Half-day Seminars

Think about your goals for geospatial implementation, integration, and/or improvement, and chances are your needs can be met starting with a GITA interactive, half-day seminar. Earn continuing education credits (CEUs) while expanding your knowledge! Kick-start your conference experience by taking part in one of GITA’s half-day preconference seminars. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get hands-on experience in the subject of your choice! The seminars offer you a great way to earn CEUs. The fees for these seminars are separate from the conference registration; see the registration form for details.

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Sunday • 8:00 a.m.–noon

How the Evolution of GPS Is Transforming Surveying and Mapping
Seminar Leader & Speaker: Eric Gakstatter, Contributing Editor-GPS World magazine, Editor - GeoSpatial Solutions.
Speaker: Pamela Fromhertz, National Geodetic Survey

The Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) is rapidly evolving. There are new signals being designed and deployed, such as GPS L2C, L5, and L1C, and new satellite navigation systems being deployed including Russia’s GLONASS, Japan’s QZSS, and Europe’s Galileo. Submeter and centimeter results are easily achievable. Implementation technologies such as Real Time Networks (RTN), CORS, and OPUS are all readily available to ensure consistency of data from one application to the next. Topics such as datums/coordinate systems, SBAS (WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS), and sub-meter mapping will also be discussed in detail with particular attention paid to the worldwide growth of RTN and its influence on high accuracy positioning. Finally, the seminar will include discussion on how GNSS will transform over the next 10 years with respect to surveying and mapping.

Green GIS: Modernizing Critical Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future with the Aid of Geospatial Technologies
Seminar Leader: Paul Yarka, Accenture
Speakers: David Herrmann, Critigen; Krishna Kumar, Space-Time Insight; Douglas Preece, Capgemini

Sustainability in the utility industry today involves balancing economic viability and vitality, regulatory concurrence, healthy communities, and environmental protection, with a view toward future generations. A variety of technologies are helping to modernize critical infrastructure in a sustainable direction. One growing example is the use of existing GIS in building and enabling smart grids. Smart grids are being implemented that uniquely enable residential and commercial customers to take advantage of sustainable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and biomass, and to (soon) integrate PHEV and other technologies. In addition to GIS and smart grids, geospatial tools are uniquely poised to design and manage sustainable infrastructure given their robust data handling and visual communication capabilities. Much of a sustainability practice also involves efficiency—making certain that resources are being used optimally for both longevity and cost savings. This session will include presentations on how GIS enables smart grid planning and deployment, enterprise-level carbon footprint calculations, and digital models to integrate location data, business processes, and analytical systems for more efficient cities and utilities.

The Regulatory Implications of GIS
Seminar Leader: Tobias Whitney, The Structure Group
Speakers: Tom Gilmour,GL Noble Denton; Rich Arata, New Century Software

While registered asset owners are working to maintain compliance with the North American Electric Reliability Standards within their organizations, they are faced with numerous organizational, procedural, and technological challenges. Audits are being performed in each region, and violations are costly. During this seminar, these challenges will be evaluated, and discussion will be geared to how these standards affect GIS professionals. The first part of this discussion will address NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection & Regulatory Standards. The reliability regulation has required utilities to evaluate how access is managed and operational data is protected. In addition, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is in the final stages of new legislation focused on the safety of natural gas distribution. The legislation, referred to as Distribution Integrity, will have a significant impact on the way utilities store and analyze their data. The second half of our discussion will evaluate the GIS implications of smart grid. Outage management, distribution automation, and distribution management systems will be used to help manage reliability and system restoration activities. This seminar will cover smart grid applications that require GIS data and the compliance and security implications of accessing this data.

Sunday • 1:30–5:30 p.m.

Prepare Your Business Case for the Economic Rebound Using GITA’s Return on Investment (ROI) Methodology
Seminar Leaders: Mary Ann Stewart, Mary Ann Stewart Engineering, LLC; Nancy Lerner, EMA, Inc.

We’re coming out of difficult times for getting projects funded. As cash begins to flow in your organization, or your clients’ organizations, will you be ready to present a competitive business case for your project? You can bet that others will be lining up for a chance at funding. Give your project a head start in leading the pack by presenting a sound business case based on ROI analysis. Learn to use tools for financial analysis to determine net present value, payback period, break-even point, and return on investment for your geospatial projects. This interactive seminar will enable participants to develop a simple return on investment analysis of a project while learning the basic principles of financial analysis for GIS. Presenters will examine a variety of ways benefit estimates can be developed, the use of analysis in instilling management confidence, and the use of specialized templates to assist organizations in calculating return on investment. The seminar will draw from GITA’s research effort, "Building a Business Case for GIT," and will provide results from case studies conducted over the past four years. Seminar attendees will be eligible to purchase GITA’s ROI project workbook at a significant discount!

Geospatial Solutions to Address Aging Infrastructure
Seminar Leader: Susan Ancel, EPCOR;
Speakers: Dennis Beck, SBS; Connie Gurchiek, GeoDecisions; Kirk McClurkin, Woolpert;

The American Society of Civil Engineers publishes an annual scorecard of America’s failing infrastructure—and our 2009 average score remains at an alarming low grade of D. Recent headlines show failing bridges, sinkholes under highways, and reports of an estimated $2.2 trillion price tag to repair or replace aging assets over five years. To address the issue, geospatial technology is being applied to inspect, inventory, prioritize, design, track, and implement solutions to these infrastructure problems. This seminar will focus on innovative techniques for measuring performance reliability of assets, risk of failure, maintenance practices, and innovative solutions that harness the power of geospatial technology to help restore the condition of our aging infrastructure.

