Latest Contributions by RosemaryBoone

It’s time to showcase your GeoAI skills by entering the 2025 Annual GeoChallenge co-hosted by The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) and Esri. This year’s theme is GeoAI (Geospatial Artificial Intelligence) inviting you to showcase your skills and innovation by developing an application or use case using Esri GeoAI tools. Participants will use pre-trained models and analysis workflows to turn raw data into actionable insights like pulling out features for infrastructure planning, tracking land-use changes, classifying buildings for policy decisions, or mapping environmental trends. Are you up for the challenge? Keep reading to learn more about the challenge, key dates, prizes, resources to set you up for success, and getting started. The Challenge   The 2025 GeoChallenge is all about putting your skills and creativity to the test by building innovative applications with remotely sensed data and Esri’s GeoAI tools. Participants will apply pre-trained models and analysis workflows to create decision-ready spatial content—whether it’s extracting features for infrastructure planning, detecting changes in land use, classifying structures for policy or permitting, or mapping environmental trends. Some notable applications include:  Urban Planning and Public Safety: Governments use GeoAI to model urban development impacts, predict traffic accidents, and optimize emergency response times Precision Agriculture: Automates the field delineation and detection of invasive species and optimizes crop yields. Infrastructure Management: Helps monitor road deterioration and identify land-use changes Insurance and Disaster Management: Speeds up damage assessment and claim processing using imagery and AI Business Intelligence: Enhances market planning, site selection, and customer behavior analysis Final projects must be shareable through a public facing story map using ArcGIS StoryMaps.   Judges will be looking for: Creative solutions to real-world problems Innovative uses of ArcGIS spatial analysis tools Leverage various data types that draw from the rich data sources in Esri’s Living Atlas of the World and open data catalogs.   Who Can Participate   The competition is open to ASPRS Student Members and Early Career Professional Members with two years or less of full-time employment in the geospatial profession. Participants can enter solo or form a team for one submission, with prize money split among team members if applicable. IMPORTANT: Esri employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to compete.   How to Enter & Key Dates   Getting started with your enter by visiting the ASPRS competition page for registration details. Create your solution using remotely sensed data and Esri GeoAI tools. Submissions must include a publicly shared Esri StoryMap that demonstrates your workflow, results, and decision-ready spatial content.   Deadlines to consider: Submission Deadline: January 5, 2026 Judging Results Announced: February 2, 2026 Winners Showcased: Geo Week, February 16–18, 2026   What You Can Win   The 2025 GeoChallenge offers both recognition and rewards: 1st Place: $1,000 2nd Place: $500 3rd Place: $250   But the benefits don’t stop there. Winning entries will: Be featured at Geo Week 2026 in Denver, CO Receive recognition in a highlight article in PE&RS (Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing) Gain exposure to professionals and organizations shaping the future of geospatial science What’s in it for you?   Beyond the chance to win cash and recognition, the GeoChallenge provides a unique professional development opportunity: Expand Your Skills: Work hands-on with advanced GeoAI workflows in ArcGIS. Boost Your Resume: Gain recognition for your creativity and problem-solving ability. Contribute to the Community: Your work helps build practical, real-world use cases that advance the field of remote sensing. Learn from Experts: Collaborate with Esri professionals to refine your project and apply best practices. Resources to Get Started   Esri and ASPRS are committed to supporting your journey. Participants can access: Deep Learning Pretrained Models in ArcGIS Living Atlas: Explore models ready to use for feature extraction, object detection, and more. Tutorial Series: Try Deep Learning in ArcGIS: Step-by-step learning path to practice workflows and sharpen your skills. Deep Learning Tutorials offered by ArcGIS Tutorials Blog post on Resources for Unlocking the Power of Geospatial AI Using ArcGIS   Don’t miss your chance to innovate, gain recognition, and showcase your talent on a global stage. Start your project today—and get ready to present your groundbreaking work at Geo Week 2026.   ... View more

