This year marks the 25th anniversary of GIS Day, a global event that showcases the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in solving some of our time's most pressing challenges. Embracing this year’s theme, “Mapping Minds, Shaping the World," the event celebrates both technology and the human creativity driving it. VHB recently participated in two back-to-back GIS Day events held by MassDOT and CTDOT on November 20 and 21, respectively.
GIS are paramount in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting spatial data to understand relationships, patterns, and trends. From its inception, GIS has evolved into a critical tool influential in many fields, including transportation, urban planning, environmental management, and infrastructure development. GIS Day, first held in 1999, has been instrumental in spotlighting the pivotal role of GIS in improving transparency, efficiency, and collaboration among stakeholders worldwide.
At this year’s events, VHB showcased an interactive presentation that allowed attendees to delve into various GIS and technology solutions designed to tackle real-world problems across several sectors, including transportation, energy, municipal, and land development. The participation in MassDOT GIS Day on November 20 and CTDOT GIS Day on November 21 gave us an invaluable opportunity to connect with professionals and stakeholders, sharing our vision of pioneering tomorrow’s infrastructure.
During both events, VHB's booth attracted great interest from attendees. Our interactive presentation highlighted several innovative GIS applications, including:
- Smart Transportation Solutions: Demonstrating how GIS supports intelligent transportation networks by improving route efficiency, reducing congestion, and enhancing public transit systems.
- Sustainable Energy Initiatives: Showcasing how GIS aids in optimizing the placement of renewable energy sources, including wind and solar, to maximize efficiency and sustainability.
- State and Local Government: Emphasizing the role of GIS in urban planning, from zoning and land use to emergency response and public service delivery.
- Land Development Projects: Exploring how GIS facilitates site analysis, environmental impact assessments, and community planning for sustainable development.
By leveraging advanced GIS capabilities, VHB continues to help clients transform data into actionable insights that foster innovation and address complex challenges. Citing specific examples, VHB professionals New England GIS Lead Kristina Sargent, New Hampshire GIS Team Lead Stephanie Pelletier, and GIS Regional Lead Jim Hall gave two presentations at the event; the first covered successful strategies for public engagement using GIS, illustrating how these tools can facilitate better communication and community involvement, and the second delved into the exciting field of GeoAI, showcasing how artificial intelligence integrated with GIS can provide deeper insights and predictive analytics for spatial data.
For more insights into how VHB’s GIS and technology solutions can benefit your next project, visit Technology Solutions.
