Census Releases New Website for Research – Research @ Census

New on the Census Bureau Website: Research@Census 
The newly created Research@Census website is a gateway to the world of research at the Census Bureau. This site enables users to learn about innovations to measure and understand America through improved statistics, statistical products and analysis. 
Also included on the site is a new blog “Research Matters” that features the work of researchers from all areas of the Census Bureau. Research ranges from substantive topics of interest in demography, economics and other social sciences to methodological questions, such as the role of statistical modeling in surveys, designs for the 10-year census, research on record linkage and confidentiality protection. Census Bureau researchers include geographers, statisticians, economists, demographers and more.
Check out the new site at: http://www.census.gov/research/ 

2010 Census Urban Areas Now Available

On Monday, March 26, 2012, the Census Bureau announced the list of urbanized areas and urban clusters defined on the basis of the 2010 Census. The official announcement occurred via the Federal Register, with the notice providing lists of urbanized areas and urban clusters and their respective 2010 Census populations.

In conjunction with the announcement, the Census Bureau’s Geography Division released the following items:

  • Lists of urbanized areas and urban clusters with 2010 population, land area, and population density;
  • Urbanized area/urban cluster TIGER/Line shapefiles
  • Updated 2010 census block shapefiles with urban/rural flag and urban area code
  • Files providing relationships between urbanized areas/urban clusters and counties, places, county subdivisions, ZCTAs, and metro/micro areas;
  • A 2010 urban area to 2000 urban area relationship file;
  • Census 2000 to 2010 Census population and land area change for urbanized areas
  • Urban/rural population by state
  • Urban/rural population by county
  • Thematic maps:
    • Distribution of urbanized areas and urban clusters
    • New urbanized areas
    • Percentage of population that is urban by county
    • Percentage of population in urbanized areas by county
    • Ten most populous urbanized areas

These items and other information about the Census Bureau urban-rural classification and urban area delineations can be found on the Census Bureau’s website at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/ua/2010urbanruralclass.html.

For details an overview of the urban areas data release, view the U.S. Census Press Release.

Using ArcGIS Online to Create and Share Interactive Web Maps — CLEAR workshop on June 7, 2012

UConn CLEAR’s Geospatial Training Program has just announced a new one-day training on Esri’s ArcGIS Online. The course will focus on the ArcGIS Map Viewer and ArcGIS Explorer Online. Topics will include creating and publishing interactive maps on the web, integrating GIS data, sharing maps and working with groups on ArcGIS Online, working with the Esri smartphone app and more! The training consists of short lectures and demonstrations followed by hands-on exercises and over the shoulder guidance from instructors.
When: June 7, 2012
Where: UConn Extension, Haddam, CT
Cost: $150
For more information about this and other GTP course offerings visit http://clear.uconn.edu/geospatial/training.htm or contact Cary Chadwick at 860-345-5216.
Other spring 2012 trainings include:
Intro to desktop GIS: April 18-20 and June 20-22 
Intro toModelBuilder for ArcGIS: April 25
Intro to Python Scripting: May 1-2 
Intro toGPS: June 14-15

2012 Northeast Arc Users Group Conference – Call for Proposals

Call for PresentationsThe Northeast Arc Users Group will hold its 27th Annual Conference, November 11-14, 2012 at the Samoset Resort in Rockland, Maine.

The 2012 NEARC conference will feature keynote sessions, vendor demonstrations, poster displays and over 60 technical workshops and user presentations. The conference is expected to attract over 500 users of Geographic Information System software including urban and regional planners, educators, natural resource managers, utility professionals and government agencies that use geographic information to help with decision-making and problem-solving on a daily basis.


PRESENTATION TOPIC AREAS

  • Public Safety
  • Municipal
  • Education
  • Emerging Technologies/IT
  • Natural Resources
  • Mobile Technology
  • Facilities

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Presentations cannot market specific products and services.
  • Abstracts should be 150-200 words.
  • Presenters must register and pay to attend the conference at regular conference fees.
  • Deadline has been extended until June 1, 2012
  • Questions? Contact Brett Horr, Program Chair at bhorr@yorkmaine.org

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A PRESENTATION



For additional details on the NEARC 2012 conference visit: http://northeastarc.org/2012/index.html 

Connecticut GIS User to User Network Meeting – Friday March 30 at UConn Greater Hartford and Online!

Looking to network with other GIS users in Connecticut? Want to know about the next steps for the Connecticut Geospatial Council? 