Topic: Teaching Enterprise GIS   In recent years, the required skill set for GIS professionals has expanded to include the administration of enterprise-scale systems, such as ArcGIS Enterprise, that make geospatial tools available across an organization. Students who understand the fundamentals of web services, information security, and system design are well-positioned to work with enterprise GIS systems successfully.   Helping students gain that understanding, however, is challenging. Enterprise GIS systems are highly complex, and the concepts and workflows required to manage them are significantly different from the cartography and analysis domains GIS students and instructors are most familiar with. Getting to Know ArcGIS Enterprise is a new book designed to introduce educators, students, and professionals to ArcGIS Enterprise. It includes conceptual information, concrete user story examples, and hands-on exercises for implementing, administering, using, and maintaining an ArcGIS Enterprise deployment. Along with other resources like the Architecture Center, Esri Academy, and Esri Tutorials, Getting to Know ArcGIS Enterprise can help instructors provide students with the background they need to be successful amidst the changing demands of the GIS industry.   Date:  Tuesday, December 2, 2025 – 9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET   Presenters:  Jon Emch – Sr. Technology Lead, Esri Travis Ormsby – Sr Product Engineer, Esri   Register for the chat >>    ... View more

Topic: AI Assistants in ArcGIS: Where, How, and Why to use them?   AI Assistants have been included in a wide-array of different ArcGIS products, from Survey123 to ArcGIS Pro and more. These assistants offer a range of different capabilities that can assist you and your students in writing Arcade scripts, building ArcGIS Knowledge queries, using natural language inquiries of Business Analyst, and more. This session will highlight all of the current places that you can use AI Assistants in ArcGIS and more importantly, show examples for how these tools can be used in both teaching and research.   Date:  Tuesday, November 4th , 2025 – 9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET   Presenters:  Brian Baldwin – Lead Solution Engineer, Education, Esri Canserina Kurnia – Senior Solution Engineer, Education, Esri   Register for the chat >>    ... View more

Esri tools to enhance your instruction in Earth science and physical geography. Watch the webinar recording to learn how ArcGIS StoryMaps and the no-cost National Geographic MapMaker can revitalize instruction, engaging students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.   Discover the latest Esri tools and instructional materials to take your Earth science and physical geography teaching to the next level. Learn how ArcGIS StoryMaps and the no-cost National Geographic MapMaker can revitalize instruction, engaging students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.   What you'll learn in this webinar Get National Geographic MapMaker for your school Teach with rich sources of content in ArcGIS StoryMaps   Watch the recording >> Webinar Slides >>   ... View more

