The document discusses geospatial technologies and how they allow people to use digital maps and spatial analysis to better understand places and make more informed decisions. It defines geospatial as referring to the tools, techniques, data, and skills used to inventory and analyze the spatial relationships between people, places, and things. A key geospatial technology is geographic information systems (GIS), which combines layered data about a location to provide insights. The document also outlines careers working with geospatial technologies and the desired skills of employers such as experience with GIS, programming, database management, and communication skills.

2. The Geospatial Revolution:
Transforming How We Map Our
World
Jim Lacy
Associate State Cartographer
Wisconsin State Cartographer’s office
www.sco.wisc.edu

3. GEO
Geography. People, places or things in
our world.

4. SPATIAL
Orientation of objects in space.

5. GEOSPATIAL
Broadly refers to the tools, techniques,
data, and skills used to inventory and
analyze the relationship of people,
places, and things in our world.

6. OR IF YOU PREFER…
Geospatial technologies let us
use digital maps to make
better-informed decisions.

7. Cartography
ArcMap

9. Geographic
Information
System
GIS

10. A GIS combines layers
of information about a
place to enable a
better understanding
of that place.

11. Database: Not easy to interpret

12. Visualization: “Worth a thousand words”

13. Spatial Analysis
Real power of GIS is the
ability to model features
of our world and analyze
information across many
different data layers that
represent those features.

14. McFarland site selection example

15. McFarland site selection example

16. McFarland site selection example

17. McFarland site selection example

18. McFarland site selection example

19. McFarland site selection example

20. McFarland site selection example

21. McFarland site selection example

22. Geospatial tech is more than
just GIS…

25. Aerometric slides

34. “EVERYDAY” USES OF GEOSPATIAL
TECH…

45. GEOSPATIAL CAREERS

46. Skills Desired by Employers
 First, do you want to be an “-ologist” or a
“mapper?”
 Attention to detail, problem solver
 Communication (written and verbal)
 Project management

47. Skills Desired by Employers
 Real experience in geospatial tech
• Intern or volunteer (please!)
 Programming skills in very high demand
• Python, Javascript
 Web design and development
 Database management

49. Where can you study Geospatial Tech?
 UW Colleges – GEO 106 (online)
 Most, if not all, public Universities in WI have
some type of geospatial program available to
students
 GIS Certificates growing in popularity
(Madison, Milwaukee, Stevens Point)
 Do you want to be an “-ologist” or a “mapper?”

51. Questions?
Jim Lacy
State Cartographer’s Office
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lacy@wisc.edu
WWW.SCO.WISC.EDU