The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global opportunities for technological exchange. After a 6-year hiatus, Director Jimmy Chou led all department heads of GIS.FCU to participate in the ESRI International User Conference (ESRI UC) held at the San Diego Convention Center from July 10th to July 14th.
This year’s conference had a total attendance of over 18,000 global users, developers, and cartographers. The event featured 1,000 technical presentations, 300 user presentations, 300 poster presentations, 40 ESRI software consultation areas, and participation from 300 exhibitors.
The theme of ESRI UC of this year is “GIS – Creating the World You Want to See,” reflecting how the work of GIS professionals can contribute to building a sustainable, more equitable, and prosperous world vision.
During the plenary session, Esri President – Jack Dangermond shared remarkable case studies of GIS users’ outstanding work, his vision for the future, and advancements in ArcGIS technology. Guest speakers also shared stories about how GIS drives science, education, and action.
For instance, discussions included the significance of establishing community-based monitoring systems to enhance climate change resilience, the exploration of ocean data and information to address challenges and inspire solutions, as well as visionary approaches using GIS to create a more sustainable, equitable environment, and a prosperous world.
During the conference, GIS.FCU also met with Lorant Czaran, an expert from the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), to discuss further initiatives related to international forums in the field of space affairs.
Overall, this year’s ESRI UC was incredibly diverse and enriching. In addition to the plenary session, map gallery, Expo exhibition, and various technical workshops and user presentations, there were also thematic summits on topics such as spatial analysis, imagery, and education. Throughout the week, numerous activities were available, including morning yoga, a 5K fun run, family night, and the ESRI UC party. The trip proved to be fruitful for GIS.FCU, not only in terms of learning new technical insights and expanding international cooperation opportunities, but also in deepening the notion of contributing efforts to the future world through the synergy of GIS expertise and collective efforts.
