NSGIC Conference Report 2

Tuesday (day 3) of the NSGIC Annual Conference began with a presentation by Dr. Steven Corbett, of Loma Linda University, on the Advanced Emergency Geographical Information System (AEGIS). AEGIS is a GIS-enabled emergency management application that brings dependable situational awareness to the managers of emergency operations and to the front-line responders.

NSGIC President Cy Smith (Oregon) gave an overview of the proposed Strategic Framework for the National Spatial data Infrastructure (NSDI). The proposal includes six strategies:

• Fully implement and maintain fifty state-level Spatial Data Inventories (SSDIs).
• Create a functional governance structure.
• Enable more "For the Nation" initiatives such as the Imagery for the Nation Initiatives now gaining traction.
• Implement a national funding strategy.
• Improve advocacy for and communication about the NSDI.develop and implement a tech strategy to achieve SSDI and NSDI
• Develop and implement a technical strategy to enable both state and national spatial data infrastructures.

Following the NSDI discussion, the first of two NSGIC business meetings were held. This one featured annual reports from the several NSGIC committees and presentation of a number of awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award to Ted Koch (Wisconsin).

Following lunch, Will Craig (Minnesota) led a panel discussion of lessons learned from efforts to create statewide address data sets. Panelists shared success, failures, and advice from efforts to create address data for West Virginia, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont, Indiana, and Virginia. Utah's Bert Granberg, blogging from the front row (on the right), has a nice, detailed write-up of this session.

A panel of NSGIC Corporate Leadership Council members held a discussion about enterprise licensing and data licensing. Many states are now working with software vendors and imagery contractors to take advantage of licensing.

Zsolt Nagy (North Carolina) led a panel discussion on archiving digital data. The panel included representatives from archiving and GIS organizations in North Carolina, Utah, and Kentucky as well as from the Library of Congress.

Ted Koch (Wisconsin) and Vickie Lucas (USGS) gave an update on progress on the Imagery for the Nation initiative. They reviewed actions by IFTN committee and support for the idea recently voiced by the US Secretary of the Interior.

The day ended with a BBQ picnic and bonfire at a nearby stables. There was a heavy rain shower, but it coincided with the eating and chatting portion of the evening, which took place in a tent. After dinner, the rain stopped and the crowd gathered around the fire for a loose, rambling bluegrass concert by Denver's Long Road Home.

Ten BIG Pages of NSGIC News!

The Summer 2008 Edition of NSGIC News (PDF) has hit the newsstands!!!

Well, to the extent that you consider the NSGIC web site to be a news stand. It is public and NSGIC News is displayed there, so that's like a newsstand.

Never mind that... The Summer Edition of NSGIC News is out! It is ten big pages of news about NSGIC. And in it you can read about the latest efforts of NSGIC's leadership to help coordinate among state, local and federal agencies!

You can read about The National Map! And about a new addressing white paper! And about the Annual NSGIC Conference!

Learn more about COGO! (What is COGO? We refer you to the latest NSGIC News; page 4.)

But that's not all! Meet Katherine Kapo, NSGIC's newest state coordinator and the one-woman focus-group who bravely tested the new NSGC "webterview!"

But wait, there's more!

We also present the results of the first-ever NSGIC Six-Word "How-To" Challenge: How will we achieve a true National Spatial Data Infrastructure?

And we're not even telling you all that is found in the latest NSGIC News. It is really hard to maintain this breathless excitement while typing; but just you trust us, there's more!

And it is all for you in the Summer 2008 Edition of NSGIC News (PDF).

A Discussion of the Roles of the GIO and the State GIS Coordinator

The latest Directions on the News podcast features a discussion of the implications of the recent announcement of plans to appoint a GIO (Geospatial Information Officer) for the Department of the Interior. Joe Francica and Adena Schutzberg explore two basic some questions about the idea: is there time to find the right person? And, what should be the role of a GIO for such a large agency?

Two models fro the GIO role were discussed. One is a CIO focused on geographic issues. Ms. Shutzberg noted that a CIO tends to be a technology leader, someone who focuses on the technology sides of things but not as much on coordination with other levels of government.

The other model is that of the GIS Coordinators who make up much of the NSGIC membership, whose role "tends to be more about ... being the champion for GIS in the state."

Ms. Shutzberg added that a State GIS Coordinator does have to have some technical savvy (and that some have a great deal of technical savvy) but that the coordinator role is broader.

"...unifying the troops. Getting the partnerships together. Creating the vision. Working with the Governor and other state agencies. And it is far more of a, dare I say, political sort of role."

Joe Francica added that the State GIS Coordinator also serves as a liaison between the local and federal levels.

Both agreed that the GIO for a large federal agency such as Interior will need to fit the political role, and be able to coordinate among agencies and levels of government, with strong technical know-how. They concluded that the new GIO will have to be a "high-powered individual" and that it is a real question whether or not there will be time to find and appoint the right person before the end of the current administration.

This podcast makes interesting listening for all of those who work with agencies within the Department of the Interior, for those who now work as GIOs and for those who are State GIS Coordinators. Our roles are growing and changing as we adapt the shifting geospatial industry and the rapid growth of the use and sharing of geospatial data and information.

A More Formal COGO Announcement

The URISA Coalition of Geospatial Organizations (COGO) page now features a formal announcement of the "officialization" of COGO. The announcement includes a more complete list of founding member organizations and founding advisory organizations and a word from NSGIC president (and COGO Chair) Cy Smith, of Oregon:

"I know I speak for all organizations that have joined this coalition when I say that we are excited and optimistic about the potential to accelerate the advancement of a variety of national geospatial issues."

NSGIC is among the founding members, so we'll keep an eye on, and link to, COGO developements as they occur.

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.

Another (the Official) Update on Imagery for the Nation

The first of a planned series of Imagery for the Nation (IFTN) updates has been posted to the NSGIC web site.

Imagery for the Nation is a cooperative effort to make real a vision of "a sustainable and flexible digital imagery program that meets the needs of local, state, regional, tribal and federal agencies."

Update #1 (PDF) looks at several on-going activities related to the effort:

• Work now under way on a Cost Benefit Analysis study.
• Thoughts on the idea from the Western Governors Association.
• Recent discussions on potential funding options.
• Next steps and "what can I do to help?"

One answer to that last question is very simple:

You can assist the implementation of IFTN by showing your support for this initiative. Please have your organization send a letter of support to NSGIC for posting on its web page. You can simply use the format from one of the letters on the site, or create your own format. What’s important is your show of support.

Stay connected to the NSGIC blog and to the IFTN web site for further updates.