NSGIC Presents 2007 Outstanding Service Awards

Six leaders in the geospatial community were awarded NSGIC Outstanding Service Awards (PDF) for 2007 at the annual NSGIC conference in Madison, Wisconsin, in September. NSGIC also debuted a new and special award at the Madison conference.

NSGIC Past President Stu Davis (Ohio) gave awards to:

• David Brotzman (Vermont)
• Will Craig (Minnesota)
• Kenny Miller (Maryland)
• Miki Schmidt (NOAA)
• Anne Hale Miglarese (Fugro EarthData)
• Fred Stringfellow (NSGIC)

The Outstanding Service Award recognizes long-term service to NSGIC and is presented to those who have advanced the National Spatial Data Infrastructure and promoted NSGIC’s goal of efficient and effective government through prudent implementation of geospatial technologies. It is one of NSGIC’s highest service awards.

The first instance of a new award, the Dedicated Service Award, was presented to the family of the late Carol Brandt (U.S. Department of Transportation), in recognition of her devoted lifetime of service.

NSGIC Posts 2007-2008 Advocacy Agenda

The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) has posted its 2007-2008 Advocacy Agenda (PDF). The Advocacy Agenda is part of an effort to meet the NSGIC Strategic Plan (PDF) goal of being an effective advocate for states in national geospatial policy initiatives.

The 2007-2008 Advocacy Agenda focuses on several key and specific initiatives approved by member states at the NSGIC Annual Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, in September of 2007. They are:

1. Imagery for the Nation -- The Council will seek authorization and funding from Congress to implement a sustained federal program for the collection, maintenance, distribution and archive of aerial imagery that meets on-going local, state, and federal program requirements.
2. Cadastral (Parcel) Mapping -- The National Academy’s report entitled “National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future” provides an opportunity to quickly enhance and improve significant portions of the cadastral layers of the NSDI. The report’s nine recommendations are important in that they encourage cost sharing and integration among federal, state and local cadastral activities.
   
3. Cooperative Agreements Program (CAP) Grants -- The Council will seek, support, and advocate for increased funding (new funds) for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Cooperative Agreements Program (CAP) Grants within the U.S. Department of Interior. In FY 2007 a total of $1.2 million was made available to fund an estimated 26 innovative projects that spread across five categories. Each project focuses on ways to build and improve the existing geospatial data infrastructure necessary to effectively discover, access, share, manage and use digital geographic data.
   

The Advocacy agenda will help NSGIC in its effort to guide the states in fulfilling their role in building the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), and to promote statewide geospatial coordination activities in all states.

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.