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GIS Day 1999 Slated for November!
Since 1987 the National Geographic Society has organized Geography Awareness Week each November to promote geographic literacy in schools, communities, and organizations, with a focus on the education of children. GIS Day will help make people aware of the substantial contributions that GIS technology is making in their communities. GIS Day will become an integral part of the educational achievements that stem from Geography Awareness Week. "For twelve years, the National Geographic Society has invested heavily to get geography back into America's classrooms and to make sure that it is well-taught, well-learned, and well-applied," said Dale Petroskey, senior vice president of Mission Programs, National Geographic Society. "We are delighted to be partners with Esri and the AAG in this effort to bring to light the wide range of possibilities geography has to offer." Jack Dangermond, Esri president, states, "The idea behind GIS Day is to create a single, worldwide event that effectively communicates the benefits and significance of GIS to the rest of society. There are about half a million GIS users in the world, but most of the public is unaware of this growing technology. "GIS will benefit everyone, and it is time people learn more about it and its role in the information society. The vision we have for GIS Day is that 'centers of GIS' will hold open houses and teaching sessions. Our vision is that every user of GIS technology will share their work with other people in their organization, as well as students, visitors, and their community. Typically, cities will put on displays of posters and give demonstrations and lectures and other events that allow people to see and experience firsthand the excitement of this technology." Ronald F. Abler, executive director of AAG, says, "Making GIS Day a regular part of Geography Awareness Week will offer many additional opportunities to acquaint students and citizens with this increasingly vital technology that touches many aspects of our lives. I am excited about working with Esri and the National Geographic Society to use GIS Day to make Geography Awareness Week more effective." Many colleges and universities, as well as K-12 schools, are planning to participate in GIS Day by giving all students on campus an opportunity to see how different academic departments use GIS. Cities and private industry also are planning to participate. Users of GIS technology worldwide are invited to submit their organization profile to an online database. Esri will work with each organization to provide support in promoting their participation in GIS Day to local schools, newspapers, and other organizations. Interested people may also visit Esri's Web site to browse the GIS Day 1999 online database and locate participating organizations in their local communities through an interactive map application using Esri Internet Map Server technology. For more information about GIS Day 1999, please visit Esri's Web site at www.esri.com/gisday or send E-mail to GISday@esri.com. |
Get ready to learn more about GIS and geography. The National Geographic Society, the Association of American Geographers (AAG), and Esri are announcing the first annual GIS Day to be held November 19, 1999--the Friday of Geography Awareness Week (November 14-20, 1999).