Latest Contributions by AngelaLee

I never planned to be a geographer. In fact, I nearly failed my first geography exam. But somehow geography kept pulling me back in. I am a curious person, and geography offers me a framework for exploring and organizing information about people, places and phenomena. I've always been more of a generalist than a specialist, interested in intersections and relationships more than understanding something very deeply but in isolation. The expansive and integrative aspects of geography appeal to me – expansive, because geographic thinking can be applied to nearly any topic, and integrative because geographic thinking reveals how places are shaped by the interplay of multiple factors (environmental, economic, political). Similarly, GIS offers me a framework for exploring and organizing information, and maps provide a language for synthesizing and communicating. I find the intersection of analytics and aesthetics that maps encourage compelling. Visual communication through maps and other images can be so effective because the brain processes images faster than words, leading to faster insight and understanding. Images also can make an emotional connection that numbers alone rarely do, making them effective for communicating data. I was fortunate to discover geography as an undergraduate. I meet many people who love exploring the world and maps, and who are naturally inclined to be geographers, regardless of what they study or their profession. The book "The Power of Where" lays out the "geographic approach", a method for using maps and GIS to develop understanding and make decisions based on locations and relationships. "The Power of Where" is an amazing tour through the geographic approach and the field of GIS. For anyone who wants to learn more about GIS and where it's going without pursuing a full-on degree, the book is a great starting point.  It includes over 400 maps and apps as examples of how GIS is used across contexts as diverse as choosing the best sites for electric vehicle charging stations to removing landmines from former conflict zones, from prioritizing natural areas for conservation to designing smart cities.   Through the book's companion web site (powerofwhere.com), you can delve into these maps and apps to learn about the topics they cover and explore how they were built. You also can build your GIS skills through more than 50 scenario-based hands-on tutorials. I encourage you to explore this flipbook, which includes the preface from GIS pioneer and Esri co-founder Jack Dangermond. If your curiosity is piqued, the promo code WHERE-EDU provides a 30% on the book to students and educators on IndiePubs. The book also is available in Kindle format from Amazon. I hope The Power of Where inspires you to learn more about GIS and seek out ways to use geographic thinking to make sense of the world and create a bright future for yourself and your community. ... View more

New learning resources! Technically, the resources are about the ArcGIS API for Python, ArcGIS IPS, and working with synthetic aperture RADAR data, so please forgive the poetic license with the headline. I had to get your attention somehow. These learning resources have something else in common; they are sets of resources that will help you teach or learn about these topics in depth. ArcGIS API for Python Associate Certification 2024 Learning Plan This learning plan prepares learners for the new ArcGIS API for Python certification. It includes 5 web courses, all included in any Esri Education program license. The courses provide a thorough grounding in administration, content management, visualization, and analysis of GIS data using the ArcGIS API for Python. Learning plans provide a helpful framework for organizing learning and are curated by Esri’s curriculum team. They can be assigned to students and progress can be tracked. ArcGIS IPS Fundamentals Learning Plan This learning plan provides a foundation for creating an indoors positioning system that enables navigation within buildings in real time, bringing the ‘blue dot’ indoors. The market for indoor positioning and navigation is projected to grow rapidly; estimates range from 20 – 35% over the next 5 years. That growth is contingent on the availability of a skilled workforce, given this is a new technology, creating opportunities for GIS education program. This learning plan includes 4 training seminars, all included in any Esri Education program license. Topics include conducting an IPS survey and evaluating the accuracy of your data and integrating IPS data in mobile apps. Getting Started with SAR Satellite Imagery tutorial series This tutorial series provides an overview of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data and its uses in ArcGIS. SAR systems operate independently of sunlight and can operate during the night and through clouds or smoke, unlike optical sensors that require sunny, cloud-free conditions. This makes SAR data valuable for detecting changes in the environment such as flooding, deforestation, or decreases in sea ice. We know the importance of keeping your learning materials aligned with industry needs to position your graduates for success. Esri teams are constantly creating new resources for new capabilities and updating existing resources for new software releases. Let us know what emerging topics you’d like to learn about or teach by leaving a comment on this post.   ... View more

