Discover the world of geospatial analysis and mapping during GIS Day on November 18  at the University Libraries.  Day long activities will highlight Geographic information System (GIS) technology, an essential tool for analysis and presentation.  GIS  arranges data about locations such as streets, buildings, or  terrain and converts it into visual layers, typically maps.  A crime mapping expert from Houston will be one of many featured speakers, beginning at 3pm, who will discuss and demonstrate this analytical tool.   Presenters  from  the U.S. Census Bureau and ESRI, a major GIS software and data company, will share their  experiences with GIS  applications and development. Special 3-D video presentations will take place at the Immersive Visualization Center in the Halbouty building.  GIS demonstrations will take place in the lobbies of the Sterling C. Evans and West Campus Libraries.

“Last year, our GIS Day events were a great success.  In addition to the demos that we hosted last year, we have expanded our activities this year to include a student poster exhibition,” explained Kathy Weimer, coordinator of Map and GIS Collections and Services.

Miriam Olivares, GIS Specialist, added, “We’re delighted that the Bryan Police Department has agreed to exhibit a patrol car to demonstrate GIS tracking technology.”

GIS Day will culminate with a lecture by Dr. John Logan, professor of sociology and director of the S4 Initiative at Brown University.  The lecture on spatial structures in the social sciences will take place in the College of Architecture’s Geren Auditorium at 6:30 pm and is co-hosted by the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, Institute for the Study of Demography and Social Disparities and the University Libraries.

GIS Day is co-sponsored by the University Libraries and the Immersive Visualization Center.   The campus community and the general public are invited to all events.  For more  a detailed schedule and more information,  visit http://library.tamu.edu/gisday or contact  Miriam Olivares, olivares@tamu.edu or Kathy Weimer, k-weimer@tamu.edu  .