Every four years, leaders, scientists, and innovators from around the globe gather to tackle the world’s most pressing conservation challenges at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. This year, the event will be hosted from October 9–15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.  Esri, the global leader in GIS technology, is thrilled to participate in the Congress and share how GIS technology supports the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) through conservation planning, monitoring, and data integration, including satellite imagery, government data, and community-collected data.   Our participation at Congress is key as ArcGIS technology enables organizations and communities to take a geographic approach to conservation around the world, bringing together critical data (e.g., species occurrence records, protected area boundaries, climate risk layers) to understand things like where biodiversity is thriving, where it is under threat, and where intervention can make the greatest difference.    Why This Event Matters    The IUCN Congress is more than a conference—it is where international conservation policy is shaped and commitments are made that will guide the next four years of action. This includes decisions on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, governance of protected areas, and advancing the global “30x30” goal to conserve 30% of the planet’s lands and waters by 2030.  Esri’s participation matters because GIS technology is the connective tissue for this work. Our platform enables organizations to bring together critical data—species occurrence records, protected area boundaries, climate risk layers, and more—to understand where biodiversity is thriving, where it is under threat, and where intervention can make the greatest difference.  Voices for Congress - David Gadsden, Senior Geospatial Advisor     Esri at the Exhibition    An exciting component of event is the Exhibition, a space where IUCN Members, Commissions, businesses, partners, and academic institutions showcase their research, innovations, and conservation projects. The Exhibition will be held in the halls of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from October 9-13. It will be open to Congress registrants, as well as the general public for select hours.  Esri will have a presence at two pavilions within the Exhibition, each offering unique opportunities for engagement and learning.    America’s Pavilion  At the America’s Pavilion, Esri will host a 45-minute session (details coming soon) to showcase the Hexagonal Earth tool and how it can be used for reporting on the CBD targets. Esri staff will be available at the pavilion throughout Exhibition hours to give demonstrations and point to resources.     Communication and Education Pavilion  At the Communication and Education Pavilion we will highlight the intersection of nature, learning, and technology. Esri will host a 45-minute session (details coming soon) featuring the Nature-based Education (NbE) GeoPortal, a new resource designed to be a hub “where learning happens.” The NbE GeoPortal will connect schools and students to Esri educational resources and programs, making powerful geospatial tools more accessible to the next generation of conservation leaders.    Esri Presentations Throughout the Congress    Esri team members will be delivering multiple presentations over the course of the Congress, covering topics such as ecosystems atlas, conservation innovation with Jane Goodall Institute, data sovereignty, data preservation, and more.   Here are the presentations from Esri at the Congress: Date Time  Location Session Link Thursday, Oct. 9 15:00 – 16:00  Nature-based Education Pavillion  Sustainable Forestry Initiative & Esri: GIS as a teaching tool for our forests and watersheds Esri Speaker: David Smetana None Friday, Oct. 10 11:00-12:00  Nature-based Education Pavillion  Introducing the Nature-based Education Geoportal and inspiring the global movement for positive change   Esri Speaker: Jason Sawle  Link   Friday, Oct. 10 14:00-15:00  America’s Pavillion  Future-Proofing Conservation Data: Maintaining Reliable Datasets for Research and Decision-Making    Esri Speaker: Sean Breyer  Link  Friday, Oct. 10 15:00-16:00  Nature-based Education Pavillion  #NatureForAll and Esri, Love Stories StoryMap presentation    Esri Speaker: David Smetana  None Friday, Oct. 10 17:00-18:00  Central Stage  Official Nature-based Education Facility Launch: Where Learning Happens. A new global incubator and GeoPortal for Nature-based Education highlighted by IUCN leaders and Esri.   Esri Speaker: Ryan Lanclos and Jason Swale  Link  Friday, Oct. 10 18:00-19:00  IUCN Programme 2026-2029 Pavilion - R3  Global Ecosystems Atlas: The Innovation Layer for Nature Action using IUCN’s Typology    Esri Speaker: Sean Breyer  Link  Saturday, Oct. 11 14:00-15:00  Nature-based Education Pavillion  Esri will be at the Nature-based Education Pavilion to do demos of our technology and meet with attendees   Coordinator: Jason Sawle   None Saturday, Oct. 11 14:00-15:00  Central Stage Combining GenAI with the Jane Goodall Institute’s Community-Led Model to Accelerate and Scale Local Conservation    Esri Speaker: Sean Breyer   Link   Saturday, Oct. 11 9:30-10:00  Press Conference Room  Press Conference: IUCN launches Nature-based Education Facility with $10 million in-kind contribution from Esri    Esri Speaker: Ryan Lanclos and Jason Swale    Link  Sunday, Oct. 12 11:00-12:00  IUCN - The Americas - Room 2  Leveraging Global Biodiversity and Conservation Hexagons for reporting on the Convention on Biological Diversity Framework    Esri Speaker: David Smetana  Link  Sunday, Oct. 12 12:00-13:00  Global Environmental Facility Pavillion  Future-Proofing Conservation: Scaling Impact Through Intergenerational Collaboration in Africa    Esri Speaker: Lorien Innes  Link  Monday, Oct. 13 10:30-14:00  Nature-based Education Pavillion  Esri will be at the Nature-based Education Pavilion to do demos of our technology and meet with attendees   Esri Coordinator: Jason Swale   None   View the full program.    Pre-Conference Summits  Esri will also be participating in several of the IUCN Congress pre-conference summits, including:  World Summit of Indigenous Peoples and Nature  Youth Summit  Business and Nature Summit  These summits set the stage for the week, creating space for dialogue and commitments that will drive the Congress forward.    Connect with Us at the Congress  Our team is looking forward to connecting with you in Abu Dhabi! Be sure to connect with us at the Americas and Nature Based Education Pavilions or catch us after a session to talk about how GIS can accelerate your conservation goals.     Meet the Esri Team:  Ryan Lanclos – Director, Global National Government Industry Solutions  Lukasz Czerwinski – Nonprofit Account Manager  Emily Swenson – Nonprofit & Conservation Programs Manager  David Smetana – Professional Services, Conservation Strategy  Jason Sawle – Global Industry Manager for K-12 Schools  David Gadsden – Senior Geospatial Advisor, Conservation  Sean Breyer – GIS Engineering Director  Matthew Pennells - Director for Global Community Engagement   Follow along on social media for updates and live coverage:  X (formerly Twitter): @esri_conserv  GIS for Good LinkedIn Group  ... View more