The Academic Department License provides qualified institutions with an affordable way to acquire select Esri products for non-commercial teaching and research. Qualified institutions include accredited, degree-granting 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities worldwide. Updated September 2023. ... View more

The Education Institution Agreement provides qualified institutions with an affordable way to acquire select Esri products for non-commercial teaching, research, and campus administration. Qualified institutions include accredited, degree-granting 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities worldwide, administrative offices of primary and secondary schools and school districts, and museums.  Updated September 2023. ... View more

Each year, Esri founder Jack Dangermond recognizes outstanding work with a Special Achievement in GIS Award.  The roughly 200 organizations that receive awards are selected from over 300,000 Esri customers worldwide and represent excellence in applying GIS to make smart decisions and design a more sustainable future. We congratulate the 2023 recipients of Special Achievement in GIS Awards from the Education community, including the Clemson Center for Geospatial Technologies, the University of Maryland, the American University of Beirut, and Clark Magnet High School (La Crescenta, CA). Clemson Center for Geospatial Technologies The Clemson Center for Geospatial Technologies provides several services to support geospatial scholarship at Clemson University, including training and consulting across all academic disciplines, CyberGIS infrastructure to support advanced research in a high-performance computing environment, and student-led GIS programs that provide experiential/project-based learning. The Center for Geospatial Technologies serves over 3,000 people and teaches over 20 workshops per year to introduce GIS methods to students and researchers across disciplines. It also provides access to specialized equipment including drones, lidar sensors, and 3-d printers to support projects. The Center also co-teaches courses in disciplines such as architecture, sociology, and forestry to bring a deep geographic perspective to departments that may not have GIS expertise in-house but would benefit from a geographic perspective. The Clemson Center for Geospatial Technologies stands out for its student-led programs, including Clemson Mappers, an affiliate of Youth Mappers, a group that addresses community development and humanitarian issues around the world; and Drones for Good, a student-led drone training and rental service. Learn more about Clemson Center for Geospatial Technologies Special Achievement in GIS Award Profile University’s Interdisciplinary Geospatial Science Center Fosters Innovation University of Maryland The University of Maryland is a spatial university that has adopted a geographic approach to both campus administration and scholarship and was among the first universities to develop an enterprise approach to GIS.  Several departments including Facilities Planning, Facilities Management IT Services, Transportation Services, Public Safety, Administration and Finance, Conference and Visitor Services, and the departments of Geographical Sciences and Computer Science came together to create an enterprise GIS plan a decade ago. The Facilities Business Operations is currently implementing ArcGIS Indoors within the McKeldin Library for internal wayfinding, book tracking, and space utilization. This pilot project is part of a larger phased ArcGIS Indoors implementation across all of UMD Facilities Management. In addition, the Department of Geographical Sciences has always been an early adopter of GIS and remote sensing technologies, working closely with NASA and other government agencies to collaborate on research.  They offer several degrees and certificates based on modern GIS tools and patterns, along with advanced analysis and programming concepts and are a member of the Esri Innovation Program. Furthermore, GIS instruction and research support for multiple disciplines are provided through the McKeldin Library’s GIS and Spatial Data Center. Learn more about University of Maryland It's Enterprise GIS, and It Started with a Basemap University of Maryland Students Develop Interactive Site with Web App Tool to Improve Cyclist Safety in Prince George's County NASA Harvest grows ground truth knowledge with ArcGIS Survey123 Beirut Urban Lab, American University of Beirut The Beirut Urban Lab is a collaborative and interdisciplinary research space that analyzes urbanization in Lebanon and its region's natural and built environments. The Beirut Urban Lab builds on a legacy of urban research initiatives starting in 2006 and works towards a vision of just, inclusive, and viable cities. The Lab grew out of the Post-War Reconstruction Unit in which faculty of the Urban Planning graduate programs conducted research, studio teaching, and workshops to influence post-war recovery with inclusive, participatory processes in several locations across the country. This work established the path for interdisciplinary collaborations at the Department of Architecture and Design. Central to all the Lab’s projects is the deployment of mapping as an analytical research method and faith in the map as an apt communication tool. An innovative approach to studying urban transformations and advancing inclusive cities have thus progressively consolidated from these projects, one that believes in the democratization of academic knowledge, while recognizing the importance of engagement with critical edge contemporary thought and techniques. Learn more about Beirut Urban Lab Special Achievement in GIS Award Profile Beirut Urban Lab Clark Magnet High School The mission of Anderson W Clark Magnet school is to provide ethnically diverse students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a highly competitive technological world. Students integrate standard academic coursework and career and technical education through project-based learning.  Every grade 12 student in the GIS program completes a custom senior project with research, fieldwork, internship or volunteer work, and presentation. Learn more about Clark Magnet School Fun with GIS 324: Special Achievement 2023 ... View more

