ESRI UC Blog

The ESRI UC agenda is now available online! Search through this extremely handy electronic resource to see what opportunities await you and strategize how you want to spend your time at the conference.

As you search and scroll through each day's events, review the descriptions and times and mark your favorites in the Personal Planner section. You can search by day, event, keyword, or view sessions by tracks as well as select any or all fields at one time to enhance your search results. Read about any session, meeting, or activity and see how long it is well as where it's taking place.

A new feature this year to the Personal Planner is that you can also add your preferred events to your Microsoft Outlook or Macintosh iCalendar. The Online Agenda also includes events for the ESRI Education User Conference and ESRI Survey & Engineering GIS Summit.

The Online Agenda and Personal Planner are your resources for creating a customized calendar of events for the conference week. The ESRI UC is a very full week and whether this is your first time attending or your 28^th, you'll find it much easier with these tools.

When you find an event you don’t want to miss, you can easily add it to your Personal Planner by clicking the icon next to the event; the planner will alert you of any scheduling conflicts.

You'll be asked to sign in using your last name and UC Registration ID. You can search the agenda at any time, but you must be registered to create your planner.

You can access your planner at any time by clicking View My Planner and logging in. Once an event is added to your planner, any changes or updates will be reflected in your schedule. You can also print your schedule or make changes at any time during the conference week.

During the ESRI UC, the main page of the Online Agenda will be your one-stop source to find daily updates, announcements, and features.

You can access your planner at any time by clicking View My Planner and logging in. Once an event is added to your planner, any changes or updates will be reflected in your schedule. You can also print your schedule or make changes at any time during the conference week.

During the ESRI UC, the main page of the Online Agenda will be your one-stop source to find daily updates, announcements, and features.

This year, GIS Concept and Industry Focus Sessions will be back at the ESRI UC by popular demand. The sessions offer a down-to-earth and insightful introduction to GIS and show how ESRI solutions can be applied in different industries and in different ways. Whether you're new to GIS or currently managing a GIS team, these sessions are a must-attend if you are looking to better understand GIS technology and how you can leverage its capabilities.

GIS Concept sessions are non-technical and cover the basic elements and tools of GIS as well as the latest geospatial technology trends. Gain a helpful overview that better prepares you to solve problems using the geographic approach.

Industry Focus sessions discuss how GIS is driving innovation in industries worldwide. From homeland security and global health to water systems and conservation efforts, industry experts will cover key topics and outline strategies for using GIS at the core of your enterprise.

Learn more about how GIS can benefit your organization or community. Add some of these sessions to your Personal Planner using the Online Agenda.

Map out in advance how to plan your week at the 2008 ESRI UC with ESRI Events Marketing Manager Wendy McKinney. Get oriented with her free online seminar airing July 17, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. (PDT) from ESRI Training and Education. Receive a reminder.

Take Advantage of Training Opportunities

Receive Free Training at the Hands-On Learning Center

Free training is available in the Hands-On Learning Center, located in the ESRI Showcase area of the Exhibit Hall in the San Diego Convention Center. Choose from more than 10 courses such as Intro to the Geodatabase, Getting Started with ArcGIS Explorer, Geocoding with ArcGIS 9.3, Intro to ArcGIS Server, Intro to Spatial Analyst, and more! Courses are approximately 45 minutes in length and consist of a recorded lecture and a hands-on software exercise. All training materials are provided. Arrive any time during Showcase hours.

Showcase Demo Theaters

Software experts will walk you through tips and tricks, best practices, and introduce you to new features incorporated at the 9.3 release. Stop by the software islands to see posted schedules or search for Showcase Demo Theaters in the online agenda and add them to your Personal Planner.

Training at the EdUC and SEG Summit

A Hands-On Learning Center will also be available for EdUC and SEG Summit attendees. Explore a specific GIS topic, take the software for a test drive, and collaborate and network with other users. All lessons are approximately 45 minutes, consisting of a recorded lecture and hands-on software exercises. Plus, ESRI instructors will be on hand to answer your questions. Stop by any time during your Hands-on Learning Center's hours.

