Although we have spent much of this week getting back into the groove of things after a long week in San Diego at the Esri User Conference learning about improvements to Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, we have managed to get a few things accomplished. You know, like rounding up these awesome #DailyBrainCandiii picks as usual.
Speaking of spending last week in San Diego, how many of you were able to make it out to Esri UC? Raise those hands! Even though we didn't make it out to the show last year, it seems that there were quite a few changes on the UC-front that weren't present in past years. Other than no longer having bean bags chairs to lounge in while watching plenary, they weren't necessarily bad changes. (We really want the GeoLounge back, pretty please!) This year saw the introduction of a cohesive marketing theme - The Science of Where - which I personally enjoyed seeing unfold. It also featured more networking touches, like Esri's embrace of the startup community with its Start-Up zone. We saw a hint of this in Houston at Esri PUG earlier this year, but the stage for it here was on a much grander scale. It may seem trivial, but having these opportunities for new businesses to a) get business and b) make connections with potential partners and colleagues is incredibly valuable. Everyone had to start somewhere, you know. Interested in other goodies that came out of this show? Well, this article has you covered.
As this article states, location is a vital component in making sense of the dynamic world around us. We're inundated with applications whose business models rely on either our location or the location of something we want/somewhere we want to be. With that in mind, it's no surprise that more companies and civil servants are picking up the pins we drop and investing more time and resources in their geospatial technologies.
Just when you thought we'd mapped it all, Google proves us wrong. On National Aboriginal Day in Canada, they announced their latest update to the Google Maps and Google Earth platforms - the addition of 3,000 Canadian indigenous reserves and settlement lands. More information about this update and those areas included can be found here.
It's tough to believe we are over half-way on our way to 2018. With that said, it is interesting to see how technological fad predictions made in the wee hours of 2017 might have stood the test of these past few months. Earlier this year, this article was posted to allow for insight into what geospatial technologies we would likely see the most of this year. Some of them seem to be fairly accurate. How do you feel some of these have fared though? Any in the spotlight now that aren't included here?
For those who haven't noticed, there's been a bit of talk in the geo-world of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as of late. It started as a whisper, but is quickly gaining momentum. One aspect some industries are focused on in their quest for satisfying SDGs is to develop an integrated agenda and index for spatial data infrastructures on a global scale. This article speaks more in-depth about this data-delighting mission.
This week's pick for #MapOfTheDay showcases an example of cartography deployed in advertising. Remember that old saying in your geography classes, the one that goes something like..."The map reader sees what we want them to see"? With that in mind, it's no surprise that maps are often employed for advertising purposes. This example of a map included with a 1922 electric bill in Los Angeles really helps to drive this dry point home.
Now for Side B
We have a couple pieces of news from our Houston office this week I'd like to drop here in case you're interested. (Of course you are, why second guess myself?)
First, we will be at the Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC) in Austin, TX next week. If you're at the show, I'd love to chat and send you on your way with swag. You can find us at Booth #542.
Second, our Houston office is on the hunt for a Senior GIS Analyst and Intermediate GIS Analyst. Navigate to the links (or our LinkedIn page) to apply!
#DailyBrainCandiii and #WeekliiiRoundUp are inspired by brain candiii, a division of Integrated Informatics that develops Geographic Information System (GIS) training for Energy and Natural Resources professionals.