The National Council for Geographic Education received a Special Achievement in GIS Award on 15 July 2009 at the annual ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, California. The NCGE received this honor for its vision, leadership, and innovative use of ESRI’s geographic information system (GIS) technology. The NCGE was selected from more than 300,000 organizations worldwide and recognized during the awards ceremony for making extraordinary contributions to our global society. The NCGE received the award under the higher education category. NCGE is a nonprofit organization, chartered in 1915 to enhance the status and quality of geography teaching and learning. NCGE supports geography teaching at all levels—from kindergarten through university. Its members include both U.S. and International teachers, professors, students, businesses, and others who support geographic education.
One of the projects that NCGE has been a leader in is the Integrated Geospatial Education and Technology Training (iGETT), an innovative project that has supported the integration of remote sensing into community college GIS programs, has trained educators in community colleges, and has created a library of geotechnology-based curricular resources. By embracing GIS technology, NCGE has made extraordinary contributions to our global society and set new precedents throughout the GIS community.
On hand to receive the award for NCGE was University of Redlands professor Dr. Kristi Alvarez. It was fitting for Dr. Alvarez to receive the award on behalf of the organization, as she has spearheaded efforts at Keene State University and now at the University of Redlands to spread spatial analysis and the use of GIS throughout the faculty of education. She uses GIS extensively in her preservice education program. Dr. Alvarez will be president of the NCGE in 2010.
Recipients of the Special Achievement in GIS award are submitted by ESRI staff from thousands of organizations worldwide, then personally reviewed and selected by the ESRI president. Above, Dr. Alvarez is congratulated by Jack Dangermond, the president and founder of ESRI. See the ESRI press release.