Attend the Connecticut GIS User to User Network Meeting on March 30, 2012!

The Connecticut GIS User to User Network will hold their Spring Quarterly Meeting on Friday, March 30, 2012 at the University of Connecticut, Greater Hartford Campus at 85 Lawler Road West Hartford, Connecticut  in room 104 of the Hi-Tech Classroom Building (HITC) [View Campus Map].

The meeting will start with networking opportunities at 8:30 AM and the first presentation will begin promptly at 9:00 AM. Among the presenters and presentations will be Mr. Tyler Kleykamp from the State Office of Policy and Management. He will be speaking on the recent Governor’s Bill Number 5027 regarding the impacts on the Connecticut Geospatial Council and future plans regarding GIS in the State of Connecticut.

Virtual Attendance via Live Stream!
For those of you unable to physically attend the meeting, you can attend this meeting virtually! To attend this meeting virtually please register via the link below. Participants registering for the virtual stream will be sent an email one day prior to the event with connection details and users will also be able to ask questions virtually.

Register Here for Virtual Meeting


Cost:
Free!

Parking: 
Parking is available in the parking lot on Trout Brook Road  [Map]

View the Live Stream at: http://ustre.am/J8GC or via the video window below. The live stream will begin at 9:00am on Friday March 30, 2012 and will end by 12:00pm.

Free live streaming by Ustream

Connecticut GeoFocus Newsletter – Spring 2012 Edition

The latest issue of the Connecticut GeoFocus newsletter is now available and includes the following topics: 

  • GIS Legislation
  • South Windsor GIS and Web Technologies
  • GEO Tidbits
  • Lightning Mapper
  • Geo-Networking
  • EDDMapS
  • National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation
  • Solar Flares
  • National Electric Generation Siting Study
  • WISE Mission Catalog of Infrared Space
  • Geologic Mapping

2012 Harvard CGA Conference: Re-mapping Africa in GIS: From Humanities to Health: March 29-30, 2012

2012 Harvard CGA Conference: Re-mapping Africa in GIS: From Humanities to Health

This two-day conference, to be held on March 29-30, 2012, brings together scholars on GIS and Africa to share their knowledge and experiences; to explore the potential of geospatial methods in the social sciences, further humanities scholarship by critically engaging GIS methods, and promote interdisciplinary collaborative research in health and humanities in the continent of Africa. WorldMap training and demo are offered on March 29. Keynote address by Patrick Vinck “Putting Peace on the Map,” lightning talks, and panel discussion will be on March 30. To view details and register: http://gis.harvard.edu/conference
 
Two competitions for excellence in GIS are held in conjunction with this conference.

Posters and videos will be considered from Harvard students for:

Submission deadline for both prizes is 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 27th.

‘GIS & Spatial Thinking in the Undergraduate Curriculum’ conference at Bucknell University November 16-18, 2012

Bucknell University is seeking panelists and participants for a fall 2012 conference, “GIS & Spatial Thinking in the Undergraduate Curriculum” 
  • What: Workshop on current challenges and emerging opportunities in GIS and spatial analysis in undergraduate teaching and research
  • When: November 16-18, 2012
  • Where: Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
  • Who: Designed for Faculty and GIS/IT staff with an interest in using GIS for teaching and/or research in higher education. Although the workshop is oriented towards the undergraduate liberal arts curriculum, participants from any type of higher education institution are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

**Information on cost, registration & how to submit papers and posters is coming soon**

 
About the conference:
Bucknell University is hosting this conference to discuss and identify some of the current challenges and emerging opportunities in using GIS and spatial analysis in higher education teaching and research.   We expect the meeting to be a ‘problem-solving’ workshop wherein faculty specialists from various disciplines can share tools, methods and resources for integrating GIS and spatial analysis into their work and GIS/IT staff can learn about the discipline-specific ‘spatial’ needs and goals of faculty.
Desired outcomes from the workshop include: (1) providing mutual support for imaginative and challenging applications of spatial technology in undergraduate education; (2) fostering potential collaborative efforts between and within participant schools, such as joint research initiatives and/or shared resources for data, web maps and teaching materials, and; (3) creating a regional community of faculty & GIS/IT staff to interact on a regular basis, share information, and exchange ideas about the priorities identified during the workshop.
Tentative sessions include: (1) Quantitative Analysis & Scientific/Technical Applications of GIS; (2) Mapping Human Activity – Qualitative Analysis with GIS; (3) GIS in Pedagogy; (4) GIS in Higher Education Outreach & Service Learning; and (5) Software & Data Issues in GIS Instruction
This conference is hosted by Bucknell University Library & IT Division

