Trends in the US and Canadian Spatial Industry: Technology, Professions, Responsibilities
Forty years ago, geographic computing was barely an idea. Now it has evolved into a whole family of technologies and applications, underpinned by an increasingly rigorous body of scientific principles.
Along with this has arisen an increasingly specialized set of geospatial professions. This talk will:
1. Summarize the key technological developments that have shaped our field, where those developments seem to be leading, and their implications for our professions.
2. Review several US and Canadian association and federal policy initiatives (certification, federal NSDI, GISCorps etc.) and how they are bringing a clearer identity to the geospatial professions.
3. Conclude by considering some of the responsibilities that come with this recognition (stewardship, partnership, public access, security, privacy).