out of Colorado state government and NSGIC's own Jon Gottsegen that the state has opened its GIS Portal. Even more exciting is the announcement from Michael Locatis, Colorado's Chief Information Officer, "that Gottsegen's position was being elevated to that of a statewide Geographic Information Officer (GIO) that will report in through the Governor's office."

Well done, Jon!

Google Earth Changes Licensing on Free Viewer

Here is something I think we are all interested in...

It appears that the new beta version (4.2) of Google Earth is finally allowing the Free viewer to be utilized in the office for "internal use" instead of requiring the purchase of the GE Professional viewer at $400/seat. This has been a major issue for many states and agencies in terms of licensing.

If you download the new beta version, read the license terms before you click the "Agree and Download" button.

Also, has everyone checked out the ability to look at the sky and stars in the new version? They have registered a lot of the NASA/Hubble Telescope and other astronomical imagery, which you can view using the Sky mode... Shows you the constellations in addition to the imagery for all of us amateur astronomers. Fun way to burn some hours and a great use of the technology! :) What's next from the Googlemeisters??

IndianaMap Featured in Television Report

Indiana's Jill Saligoe-Simmel reports on her Professional Geographer blog that the Indiana Geographic Information Council's IndianaMap is featured on the series "Across Indiana" on Indianapolis' WFYI Public Television station.

Dr. Jill reports that the segments are the result of several months of work by members of the Council and feature information on the uses and benefits of Indiana's 2005 very high resolution orthophotography project.

The blog entry includes a few highlights.

A GIS in Transportation Roll Call of the States

Virginia's Dan Widener, of the NSGIC Transportation For The Nation (TFTN) committee, has sent along a set of links to the annual GIS for Transportation (GIS-T) Roll Call of States.

"This is an excellent way to see what your state Department of Transportation is reporting to their peers about their GIS activities," writes Dan.

There is information online for the years 2003 to 2007. Information for this year (2007) includes a national summary of state activities and a (PDF of a) PowerPoint Roll Call of the States, which includes what each state representative had to say about their GIS priorities.