Modern GIS is web GIS built on a foundation of data services and configurable applications and knowing how to translate business needs into services and apps is a critical skill for future GIS professionals. Configurable apps provide a framework for common tasks that can be quickly tailored to a particular organization’s needs. Working with configurable apps in your courses can be a great way to help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Solving any problem requires understanding both what is universal and what is unique to that situation – in other words, what core principles are transferable from one situation to another and what variables require new approaches. By taking a standard approach to things that are consistent, we can save time and avoid “re-inventing the wheel.” This leaves more time to address what makes a situation unique and unleashes critical thinking and creativity. ArcGIS Solutions is a collection of configurable maps and apps for business, local government, public safety, utilities, and other industries. They build on standard practices to provide efficiency while retaining flexibility to fit a variety of situations. By providing preconfigured data models, they save time in the early stages of a project and get students to the problem-solving stage sooner.  Students can experiment with map and app templates to address different business needs or different organization structures. ArcGIS Solutions are developed in partnership with Esri customers across several industries to ensure they represent current best practices in those industries, including planning and development, public works, public safety, and utilities. They can be deployed on both ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise infrastructure and many include web apps, dashboards, and mobile apps that leverage the web GIS pattern.  They are supported with tutorials and other training resources and are free to deploy, making them a great tool for teaching modern GIS skills. ... View more

Esri Academy provides a wealth of learning resources in a variety of formats, with resources updated frequently to stay in sync with software releases.  There are several updates to Esri Academy resources we want to share to help you get the most out of the e-learning resources included in your software license.  1. New (and Improved) e-Learning Curriculum Guides The Higher Ed Guides to Esri E-Learning are curated lists of web courses, Learning Plans, videos and other resources designed to help you quickly find relevant resources for a specific need, such as updating your courses to include modern GIS concepts and workflows. A new guide for Planning and Geodesign has just been released, and the existing guides have all recently been updated. 2. A New Way to Learn: ArcGIS Labs ArcGIS Labs are a new format that combines a hands-on scenario-based exercise with an assessment and certificate of completion.  They are a great way to explore new product capabilities such as spatial analysis and data science. 25 Labs are currently available and more will be added in the coming months. 3. New Learning Plan: Regression Analysis Essentials  The new Regression Analysis Essentials learning plan equips learners to leverage the power of regression analysis and gain insights into the factors that underlie observed spatial patterns. The resources in this plan enable you and/or your students to model spatial relationships and make accurate predictions. Learning plans provide a sequence of courses and can be assigned to students. You can start with a plan designed by Esri's curriculum team or create your own. Additional spatial data science leaning plans include Spatial Analysis and Data Science Fundamentals, ArcGIS Notebook Fundamentals, R-ArcGIS Bridge Essentials, and Deep Learning Using ArcGIS.    4. New web course for K-12 Teachers: Data Skills for Teachers: Creating Attributes to Support Inquiry In this course, you will learn how to add and create new attributes to a feature layer in ArcGIS Online to support student inquiry. You will also learn how to enrich layers using Esri Demographics and calculate attributes using Arcade expressions. This is course is one of several courses and learning plans designed for teachers in K-12 education. Explore this curated list for more resources designed to introduce spatial thinking and geographic inquiry into K-12 classrooms. 5. Resources updated for ArcGIS Pro 3.1 We know it’s challenging to update your materials for new software releases. We update web courses for new software releases so you don’t have to, and 20 courses have been updated to ArcGIS Pro 3.1 as of April 26, with more on the way soon. Find all resources available for ArcGIS Pro 3.1 with this bookmarked search. We hope you find these highlights of recent Esri Academy update helpful. You can always find a list of new and retired training options in the Esri Academy Catalog. And if you have ideas or questions for the Esri Training team, please let us know or share them in the Esri Training Community. Esri e-learning is included with your software license.     ... View more

