URISA Caribbean GIS Conference - Tuesday Program Details

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

8:00– 10:00 AM
Opening Ceremony & Keynote Address

A member of URISA's leadership will welcome attendees on behalf of URISA and Conference Chair Carolann Albury (Director of Bahamas National GIS Centre), will speak about highlights of this third Caribbean GIS Conference.

Keynote Address - The Honourable Perry Gladstone Christie

URISA is honored to welcome The Honourable Perry Gladstone Christie, Bahamas Prime Minister, who will address the conference on Tuesday morning.

Educational Sessions
10:30 – 12:00 Noon

Using GIS in Hazard Mapping
There are many hazard mapping projects which utilize GIS and complimentary technology. This session discusses some of the techniques being employed as well as the challenges faced.

  • GIS-based Flood Hazard Mapping Initiatives in the Caribbean
    Jacob Opadeyi, PhD, University of the West Indies Centre for Geospatial Studies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Multi-hazard Assessment for Dominica, West Indies
    Jeffrey Euwema, CIPA, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • The Use of Aerial and Terrestrial Photogrammetry in Landslide Inventory
    Raid Al-Tahir, University of West Indies, Dept of Surveying & Land Information, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Spatial Data: Integrating the Enterprise
Working effectively in the enterprise – whether in Government or private sector, requires enhanced integration of information and work procedures. This session explores how spatial data is increasingly being used to help integrate the enterprise work environment.

  • Using Spatial Data to Integrate Registry and Cadastral Systems
    Peter Rabley, International Land Systems, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
  • Cayman Islands GIS: A Multifaceted Resource
    Alan Jones and Garry Green, Cayman Islands Survey Department, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

GPS Data Capture for Database Development & Management

  • Using GPS to Collect, Manage and Update Trees & Storm Water Assets in the Field
    Regina Hagger, City of Miami, Florida, USA
  • Cost-Effective Use of GIS and GPS to Evaluate the Performance of Water Utility Infrastructure in Developing Communities
    Sharon Jones, Lafayette College, Department of Civil Engineering, Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Development of a Master Plan & Environmental Assessment of Boubyan Island in Kuwait
    Waleed Roy, Kuwait Institute for Scientic Research, Environment and Urban Divison, Department of Advanced Systems, Kuwait

Building Partnerships
Much can be accomplished through partnerships. Learn about the costs and benefits and gain insight on what makes partnership work.

  • Building Partnerships - Jamaica's Large Scale Mapping Story
    Cecille Blake, Ministry of Land and Environment, Kingston, Jamaica
  • Canadian Initiatives in Developing GIS Through Cooperation
    Nicolas Gignac, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Kingston, Jamaica
    Jacques Pare, CUSO Canada, Trois Rivieres, Quebec, Canada

12:00 Noon – 1:00 PM
Roundtable Discussion Luncheon
Networking at its finest! Discuss your interests over lunch, with your peers. Choose the topic of most interest to you — from management issues to database design, privacy, and data sharing — and join in the conversation. You’ll be amazed at the wealth of ideas that your colleagues have!

 

1:00 – 1:30 PM
Head to the Exhibit Hall to discuss your needs with the organizations participating in the Exhibition. The Exhibition will be open from 1:00 – 6:00 PM today. Take this opportunity to compare and contrast the technology and services that are currently available to make your work more efficient and effective. Challenge the representatives to offer solutions and go home with the answers to your technology needs.



Educational Sessions
1:30 – 3:00 PM

The Use of GIS in Disaster Management
With the increase in disasters worldwide, disaster managers are integrating technology in the business of disaster management. This session discusses how GIS can be used in disaster management in an effort to reduce losses.

  • Using GIS to Enhance Comprehensive Disaster Management in the Caribbean
    Valrie Grant-Harry, GIS Consultant, Kingston, Jamaica
  • GIS and Risk Reduction: The Case of Jamaica
    Nikolai Thomas, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Kingston, Jamaica
  • GIS for Community Based Disaster Mitigation
    Leah Vaughan, Community Maps, San Francisco, California, USA

Conservation Planning
The Caribbean is one of the world’s epicenters of biodiversity and is facing increasing pressures. This session will discuss conservation planning and sustainable resource initiatives that use GIS-based methods to assist in monitoring and managing these threatened resources.

