ArcWatch: Your e-Magazine for GIS News, Views, and Insights
June 2011
Five Reasons You Can't Afford to Miss Esri UC
Find Out Why More Than 13,000 GIS Professionals Join Esri in San Diego Each Summer
Esri UC attendees look forward to hearing Esri President Jack Dangermond speak at the Plenary Session, where he presents his visionary message about geospatial technology.
As if a trip to San Diego, California, weren't enough of a draw, here are some of the most compelling reasons to attend the Esri International User Conference (Esri UC) this July. In one week and in one place, Esri UC offers unmatched opportunities to hone your ArcGIS skills, get up to speed on the latest in geospatial technology, and find contacts and resources that will make your job easier throughout the year. Read on to hear what past attendees have to say.
No. 1—Geospatial Inspiration
At the Plenary Session, Esri president Jack Dangermond and guest speakers present an entertaining and informative overview of the power and potential of geospatial technology. You'll learn about innovative ways people around the world use GIS and see demonstrations of impressive new applications of Esri technology.
"The excitement and energy about the possibilities of GIS are very strong the first day, and it continues throughout the conference," says Scott Woodbury of the City of Henderson, Nevada. "I always come away more excited about GIS, with many ideas about how to better use Esri products."
No. 2—Personalized Technical Support
You can meet one-on-one with Esri technical support experts, partners, and other solution providers.
The ability to meet one-on-one with an Esri expert is a wildly popular feature of Esri UC. Throughout the conference, you can stop by the Technical Support Island for advice on your unique GIS concerns. You can even bring your data with you and walk through your issues with our technical support staff.
"The ability to meet with Esri employees is worth the trip alone," says Daniel Jacobs, program manager for the Defense Logistics Agency at the US Department of Defense. "We came with several specific questions and had them all answered before we left."
No. 3—Technical Insight and Hands-on Training
Whether you want to keep up with the latest GIS techniques and technologies or just try out our software, Esri UC is the place to develop your skills. Session tracks are organized by expertise level, technical topic, and industry to help you find the insights and time-saving tips you may not have even realized you needed. Stop by the Hands-on Learning Lab for self-paced training or consider attending our in-depth preconference seminars to sharpen your skills before Esri UC.
"I learned so much in the hands-on labs," says Susan Oyer of the Palm Beach County, Florida, School District. "I left inspired and energized to bring back what I learned and use it in my middle school classroom."
No. 4—Valuable Connections
Chances are that someone at Esri UC has the advice or product you need to solve your GIS challenges. The sharing of experience and expertise among GIS users and experts is a hallmark of the conference. In addition to hosting our partners and other GIS vendors at the GIS Solutions EXPO, we offer dozens of Special Interest Group meetings and social events during the conference so that you can connect with others from your industry, agency, or region. "There is so much to see, and experts are readily available and eager to help," says Logan Price, GIS analyst at Disclosure Source/Fidelity National Financial. "Esri makes it easy to learn and get the contacts you need."
No. 5—Opportunities to Tell Us What You Think
The Esri UC is held at the San Diego Convention Center. Nearby is the Gaslamp District with its fine choice of restaurants.
Esri values input from ArcGIS users, and that's abundantly clear at Esri UC. Esri president Jack Dangermond is already busy answering questions posed by this year's registrants so he can address their concerns on our website and in the closing session. When you connect with Esri staff at the Technical Support Island, during a session, or anywhere else at Esri UC, please share your valuable practical insight to help us improve our software, our services, and our future offerings.
Register for Esri UC today and reserve your hotel room at exclusive conference rates while they're still available. See you in San Diego!