The Education Institution Agreement provides qualified institutions with an affordable way to acquire select Esri products for non-commercial teaching, research, and administration. This document outlines the products and benefits included in the agreement. ... View more

The Education Institution Agreement provides qualified institutions with an affordable way to acquire select Esri products for non-commercial teaching, research, and administration. This document outlines the products and benefits included in the agreement. ... View more

We’re excited to share several updates from Esri's Learn Team, including 2 new curriculum packages, 7 new lessons/tutorials to the ArcGIS tutorial gallery, and 2 new curriculum packages published to this resource site for higher education. The ArcGIS tutorial gallery (formerly called the Learn ArcGIS website) is now integrated more seamlessly with our documentation site. Learning to use software documentation effectively is a key skill for students and GIS professionals, and we believe incorporating more tutorials (previously named lessons) in the documentation is a great way to support just-in-time learning. The tutorial gallery has a similar look and feel to the previous experience, with all your favorite tutorials and tutorial series still available in 7 languages to freely use and share. The most significant improvements are reducing the number of clicks required to find what you need and simplifying the catalog itself. More details are available here. In addition, some tutorials recently migrated into Esri Academy, enabling you to include them in trackable training plans and apply them to professional development portfolios or certifications.  More details are available here.  New Tutorials The Modern GIS Tutorial Series is an 8-module collection of materials designed to completement an introductory GIS course and includes both conceptual materials and hands-on activities. It includes web GIS capabilities and workflows such as mobile GIS and building web apps, reflecting the shift of GIS to the cloud.   The GIS for Climate Series includes 3 pathways based on the steps to resiliency from the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit and the geographic approach for applying GIS.  Each pathway consists of ready-to-use interactive web apps, tutorials based on real-world scenarios, and examples of GIS work already being done throughout the world to build climate resilience.   Chart coral and sponge distribution factors with Python Evaluate the accuracy of ground control points Extract precipitation data and create an annual precipitation map using ArcGIS Notebooks Identify gaps in wheat production Improve data quality with attribute rules Investigate how nitrogen impacts the environment Load data into the ArcGIS utility network As always, your feedback on learning resources is appreciated. We want to create resources that will help you and your students, so please let us know if there is a topic you’d like to see covered or if you’re having trouble with any of these resources. ... View more

