SLU, USGIF to Host 'Special Edition' Virtual Geospatial Forum

10/09/2020

In an event with national reach and a focus on the St. Louis geospatial ecosystem, Saint Louis University (SLU) and the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) have joined forces to bring the geospatial community a virtual ‘special edition’ of their annual geospatial events, combining the Geo-Resolution Conference with the USGIF’s Geospatial Gateway Forum.

“We are so excited to host this special edition of our fall event in partnership with Saint Louis University. Our program features much of the work that is being done in this region by the people who live, work and invest their geospatial energy here. And we’ll endeavor to highlight the depth and breadth of this ever-expanding discipline,” said Ronda Schrenk, vice president of programming, geospatial content and external relations at USGIF. “The St. Louis area geospatial community is growing by leaps and bounds. You can’t help but feel the energy from this community.”

The Oct. 19-21 event will begin with a virtual career fair and will be followed by two days of  panel discussions and keynote speakers, including SLU President Fred P. Pestello; Vice Admiral Robert D. Sharp, director of the U.S. National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA); Roger Mason, Ph.D., president of space, intelligence and cyber sector at Peraton and chairman of the USGIF Board; Jack Dangermond, founder and president of Esri; Jason Hall, chief executive officer and co-founder of Arch to Park LLC; and Jim McKelvey, founder of Invisibly and co-founder of Square.

The conference is focused on growing geospatial talent and investment in St. Louis.

“As we grow the geospatial talent pipeline, Saint Louis University and the Geospatial Institute is committed to training the next generation of geospatial scientists and innovators,” said Ken Olliff, vice president for research and partnerships at SLU. “Together with our government and industry partners, we are working to use geospatial science to advance our knowledge of the world and improve quality of life.”

The Geospatial Gateway Forum with Geo-Resolution

The three-day event begins with a virtual job fair, a reimagined and free event for job seekers that will include employers from all over the country, including Parsons, PredaSAR and Preference Systems Solutions.

Following the job fair are two days of keynote and panel discussions, technology demonstrations of innovative work happening in and around the St. Louis region, networking opportunities and academic poster presentations.

“The forum provides an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate how St. Louis is well on our way to becoming the global center for geospatial technology,” said Jason Hall, co-founder and CEO of Arch to Park, and member of the GeoFutures Initiative Advisory Committee, who will deliver a keynote speech on the first day of the forum.

The Geospatial Gateway Forum with Geo-Resolution is also a remarkable opportunity to hear from some of the world’s top experts about the latest in geospatial advances, from building smart cities to tracking the spread of COVID-19.

Some confirmed speakers of the Geospatial Gateway Forum with Geo-Resolution include:

• VADM Robert D. Sharp, Director, United States National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA)
• Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., President, SLU
• Roger Mason, Ph.D., President of Space, Intelligence and Cyber Sector, Peraton and Chairman of USGIF Board
• Jack Dangermond, Founder and President, Esri
• Christina Monaco, Chief Ventures Officer, NGA
• Mark Munsell, Chief Technology Officer, NGA
• Nadine Alameh, Ph.D., CEO, Open Geospatial Consortium
• Mark Andress, Chief Information Officer, NGA
• Susan Pollmann, West Executive and N2W Program Director, NGA
• Vasit Sagan, Ph.D., Director of Geospatial Institute at SLU
• Enbal Shacham, Ph.D., Public Health and Associate Director of Geospatial Institute at SLU
• Ingrid Peterson, Director, National Security Segment, Guidehouse
• Judy Sindecuse, CEO and Managing Partner, Capital Innovators
• Chris Tucker, Ph.D., Chairman, American Geographic Society
• Allie Cicotte, Research and Data Associate, The Clark-Fox Family Foundation

On Oct. 20, the forum will feature a conversation with Jack Dangermond, founder and president of Esri and Christina Monaco, chief ventures officer of the NGA. The same day, Vasit Sagan, Ph.D., director of the Geospatial Institute at SLU, will lead a panel discussion on “Virtual Map of Saint Louis and Smart Cities Initiatives.”

The next day, Oct. 21, Vice Admiral Sharp, director of the NGA, will deliver the day’s first keynote address. In addition, Mark Munsell, chief technology officer of the NGA, will moderate a panel discussion on “Technology Migration to the ‘Show Me’ State.”

Visit the registration page to learn more about the Geospatial Gateway Forum with Geo-Resolution and to register to attend.

Registration is free for students and those in academia until October 14.

About Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution that values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service. Founded in 1818, the University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 13,000 students on campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Building on a legacy of now more than 200 years, Saint Louis University continues to move forward with an unwavering commitment to a higher purpose, a greater good.

About USGIF

USGIF is a nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to promoting the geospatial intelligence tradecraft and developing a stronger GEOINT Community among government, industry, academia, professional organizations, and individuals who develop and apply geospatial intelligence to address national security challenges. USGIF achieves its mission via its strategic pillars: Build the Community | Advance the Tradecraft | Accelerate Innovation.