ArcGIS Governance Best Practices for Education Customers Workshop   On Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 09:00 AM–1:00 PM (PT) we are holding a 4-hour workshop series.   There is no registration for the workshop, please join the Zoom meeting below starting at 9am (PT)   Zoom Meeting Link: https://esri.zoom.us/j/96124359270?pwd=V2pvvKjczgUxiLiwEqc8mTFrzZk5sb.1 Meeting ID: 961 2435 9270 Passcode: 506220   WORKSHOP DETAILS Detailed description and times for the September 18th workshop series are below.  We welcome you to participate in all the workshop sessions. If you can join only at certain times, that is OK as well. -        Best Practices for Managing ArcGIS – providing access and support (9am – 9:50am) PT Implementing ArcGIS is part of a broad enterprise IT strategy for providing GIS at your institution. Learn core best practices for configuring and managing ArcGIS in higher education, including SAML logins, New Member defaults, Credit budgeting, taking ArcGIS Pro offline, among others. Support and collaboration models with stakeholders on campus will be discussed. -        ArcGIS Governance – Developing Policies and Managing Content (10am – 10:50am) PT The concept of governance - institution-wide standards and policies for managing resources - is instrumental to managing ArcGIS effectively. We'll discuss key ideas for developing governance policies for ArcGIS users and content and consider the lifecycle of users and their content and groups. Options for managing ArcGIS storage, such as increasing capacity or reducing content, and communication strategies for onboarding and offboarding users, will be covered. -        ArcGIS Governance – Managing Credits and Users (11am – 11: 50am) PT Discuss best practices for developing a governance strategy for ArcGIS at an institutional level, related to credits and users; as the number of users grows across an institution, so does the consumption of credits. Learn about strategies for managing credits proactively through allocations and monitoring, and redirection to alternative options for high credit consumption activities. Strategies will also be discussed for offboarding and deleting users, groups, and content. -        ArcGIS Governance - Monitoring Usage and system health (12 noon – 12:50pm) PT Today, ArcGIS is a system composed of multiple software, data, and service components. As its use grows across an educational institution, it is important to monitor and understand use of the system to develop and implement effective governance policies. Learn how to monitor the health of ArcGIS, gather information for data-driven planning and maintenance, and support communication strategies empowering users to proactively manage their content   Presenters: Peter Knoop, University of Michigan and Geri Miller, Esri. ... View more

Esri Tools to Enhance Your Instruction in Earth Science and Physical Geography Discover the latest Esri tools and instructional materials to take your Earth science and physical geography teaching to the next level.   Register for our webinar happening September 25, 2025 from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM (PT)to learn how ArcGIS StoryMaps and the no-cost National Geographic MapMaker can revitalize instruction, engaging students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.   You will learn: Get National Geographic MapMaker for your school. Teach with rich sources of content in ArcGIS StoryMaps.   Register for the webinar >>   ... View more

AGU25: Where Science Connects Us. Join AGU25 with thousands of scientists, educators, and policymakers at the premier Earth and space science conference 15-19 December in New Orleans, Louisiana. Explore groundbreaking research, connect with global experts, and shape the future of our planet.   Esri at AGU details coming soon . . .   Get Event Details >>    ... View more

Geological Society of America (GSA) Connects 2025 Join GSA Connects 2025 in San Antonio, Texas October 19-22 for innovative technical sessions, top-tier professional development, and valuable networking opportunities—plus one-of-a-kind field experiences that bring geoscience learning to life and deepen your understanding of Earth’s dynamic processes. Meeting Themes Energy and Resource Innovations in the 21st Century Geology without Borders From Earth to the Cosmos: Geoscience Beyond Our Planet   Esri at GSA Find us at the exhibit booth #1108 Sponsor of the 'Student and Early Career Networking Event' breakfast Oct. 20 from 9-10 am (2nd floor)   More Event Details >>   ... View more