• Courses available in the Hands-On Learning Centers include
• Getting Started with 3D Animation
• Basics of the Geodatabase
• Creating a Map with ArcGIS
• Getting Started with ArcGIS Explorer
• Geocoding in ArcGIS 9.3
• Getting Started with ArcObjects
• Introduction to ArcGIS Desktop
• Introduction to ArcGIS Server
• Geoprocessing Using ModelBuilder
• Introduction to Spatial Analyst
• Geoprocessing Using Python
• Working with CAD Data

Pre- and Post-UC Training at the ESRI Redlands Campus

Take full advantage of your trip to the ESRI UC by attending one of ESRI's formal instructor-led training classes at the ESRI Learning Center. The ESRI campus in Redlands, California, is about a two-hour drive north of San Diego. See the list of classes available before and after the conference week.

As the largest ever Surveying & Engineering GIS Summit draws closer, the agenda is filling up with exciting and intriguing workshops, sessions, and events. From August 2-5, surveyors and engineers will get to hear and see firsthand how GIS is revolutionizing their professions.

The summit opens Saturday morning with not one, but two keynote addresses. Colonel David W. Madden will share his experience in managing the largest avionics integration and installation program in the U.S. Department of Defense. And now, Timothy C. McCormick, senior vice president for Dewberry's hazard engineering and geospatial services group, sweetens the schedule as the second keynote speaker.

With more than 30 years of floodplain mapping experience and a master of science degree in civil engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, McCormick knows the business value of GIS. Under his leadership, Dewberry built GeoFIRM, a GIS-based flood mapping solution that integrates terrain modeling, hydrology, hydraulics, coastal engineering, floodplain delineation, and production of Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMS) into a geodatabase package that cost-effectively delivers hazard and risk data to Dewberry customers.

In addition to his key management roles on five large contracts with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for mapping and disaster-related services, McCormick is also responsible for major Dewberry contracts with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Learn more about McCormick, Dewberry, and the multifaceted GeoFIRM application during his keynote address for the 2008 ESRI Survey & Engineering GIS Summit plenary session at the San Diego Convention Center in California. See what else is happening at the summit.

A user planning to attend the ESRI UC asked if there is a specific industry, region, or topic-related meeting he could attend, or a user group he could join.

In early June, the UC Blog will feature a post that covers everything you need to know about Special Interest Group (SIG) and Regional User Group (RUG) meetings at the 2008 ESRI UC. You will be able to learn more about the benefits of these gatherings, pinpoint the sessions and groups that relate to you, and add them to your online ESRI UC personal planner. Read more now.

Anyone who has attended the ESRI UC or concurrent events probably has some ready tips to share with newcomers. We invite you to post them here. We'll get you started with a few of our own.

San Diego International Airport

Most attendees will arrive through the San Diego International Airport located in downtown San Diego. The San Diego Convention Center (SDCC) is approximately four miles from the airport. It's easy to arrange round-trip transportation in advance through services such as Super Shuttle, which is now offering a discount on reservations. Also, see shuttles and ground transportation options.

Transportation in and Around San Diego

Because the airport is close to downtown and everything you need is nearby, you do not need a rental car specifically for the conference. The San Diego Trolley is also a convenient way of getting around town. If you are using the trolley, be sure to check the timetables.

Things to See and Do

If your family is looking for fun in the sun, they may want to visit area attractions such as the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Balboa Park, Point Loma, Coronado Island, and Mission Beach. The SDCC offers suggestions for What to Do and Getting Around.

With the ESRI UC just a few months away, it's important to make sure your passport and visa documents are up-to-date and accurate. The information below is to help you consider what documents you will need. For complete information from the U. S. State Department, visit their Web page for Temporary Visitors to the U.S.

In the last few years, there have been many changes to passport and visa requirements. If this is your first time attending the conference, or if you have not visited the U.S. in several years, you may need to review your current travel documents.

According to the State Department:

Visa waiver travelers from ALL 27 Visa Waiver Program countries must present a machine-readable passport at the U.S. port of entry to enter the U.S. without a visa; otherwise, a U.S. visa is required. 

