Save the date for Geo-Resolution 2023:

September 28, 2023

Dear friends of Geo-Resolution,

Geospatial science and technology play an increasingly important role in many aspects of our day-to-day lives, and with new applications come new challenges. The St. Louis region is well-positioned to provide solutions to these challenges with strong collaborations in location science across government, academia, and industry. 

Please mark your calendar for the Geo-Resolution 2021 conference on Sept. 28, 2023. The conference is open to students, geospatial professionals, and citizens with an interest in geospatial and location science.

Since 2019, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Saint Louis University have hosted the Geo-Resolution conference to strengthen and shine a spotlight on the regional St. Louis geospatial ecosystem. Join us to celebrate the accomplishments of our collaborations and contribute to the future vision of our geospatial community. 

Sincerely, 

The Geo-Resolution team 

2022 Geo-Resolution Conference

Mission Statement

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and Saint Louis University (SLU) co-sponsor Geo-Resolution 2022 to provide a venue for collaboration among geospatial experts and students in government, academia and industry and to lay the foundation for innovative solutions to combat the effects of climate change.

Vision

Climate change is reshaping our planet — shifting water resources, creating new coastlines, altering natural food sources and energy assets, and impacting global health. Geo-Resolution 2022 aims to answer: How can we leverage geospatial technologies and perspective to predict and mitigate effects of climate change?

Geospatial Perspectives on Climate Change: Predicting and Mitigating Effects

2022 Conference Agenda

Welcome & Introduction

• Laurna Godwin, Vector Communications Corporation, President

“Leaders’ Look” – Developments in the Geospatial Ecosystem

• Dr. Fred Pestello, Saint Louis University, President
• Vice Admiral Frank D. Whitworth, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Director
• Moderator: Dr. Susan Martinis, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation

Morning Keynote Conversation

• Jack Dangermond, Esri, Founder and President
• In conversation with: Dr. Michael C. Morgan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction

Location, Collaboration, and Impact

• Dr. Vasit Sagan, Taylor Geospatial Institute, Acting Director

Panel 1: Water Tension and Conflict (with Q&A)

Changes in climate are affecting sea levels, coastlines, and fresh water availability, access, and quality across the planet. Coastal zones are changing while droughts and floods are increasingly becoming more severe in locations with limited capacity to cope. This shift in resources impacts animal habitats, alters food resources for many populations, and heightens geo-political tensions. This conversation will examine how geospatial tools can be used to help stakeholders make science-based decisions on water policy and management.

• Dr. Jason Knouft, Saint Louis University, Professor of Biology and Jefferson Science Fellow at the U.S. Department of State
• Dr. Venkataraman Lakshmi, University of Virginia, Professor of Engineering
• Dr. Claire Masteller, Washington University in St. Louis, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Tom Parris, ISciences, L.L.C., President
• Moderator: Dr. Anthony Nguy-Robertson, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, R&D Scientist

Panel 2: Migration Due to Climate Change (with Q&A)

The purpose of this panel is to investigate the impact of climate change on human mobility and the potential for humanitarian crises and conflicts. Climate change is threatening the way humans live by increasing the pace of natural disasters, diminishing access to resources, and destabilizing livelihoods—all factors that lead to migration. But the effects of these changes are unequally distributed, both geographically and socially, with the consequence that human mobility takes many forms and varies with regard to distance and permanence. This panel will consider how changes in the environment combined with human mobility create conditions that can upend communities through their dissolution, assimilation, and reimagination.

• Jordan Beauregard, Defense Intelligence Agency, Senior Analyst for Climate Security
• Paul Costigan, International Institute St. Louis, Senior Vice President and Missouri Refugee Coordinator
• Dr. Audrey Lumley-Sapanski, University of Nottingham, Rights Lab Research Fellow and Lead in Migration and Displacement
• Shuai Zhou, Penn State University, Ph.D. Candidate in Rural Sociology and Demography
• Moderator: Caitlin Flanagan, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Human Geographer

Special Session: Engaging the Next Generation of Geospatial Practitioners through Educators (with Q&A)

This broadcast is designed to help educators and career counselors engage their students in opportunities in the geospatial ecosystem. The panelists will explore tools and resources to integrate geospatial into the classroom to engage and captivate the imagination of the young minds.

• Molly Brady, USGIF, Education and Professional Development Coordinator
• Andrew Hayden, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency College, Director
• Anita Palmer, GISetc, Technology Teacher
• Alex Schenk, Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience in St. Louis Public Schools, Lead STEM Teacher
• Moderator: Tara Vansell, Lindenwood University, GIS Lab Manager/GIS Instructor; USGIF St. Louis Area Working Group, K‑12 Education Working Group Chair

Afternoon Keynote Address

• Dr. Holden Thorp, Science Family of Journals, Editor-In-Chief

Poster Session Winner Announcement

• Announced by: Dr. Ness Sandoval, Taylor Geospatial Institute, Acting Associate Director for Diversity, Education, and Training. Visit our poster session page to see this year’s posters.

Panel 3: Impacts on Energy and Food Systems (with Q&A)

What are the impacts of climate change on energy and food systems? How can geospatial tools help researchers to rethink energy and food systems and make them more resilient to climate change? This panel explores the interconnected nature of climate, energy, and food systems from a number of different perspectives, including agricultural technology, water resources management, and sustainable energy systems. Together the panelists will consider innovative paths forward in helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change on energy and food systems.

• Dr. Carter Christopher, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Distinguished R&D Staff Member and Section Head, Human Dynamics R&D
• Trish Cozart, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Office Director-Innovation, Partnering and Outreach
• Dr. Matt Dimmic, Climate LLC, Director, Science Modeling
• Dr. Allison Miller, Danforth Plant Science Center, Principal Investigator, and Saint Louis University, Professor of Biology
• Moderator: Dr. Toni Kutchan, Danforth Plant Science Center, Vice President for Research

Panel 4: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Climate Change and Health (with Q&A)

This panel explores the impact of climate change on human and animal health, infectious diseases, and biodiversity. Not only does climate change contribute to the loss of biodiversity and the emergence of new infectious diseases, but it can also make access to health resources more difficult, especially for those most directly impacted by climate catastrophes. Solutions to these challenges necessitate a multi-modal and interdisciplinary approach.

• Dr. Michael Emch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Professor of Epidemiology
• Dr. Daniel Hoft, Saint Louis University, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology, Director and Professor
• Dr. Ram Raghavan, University of Missouri-Columbia, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Pathobiology
• Dr. Robin Verble, University of Missouri Science and Technology, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
• Moderator: Dr. Enbal Shacham, Saint Louis University, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Professor and Associate Dean for Research; Taylor Geospatial Institute, Acting Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives

Closing Keynote Address

• Dr. Joseph Mascaro, Planet Labs, Science Strategy and Programs Director

Production and digital support for GeoResolution 2022 by Evntiv LLC.