Demographic data are foundational for GIS users in many disciplines, including geography, urban planning, health, and business, among others.  Esri provides a variety of demographic and consumer data in GIS-friendly formats, including feature layers in the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World, the ArcGIS Business Analyst web app, the ArcGIS GeoEnrichment Service, and tabular formats for use in other data tools. Esri’s data offerings include U.S. Census data from the decennial census and the American Community Survey formatted for use in ArcGIS, as well as current year estimates and 5-year projections for population, household, income, and work characteristics.  They also include consumer spending and lifestyle segmentation data. Earlier this year, the Demographics Data team released 2022 updates for these datasets: Esri Updated Demographics: annual current-year and five-year forecasts of key demographic topics. Esri Tapestry Segmentation: classifies neighborhoods as unique consumer markets. Esri Consumer Spending: current-year and five-year forecasts of household spending. Esri Market Potential: consumer demand for product and services. U.S. Census 2010 and 2000 data converted into U.S. Census 2020 geography and expanded to over 1,000 attributes. American Community Survey (ACS) 2016-2020 data: the latest 5-year data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The 2022 Esri Data release is particularly significant this year because the release of data from the 2020 United States Census has been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic and new privacy rules. For more information about the 2022 Esri Demographic Data updates, see this announcement from the Demographics Data team.   Map showing household income characteristics Esri Demographic Data are included in all Education Program offerings, including the Education Institution Agreement, Academic and Administrative Department Licenses, ArcGIS for Student Use, and the ArcGIS for Schools Bundle.  Layers in the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World can be accessed in ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro and other apps for visualization and analysis. The Business Analyst Web app provides an easy-to-use experience for creating reports and infographics summarizing demographic data.   In addition, the Education Institution Agreement (formerly known as the Education Site License) includes select Esri Demographic datasets in file geodatabase format for in-depth analysis and for integration with other apps.  The “Esri Demographic Data for Educational Institutions” is updated annually and is available to download through MyEsri. To learn more about Esri Demographic Data, see “Understanding Esri’s Updated Demographics Data Portfolio” for an overview of the data development methods and other details. For tutorials and training, check out these curated lists of resources on Learn ArcGIS and Esri Academy. ... View more

We’re pleased to announce several products are being added to your Esri Educational Institution Agreement, including ArcGIS Drone2Map Standard, ArcGIS Image for ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Knowledge, and ArcGIS Workflow Manager Server - Advanced. ArcGIS Drone2Map Standard processes drone-captured imagery on your computer to create 2D outputs for mapping, analysis, and sharing. ArcGIS Image for ArcGIS Online is a complete software as a service (SaaS) offering for hosting, analyzing, and streaming imagery and raster collections. ArcGIS Knowledge is enterprise knowledge graph software that enables users to explore and analyze spatial, nonspatial, unstructured, and structured data together to accelerate decision-making. ArcGIS Workflow Manager Server is a workflow management system that streamlines your GIS production process by automating and simplifying the performance and management of location-enabled work. These products are available for both academic and administrative uses.   Accessing licenses Licenses for Drone2Map for use with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Image for ArcGIS Online are accessed through your ArcGIS Online organizations. Licenses for Drone2Map for use with ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Knowledge, and ArcGIS Workflow Manager Server will be accessed through MyEsri.   Resources and best practices A variety of training and other resources are available to help you get started with these products: ArcGIS Drone2Map ArcGIS Image for ArcGIS Online ArcGIS Knowledge ArcGIS Workflow Manager Server ... View more