If you need a visa to travel to the conference, you can request a letter of invitation by e-mailing ucregis@esri.com. When you apply for the visa, be sure to reference the ESRI International User Conference, which is registered with the State Department as a legitimate event for international visitors. This may help expedite your visa.

Here are some additional resources for travel to and within the U.S.:

For air travel information and rules from the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), visit their section on Air Travel. You'll find information on prohibited items, help for passengers with a disability or medical needs, and religious and cultural needs.

It may also be helpful to visit their Travel Assistant, which offers information and answers to questions to make your travel experience less stressful.

Get the 3-1-1 on how to pack liquids you bring with you in the airplane cabin.

3 ounces (89 ml) per container in 1 clear, plastic bag for 1 person

Read the State Department's online journal, See You in the U.S.A., for the latest information presented in a visitor-friendly format.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) offers general information about U.S. Airport and Flight Delays.

Image courtesy of the TSA. http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

Since its inception, the annual ESRI Survey & Engineering GIS Summit, held concurrently with the ESRI UC, has helped surveyors-and now engineers-discover how GIS builds new opportunities for their industries. Paired with GPS technology, GIS continues to help surveyors and engineers expand their businesses and improve their bottom line.

This year's Survey & Engineering GIS Summit keynote speaker is U.S. Air Force Colonel David W. Madden, commander of the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Wing at the Space and Missile Systems Center. He is responsible for the multinational, multiservice development of all GPS space, satellite, and ground segments.

Colonel Madden entered the Air Force in 1980 after graduating from the Virginia Military Institute. He has gained vast experience in systems engineering, technical intelligence, and space systems requirements, development, fielding, and operations. Before assuming his current position, the highly-decorated husband and father of three also commanded a Space Operations Squadron. 

In his keynote address, Colonel Madden will discuss what it's like to maintain the largest satellite constellation, and the largest avionics integration and installation program, in the Department of Defense.

Join Colonel Madden and more than 400 other surveyors and engineers at the 2008 ESRI Survey & Engineering GIS Summit, August 2-5, at the San Diego Convention Center in California. See what else is happening at the summit.

The ESRI Education User Conference (EdUC) is in its seventh year running as an inspiring forum for discovering how GIS technology enhances learning and provides solutions throughout the education community. Educators, administrators, researchers, librarians, and museum professionals gather at this annual event dedicated to brightening the future of education with geospatial software.

The 2008 EdUC is designed to help attendees explore the power of spatial thinking. Keynote speaker Dr. Anne Kelly Knowles, associate professor of geography at Middlebury College, will build on this theme, discussing GIS use in historical scholarship and teaching history. Listeners will hear firsthand how geospatial technology plays a part in historical research and education.

Knowles graduated from Duke University in 1979 and later went on to get her Ph.D. in geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She specializes in historical geography, historical GIS, and 19^th Century USA immigration and industrialization.

The professor is also a contributor to numerous articles and book chapters as well as an editor of several books including Historical GIS: The Spatial Turn in Social Science History; Past Time, Past Place: GIS for History; Placing History: How Maps, Spatial Data, and GIS are Changing Historical Scholarship; and Emerging Trends in Historical GIS.

Be sure to pencil in the EdUC plenary session and explore GIS in education with Professor Knowles. See what else is happening at the EdUC, being held August 2-5 at the Marriott Hotel & Marina in San Diego, California. Plus, find out about scholarships for attending the conference www.esri.com/educ.

Students looking for a way to increase their GIS knowledge in a dynamic environment are invited to apply for the ESRI International User Conference Student Assistantship Program. Up to 60 students will be selected, giving them the opportunity to attend the world's largest GIS conference.

The Student Assistantship Program is open to graduate students and fourth-year undergraduate students who use GIS software. Participants attend technical sessions, exhibits, meetings, and events in exchange for assisting ESRI staff with monitoring sessions, registration, setup, teardown, and overall conference logistics.

Complete details, including the application process, are available at www.esri.com/grads. Applications must be received no later than May 9, 2008.