  • Conservation Planning in the Bahamas
    Steven Schill, The Nature Conservancy, Richmond, Utah, USA
  • Use of GIS for the Planning of Sustainable Timber Harvest from the Iwokrama Forest, Guyana
    Roxroy Bollers, Georgetown, Guyana
  • The Caribbean Decision Support System for Conservation Information Management
    Steven Schill, The Nature Conservancy, Richmond, Utah, USA

Community Based GIS Initiatives

  • Urban Sustainability: University and Community Participatory Mapping Initiative
    Edwin Joseph, Grand ValleyState University, Allendale, Michigan, USA
  • Mapping the Distribution of Crabwood Trees along the Waini River, North West, Guyana Using a Community Based Mapping Approach
    Anthony R Cummings, Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society, Better Hope, Guyana
  • A Community-Integrated Approach to GIS for Improving Geographic Literacy in Middle Schools
    Edwin Joseph, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan, USA

Advancing GIS in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas
GIS has been in The Bahamas since the early 90's. Over a period of 15 years, this technology has emerged as a critical tool in support the decision making process. This session will provide an overview of the institutional framework, opportunities and challenges for the development of NSDI in The Bahamas and future steps to advance integrated GIS on local, national and international levels.

  • Advancing GIS in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas
    Carolann Albury, Bahamas National GIS Centre, Nassau, Bahamas
  • Role of The Bahamian Surveyor as An Ambassador for Change
    Thomas Ferguson and Dwight Bartlett, Real Property Tax Division, Nassau, Bahamas
  • Estimating and Mapping Queen Conch Population in The Bahamas using GIS
    Marlene Jackson, College of The Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas
    Maria Woodside-Oriakhi, College of The Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas


3:00 – 3:30 PM: Break in Exhibit Hall

Educational Sessions
3:30 – 5:00 PM

GIS for Emergency Response
Responding to emergencies is a critical aspect of Emergency Management. In recent years GIS has become the tool of choice in emergency response situations. This session looks at applications of GIS in emergency response.

  • GIS for Humanitarian Relief
    Alan Mills, MapAction, UK and David Spackman, MapAction, United Kingdom
  • Mobile Online Intelligent Decision Support System
    Stacey Lyle, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
  • Importance of Geospatial Contributions to Emergency Responses: Regional Geospatial Service Center Actions During Hurricane Rita
    James Kroll & Darrel McDonald, Stephen F Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA

Land Resources/Land Use

  • St. Kitts Land Resource Analysis
    Edsel Daniel, PhD, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
    Alan Mills, Alan Mills Consulting, Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom
  • Quantitative Land Use/Cover Change Analysis of the Island of Tobago using Landsat ETM+ Imagery and Geographic Information Systems

    Deanesh Ramsewak, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

  • Effective Tools to Map Forest Formations with Satellite Imagery in the Caribbean
    Eileen Helmer, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Working with CAD & GIS Infrastructural Databases

  • Who Stole My Hydrant?
    Gary Berry, Hansen Information Technologies, Rancho Cordova, California, USA
  • Engineering Profiles - From 2D Paper to a 3D Network; Lessons Learned and Vision to the Future
    Bruce Cullen, City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • Infrastructure / Tourism / Land Use Strategy Development for the St. Lawrence Seaway Parks Commission
    Anna Goldberg, MGP Information Systems, Markham, Ontario, Canada

Caribbean GIS Development Experiences Shared

  • Proposed Template for The New Operation of The Valuation Section
    Thomas Ferguson and Dwight Bartlett, Business Licence Valuation Unit, Nassau, Bahamas
  • Developing an Infrastructure Management GIS-based System in Antigua
    Peter Gottfried, Canin Associates Inc, Orlando, Florida, USA
  • WSC's Approach to GIS Development & Deployment
    Shantelle Lopez, GISP, and Hugo Andrews, Water & Sewerage Corporation, Nassau, Bahamas

5:00 – 6:00 PM
Networking Reception in Exhibit Hall

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