CGIS GIS Day Lunch Symposium

Three geospatial professionals will discuss how they use geographic information systems and artificial intelligence in their work.

The Center for Geospatial Information Science (CGIS) will host a GIS Day celebration from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in LeFrak Hall, Room 1158. The event will bring together University of Maryland students, faculty, staff and geospatial professionals for a networking lunch and discussions about real-world applications of geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) and geographic information systems (GIS).

Three professionals working in industry and government will share their experiences:

• Ghermay Araya, founder and CEO of New Light Technologies, leads a company that uses GeoAI and other technology solutions to help organizations address complex challenges, improve decision-making and gain insights from geospatial data. He is an alumnus of the Department of Geographical Sciences’ Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems program.
• Mariela Alfonso, founder and CEO of State of Place, leads a technology company that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to assess the built environment and support the development of more walkable and sustainable cities.
• Elvis Martinez, a geographer at the U.S. Census Bureau, applies GeoAI and machine learning to improve geographic data, automate workflows and support more efficient census operations. He is an alumnus of the Department of Geographical Sciences, where he earned a bachelor’s degree with a focus on GIS.

The event will begin with a networking lunch, followed by speaker presentations and a discussion. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

All UMD students, faculty and staff are welcome. Register online to help organizers plan for lunch and refreshments.