The number of preconference seminars has doubled! Broaden your user conference experience and deepen your learning by registering for your choice of preconference seminars on Saturday, August 2, and Sunday, August 3.

Seminar topics range from GIS fundamentals and industry-specific discussions to sessions covering ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS Mobile. Explore development or analysis, visualization and cartography, enterprise GIS, and much more.

One-day sessions are from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, and the two-day, hands-on workshops are from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Register for the 2008 ESRI UC and, for an additional fee, add a preconference seminar to your schedule.

Learn more about these special sessions and watch for additional seminar descriptions being added soon to www.esri.com/uc. Register now.

Be part of the Map Gallery to showcase your innovative uses of GIS at the ESRI UC. You can enter as many maps as you choose. Many of these maps will also be selected and published in the annual ESRI Map Book.

Map Gallery multimedia entries portray the results of using ESRI technologies in a project or study but do not use ESRI software to run the presentation itself. Entry examples vary widely and in the past have included a digital atlas, map series, collection of animations, and a slide show detailing the steps of GIS projects.

Remember, to participate in the Map Gallery you must be registered to attend the ESRI UC.

The ESRI International User Conference (ESRI UC), Education User Conference, and Survey & Engineering GIS Summit (Survey) will be held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, on the following dates:

Register today for the 2008 ESRI UC

Register today for the 2008 EdUC

Register today for the 2008 Survey & Engineering GIS Summit

For a complete list of upcoming ESRI Events, visit www.esri.com/events.

Each year, Jack Dangermond's opening presentation during the plenary session highlights the important work you are doing in your communities, schools, and businesses. He features maps, images, and videos submitted by users worldwide. 

Submit your own map images or 3D visualization projects for possible inclusion by June 20, 2008.You can also send us pictures of you and/or your group in the field, at your computer, with your maps, etc.

Learn more.

Register online to attend the 28th Annual ESRI International User Conference August 4-8, in San Diego, California.

The ESRI UC is unlike any other event. As the largest GIS conference in the world, this annual gathering offers innovation at its best. Users from more than 120 countries come to learn new skills, share information, and discover best practices, tips, and tricks that they can use instantly.

New this year: Create your own UC Account to manage all your ESRI UC information such as registration, hotel, presentations, activities, and more. One login gives you access to everything you need to get the most out your UC experience.

Who Should Attend?

No matter your industry, position, or GIS experience, ESRI users across the globe are encouraged to attend the 2008 ESRI UC. This exciting and stimulating conference brings together more than 14,000 professionals who work with or are interested in GIS solutions for their organizations or communities.

What You'll Experience

The pulse of the GIS community
This one-of-a-kind event is a must attend for all users. Offering tremendous breadth and depth, this is your chance to be educated, motivated, and part of an active, innovative community.

Hear from Jack
At Monday's Plenary Session, Jack Dangermond, ESRI president, will share his vision for GIS. Find out where GIS trends, products, and uses are heading.

See the absolute latest in GIS
Explore the largest collection of GIS solutions in the world. Test-drive state-of-the-art technology or have an expert walk you through recent software developments.

Discover new applications and best practices
Get project ideas and troubleshooting tips from your peers through user presentations, user group meetings, social activities, and networking.

Align your plans with ESRI's
Gain insight into ESRI software development by hearing firsthand from our lead developers. Attend workshops and drop by the product islands to get updated and find out what's next for ESRI GIS.

Grow your GIS projects
Meet face-to-face with our Technical Support or Professional Services staff to work through your project problems and position your GIS project for success. Experts from a range of industries can offer you advice on implementing and sustaining your GIS projects.

Connect with people like you
Join other users from your industry in informal meetings throughout the week, an array of regional and special interest group meetings, and one-on-one meetings at the industry solutions islands.

Get information you can put to work right away
From product and industry updates to a new skill learned or a pearl of wisdom shared, the ESRI UC offers you a week of valuable sessions and interaction to energize you with ideas and tools you can put to work immediately.

Learn, share, and discover at the 2008 ESRI UC.