🏛️ The federal government collects and shares a LOT of geospatial data and decision-support tools, including demographic data, satellite imagery and maps 🗺️🛰️🌎. But many of them face murky futures. How do data users adapt? I’m moderating a FedGeoDay 2026 panel on April 22 exploring the universe of non-federal data and tools that could serve as alternatives, and how to unleash their full potential.
Proud to be joined by these four open-data leaders:
• Maggie Cawley, executive director of OpenStreetMap US
• Frank Donnelly, head of GIS and data services at Brown University Library
• Joel Gurin, president and founder of Center for Open Data Enterprise
• Nagendra Singh, senior scientist and group leader at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
After reviewing the national data landscape, we’ll dive into data/tool case studies involving extreme-weather resilience, infrastructure planning, public safety, food security and other use areas. We’ll also examine opportunities and barriers for state/local agencies, the business community, civil society and federal partners to work together to close data gaps and build new digital infrastructure.
Also check out a roundtable-style “world cafe” session on Day 2 of FedGeoDay where attendees can chime in and reflect on the panel’s discussion of critical-infrastructure datasets (like HIFLD Open). It’s organized by Fulton Ring’s Rajan Desai, whom I’ve worked with (alongside Jeremy Herzog) on a GIS data hub for Public Environmental Data Partners with tools for accessing and downloading Data Rescue Project's archive of HIFLD Open’s data: https://lnkd.in/giniqNKW
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FedGeoDay 2026 will take place at the Census Bureau HQ just outside DC (near the Green Line in Suitland, MD). Themed "Building Ecosystems for Supporting Federal Data Stewardship," it'll kick off with a keynote by former U.S. Chief Data Scientist Denice Ross (now at Federation of American Scientists, dataindex.us and America's Essential Data).
Registration ends *Sunday, April 19, at 11:59 PM ET*. Get your tickets before it’s too late! https://lnkd.in/ek2ntT-V
#foss4g #gis #opensource #opendata #openscience
Eddie Pickle, Bill Dollins, Karla Riso, Monica Mardel, Jacqueline Kazil, PhD, Ghermay A., Joshua Sisco