Get Best Practices for Managing Life Cycle of Content, Credits, and Users As ArcGIS Online usage grows across educational institutions, setting institution-wide standards and policies that apply to how ArcGIS is governed are important. A governance plan for managing ArcGIS Online can help institutions plan for growth and avoid issues in the future. Join us for a webinar on September 17, 2025, from 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (PT) to learn best practices for managing life cycle of content, credits, and users. Topics such as monitoring usage and health checking your organization, to show the value of GIS and ensure optimal use will be covered. You will learn: Evolving best practices when it comes to content/storage Evolving best practices when it comes to credit management Evolving best practices when it comes to user management   Register for the webinar >>   ... View more

The IUCN World Conservation Congress is a once-every-four-years gathering of nature conservation experts, leaders and decision-makers from around the world. this year, this event takes place in Abu Dhabi, October 9-15.   The IUCN Congress consists of three components:   Forum (October 9-12) The Forum is the largest knowledge marketplace for conservation and sustainable development science, practice and innovation. Through thematic sessions, the Forum addresses the economic, social, scientific and technical aspects of a broad range of nature conservation issues. Exhibition (October 9-13) In the Exhibition, IUCN Members and Commissions, businesses, partners, and academia host pavilions, booths and events. The Exhibition is open to both Congress participants and the public, allowing exhibitors to showcase their research, innovations and work to the broadest Congress audience. Members' Assembly (October 13-15) The Members' Assembly is IUCN's highest decision-making body. During the Assembly, IUCN's Member organisations vote on pressing conservation and sustainable development issues. These decisions influence global policy and set the conservation agenda for years to come.   Esri at IUCN   Connect with Esri staff at the Nature-based Education Pavillion in the exhibition. There you will hear from Esri staff on how we are supporting global conservation education efforts leveraging GIS technology.    Get event details >>   ... View more

Topic: Understanding Communities Through ArcGIS Tapestry: A Tool for Educators   Join the ArcGIS Tapestry team for a chat session to discover how educators, researchers, and students can use Tapestry to analyze and better-understand the communities they serve. Learn how Tapestry profiles are developed and applied within ArcGIS, explore the latest updates, and access a range of teaching and learning resources for optimal use.   Date:  Tuesday, October 7th , , 2025 – 9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET Presenters: ArcGIS Tapestry Team   Register for the chat >>    ... View more

Topic: Security First: A New Resource for Geospatial Intelligence Educators and Learners   Geospatial intelligence offers valuable insights and actionable information to help organizations and governments protect communities. Security First  is a new resource containing specific exercises and examples to show how GIS technology can be used to generate geospatial intelligence. Each chapter is organized with learning objectives, technical requirements, prerequisite knowledge, a geospatial workflow, reflection prompts, and additional resources. All detailed exercises use ArcGIS software and downloadable data, helping to establish and reinforce technical skills. Users will also interpret their results and write an intelligence brief, requiring them to think critically about the work completed.  Written for educators, students, and professionals, Security First is the first crowdsourced workbook in the growing field of human security and geospatial intelligence. Editors and contributing authors include geospatial intelligence practitioners as well as academics teaching and/or researching in the field of human security and geospatial intelligence.    Date:  Tuesday, September 2, 2025 @ 9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET Presenters include editors, Diana Ter-Ghazaryan and Darren Ruddell, as well as contributing authors, Patrick Kenney and others.    Register for the chat >>    ... View more

Join us for a webinar on October 1, 2025 | 1:00 PM–2:00 PM (ET) Register to learn how The Henry Ford is using Esri technology and ArcGIS Indoors to become a smart campus. See how geospatial tools like lidar, 3D BIM, and drone mapping are transforming facility management and visitor engagement. You’ll gain insights for modernizing your own campus or institution with GIS.   What you'll learn in this webinar: Business goals, operational challenges, and strategic decisions that led The Henry Ford to adopt a GIS-based smart campus approach How various data types—like CAD, PDFs, lidar scans, and panoramic imagery—are transformed into actionable indoor maps and digital twins Tools used in the project, including ArcGIS Indoors, Matterport, BIM models, and CAD How GIS enhances wayfinding, facility management, emergency planning, and visitor engagement Register for the webinar >>   ... View more