Connecticut Geographic Alliance Meeting – March 22, 2012 from 4:30-6:30pm

The Connecticut Geographic Alliance (CGA) needs your help.  Are you interested in promoting Geography among Connecticut school children?  Do you look for Professional development opportunities to support your teaching of Geography?  Do you like to collaborate with colleagues about Geography? CGA is looking for individuals who are passionate about Geography, passionate about teaching, and passionate about helping children become Geographically literate in the 21st century.
For the past year CGA has gone through a thorough introspective strategic planning process.  A strategic planning team, with support from CGA’s Steering Committee, collaborated to complete this process.  The goal of this was to reflect on CGA’s work to promote Geographic literacy over the last 20+ years and to see how we could build off of our strengths to continue to promote Geographic literacy for the next 20 years.  During this time we reflected on and amended the organization’s mission, vision, and objectives.  Our website, www.ctgeoalliance.org has been updated to reflect the changes.
Additionally, we worked to restructure the alliance to align with the amended mission, vision, and objectives.  The Steering Committee structure has been altered to a clearly defined five committee structure supporting our new CGA Coordinator, UConn Geography Department Faculty member, Dr. Andrew Ballantine.  This arrangement  will be supported by an Advisory Board as well.   Please review the structure included below:
The Connecticut Geographic Alliance invites you to look at this as an opportunity to participate in the promotion of Geography in Connecticut.  CGA is looking for individuals in each of the areas outlined to serve as committee members and/or leaders.  This is an opportunity to take on a leadership role with something about which you are passionate.
CGA is hosting an informational meeting to see what role you can play in promoting Geography in the state of Connecticut.
This meeting will be held on Thursday, March 22 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the University of Connecticut’s Department of Geography (Room 420) in the CLAS Building on the Storrs campus (215 Glenbrook Road).
Food will be served.  Friends will be made.  And the promotion of Geographic Education in Connecticut will continue in full.

For additional information contact:

Tom Brodnitzki
CGA Co-Coordinator
860-463-5107

tbrodnitzki@gmail.com

Climate Impact, Mitigation, and Adaptation (CIMA) – March 26-29, 2012 at UConn Storrs

The University of Connecticut is hosting a series of presentations and events March 26-29, 2012 focused on Climate Impact, Mitigation, and Adaptation (CIMA): A Reflection of Our Future. Included below is a list of events and for more information visit the Climate Impact and Adaptation (CIMA) website at: http://cima.cese.uconn.edu/


 MONDAY – 26 MARCH 2012


Wilbur Cross, North Reading Room
Opening Ceremonies & Signing of Sustainability Commitment (3:00 to 5:00)

  • President Susan Herbst, University of Connecticut
  • Professor Gene Likens, Member of the National Academy of Sciences & Board of Trustees Distinguished Research Professor
  • Commissioner Daniel Esty, CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

TUESDAY – 27 MARCH 2012
Konover Auditorium, Dodd Center
Mark Hertsgaard (12:00 to 1:00)
“How ‘Generation Hot’ Can Fight Climate Change … and Win”

Bishop Center, Rooms 7A & 7B
Climate Impact Expo:  Actions for Cool Communities (6:30 to 9:00)
Mark Hertsgaard Featured Speaker
“Inspiring Our Communities To Fight Global Warming”
Interactive Town Discussion:  Local & Regional Climate Adaptation Strategies


WEDNESDAY – 28 MARCH 2012
Student Union, North Lobby
Interactive Eco-Footprint Exhibit (9:00 to 5:00)

Student Union, South Lobby
Research Presentations by Students & Faculty Members (9:00 to 5:00)

Student Union, Theater
Green Careers & Organic Agriculture Panel Discussion (3:00 to 4:00)


THURSDAY – 29 MARCH 2012
Konover Auditorium, Dodd Center – 4:00 to 5:30
Provost Peter Nicholls
“UConn’s Academic Plan & the Environment”

Dr. Michael Mann
“The Hockey Stick: On the Front Lines in the Climate Wars”


Art Exhibit  – 19 MARCH to 22 APRIL 2012
Sustainability & Environmental Stewardship Art Exhibit – 19 March to 22 April – Stevens Gallery, Homer Babbidge Library