Commercial drones could add 100,000 jobs to the U.S. economy by 2025 according to Business Insider and the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and many institutions are incorporating drones into their geospatial programs to prepare students for these careers. We’re happy to announce that we’ve updated Education Program ArcGIS Drone2Map offerings to increase access to Drone2Map and support the use of drones at all levels, for learning, research, and administration. ArcGIS Drone2Map is an app that processes drone imagery directly on a laptop or desktop computer to create GIS-ready data for mapping and analysis, with no internet connection required. It integrates with the ArcGIS system, including ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS Enterprise for additional analysis and to share data with others.  With the latest release (June 2022), Drone2Map is now available at two levels: Standard and Advanced. Existing Education Program Drone2Map licenses will be upgraded to Drone2Map Advanced at the current price.  In addition, Drone2Map Standard will be added to the Education Institution Agreement at no cost and will be included in the ArcGIS for Schools license at no cost.  What’s the difference between Drone2Map Standard and Drone2Map Advanced? ArcGIS Drone2Map Standard enables users to easily process overlapping nadir images to create accurate 2D orthomosaics, digital surface models, and digital terrain models. It’s ideal for workflows in natural resource management and agriculture.   ArcGIS Drone2Map Advanced includes everything in Drone2Map Standard and adds the ability to create 3D reality mapping products such as point clouds and textured meshes from nadir and oblique images, all processed with the powerful SURE for ArcGIS.  It’s ideal for workflows in engineering, construction, and utilities. Data captured from a drone. What version of Drone2Map is available in my institution’s Esri license? Education Institutional Agreement Drone2Map Standard is now included with the Education Institution Agreement (formerly known as Education Site License). This agreement includes Drone2Map licenses for both academic and administrative uses throughout an institution. ArcGIS Drone2Map Academic License Drone2Map Advanced is now included with the ArcGIS Drone2Map Academic License. The license provides 5, 50, 100  or 500 licenses for academic uses and can be added to an Education Institution Agreement or an Academic Department License. ArcGIS Drone2Map Administrative Use License Drone2Map Advanced is now included with the ArcGIS Drone2Map Administrative Use License. The license provides 5, 50 or 100 licenses for administrative uses and can be added to an Education Institution Agreement or an Administrative Use Department License. ArcGIS for Schools Advanced License Drone2Map Standard is now included with the ArcGIS for Schools Advanced License for academic use.  Yes, we know that can be confusing. Think of it this way: if your ArcGIS for Schools license includes ArcGIS Pro, it also includes Drone2Map Standard. Learn more Visit the Imagery and Remote Sensing in Higher Education page to find learning resources and to see how drones and other remote sensing technologies are used in higher education. Learn how students at Clark Magnet High School use drones and imagery in their career and technical education (CTE) curriculum. Explore training from Esri Academy for Drone2Map Explore lessons from Learn ArcGIS for Drone2Map ... View more

  We’re so excited to see you at the Education Summit @ Esri UC and the User Conference! This opportunity to learn from and with you is the highlight of our year.  And we’re thrilled to be with you in real life again!! We want to share some tips for making the most of your conference experience.  There’s a great post on Esri Community in which several conference veterans share their tips for newbies. (Even if you’ve attended several times, we’re all probably a little out of practice and could use a refresher.) Some common themes are: Plan ahead and select at least 2 options for each session block in case a session is full Attend special interest group meetings and social events to meet new people and build your network Spend time in the Expo to get your questions answered and learn about new technologies and trends Dress for comfort (have a light jacket or sweater, wear comfortable shoes) To help you choose which sessions to attend, several teams curate lists of sessions and other events around a particular industry, product, or topic.  Here are a few we recommend: Education Sessions and Activities UC22 Flier Esri Young Professionals Network (YPN) UC22 Flier Sustainable World Sessions and Activities UC22 Flier ArcGIS Online at the 2022 Esri User Conference Flyer Indoor GIS: UC 2022 Agenda Flier You can also search and filter the online agendas to find sessions of interest. Pro Tip: Log in to save sessions of interest to your profile, making them easier to find again later. Education Summit detailed agenda User Conference detailed agenda Before heading to special interest group meetings and social events, create a personal “elevator pitch.” Be able to introduce yourself and say what interests you in half a minute. Include an intriguing fun fact. And be sure to ask others what interests them. Education Summit Special Interest Group meetings User Conference Special Interest Group meetings User Conference Regional User Group meetings User Conference socials The Expo is a great place to meet with Esri staff who can address your specific needs and answer questions about learning resources, dive deep into product capabilities, assist with licensing and customer service issues, and more.  Swing by the Education Zone to meet with us or just say hi – we’d love to catch up with you. If you have other tips to share with you peers, please add them here! ... View more