GIS/Surveying Geospatial Collaboration
Seminar Leader: Bill Coleman, Coleman & Associates Land Surveying
Seminar Speakers: Gene Trobia, Arizona State Land Development; Jack Avis, Baker-Aicklen & Associates

Three practicing GIS professionals will present three points of view addressing the needs for geospatial collaboration with regards to contributions and in support of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure base map development activities. Arizona State Cartographer Gene Trobia, GISP, along with Geospatialist Jack Avis, PLS, GISP, and Professional Surveyor, and Educator Bill Coleman, RPLS, GISP, will present examples from their professional careers that illustrate the need for coordination, collaboration, and sharing of geospatial standards in support of NSDI and each other’s geospatial professions. Following the three presentations, the audience will be able to contribute ideas and comments regarding additional needs or points for further clarification through a roundtable discussion.

Enterprise Information Management Drives Effective Decision Making
Seminar Leader: David Luhan, City and County of Denver
Seminar Speakers: Bill Meehan, ESRI; Anthony Palizzi, Woolpert, Inc.

Geospatial professionals with a broad range of industry and technology expertise will discuss how they apply enterprise information management to drive effective decision making that positively impacts their organizations. Real-world processes and applications, spatial and operational data stores, business intelligence, performance monitoring, and real-time integration will be discussed. Participants will gain valuable insight into best practices and continuous improvement used to deliver functional capabilities to their customers.

Monday • 8:00 a.m.–noon

A Dangerous Proposal: Protecting Our Nation’s Underground Infrastructure from the Stimulus Package
Seminar Leader: Andy Lund, Sentinel USA, Inc.
Speakers: Sandy Holmes, Arizona Blue Stake; Bill Parry, Unisource Energy; Chuck Taylor, National Academy of Sciences; Jim Anspach, J.H. Anspach Consulting

Thanks to the Obama administration, billions of federal dollars recently began flowing to state and local governments. To ensure that the capital improvement projects chosen create maximum benefit in the shortest time, the term "shovel-ready" has been bantered about. Unfortunately, "shovel-ready" is an arbitrary term that means different things to different folks. Quite often, it means no consideration is given to existing underground infrastructure. As a result, the risk of underground facility damage has never been greater. This session will cover various methods and mechanisms for underground damage prevention, from institutional to technological to philosophical—and all points in between.

Geospatial Solutions for Preparing and Responding to Natural Disasters
Seminar Leader: Mark Feldman, Space-Time Insight
Speakers: Lena Fotland, SDG&E Emergency Operations Center; Bart Matthews, US Forest Service - Southwestern Region

Nine thousand two hundred generators drive electrons across 300,000 miles of vulnerable transmission lines, aging substations, and fragile distribution networks. In 2003 one fallen tree blacked out most of the northeastern U.S. The same vulnerabilities to natural and man-made disasters continue to exist for critical infrastructure sectors throughout the nation. Preparations and responses may vary; however, one consistency is the growing use of geospatial technology to understand what went wrong, prepare for future events, and respond to pending, evolving, and present disasters. The speakers in this seminar will relate how past, present, and future uses of geospatial technologies have changed and will continue to alter the nature and effectiveness of disaster management.

Linking Field Force Automation to Geospatial Information Management: Past, Present and Future
Seminar Leader: Steven Radice, Ventyx
Speakers: Warren Causey, Five Point Partners, LLC; Ron Howard, GE Energy

Geospatial information systems (GIS) are a long-accepted technology that have proven value repeatedly to thousands of utilities. Field force automation (FFA) has enjoyed similar success and utilization over many years. The former occurs essentially in an office environment, with paper maps used by mobile crews and technicians. The latter happens primarily in the field, used also by mobile crews and technicians. Especially in the last five years, these two technologies have begun converging in ways that are extremely useful in contributing to both workforce productivity and more effective asset management. This seminar will focus on that convergence by detailing its progress to date, its current state as practiced by progressive utility organizations, and its likely direction and development over the next five years. The discussion will include advice to utilities on how to better prepare to take advantage of the present and future states of the convergence of GIS and FFA.　

Critical Infrastructure Interdependencies: GITA’s Community of Practice Seminar
Seminar Leader: David DiSera, EMA, Inc.
Speakers: Brent Jones, ESRI; J. Peter Gomez, Xcel Energy; Susan Ancel, EPCOR

There are interdependent relationships among electric, water, wastewater, gas, oil, communications, and transportation infrastructures. These complex relationships are characterized by multiple connections among infrastructures. The connections create an intricate web that, depending on the characteristics of its linkages, can result in a cascading effect across multiple infrastructures that can impact a community’s economy, safety, and security during an event. Presenters will provide a summary of interdependencies, including the geospatial dimensions of critical infrastructure. A highlight of this seminar will include a review of findings from GITA’s Geospatially Enabling Community Collaboration (GECCo) projects. The GECCo results include a growing body of knowledge within GITA’s Community of Practice. Seminar participants will learn the experiences gained from previous local and regional exercises in order to further examine the collaboration and geospatial information exchange issues that characterize critical infrastructure interdependencies and inhibit effective emergency preparedness and response within their communities.