California GIS Conference

CalGIS 2021 Update:

Thank you ALL for your support and taking time to respond to the CalGIS 2021 survey. Your prompt responses allowed us to take your preferences into consideration as we scope out options for CalGIS 2021.

Based on your responses, over ⅔ responded that you would only be able to attend a virtual event for 2021. In addition, more than half stated that they would be unable to pay out of pocket, but would like the perk as a CalURISA member. For the conference format, many stated that they would prefer a more spread out virtual conference or would not attend at all. Based on this feedback, we have decided to postpone CalGIS 2021 until the spring of 2022.

Over the summer we will reconvene and have a better understanding of the landscape for 2022 with the new fiscal year and covid vaccine updates.

In the meantime, we would like to offer a structured webinar series and are actively seeking presentations! We feel that this approach allows us to offer this member perk and continue growing in the GIS field together.

If you are interested in submitting a presentation for our webinar series, please email CaliforniaURISA@gmail.com with your name, abstract and/or presentation, and preferred date/time. We aim to have a minimum of one webinar per month beginning in late February 2021.

Thank you again for your patience and feedback with these changing times! We hope to virtually see you soon at one of our webinars, and in person at CalGIS in 2022!

CalGIS Planning Committee

What a great CalGIS 2020 in Long Beach! - February 9-11, 2020

Review Program Agenda: Workshops and training and more than 70 speakers presenting on important topics ranging from NG9-1-1 and Artificial Intelligence to High Speed Rail and Personal Branding for GIS Professionals.

We were honored to welcome Governor Martin O'Malley as our Opening Keynote Speaker. In addition, we were pleased to present this important conversation, over lunch on Monday, February 10:
Smarter Government for the Information Age, leveraging geospatial capacity to improve decision-making
A Fireside Chat with:

Martin O’Malley, former Governor of Maryland and Mayor of Baltimore
Michael Wilkening, Special Advisor on Innovation and Digital Services to Governor Gavin Newsom
Amy Tong, Chief Information Officer (CIO), State of California

Moderated by Terri Carbaugh, Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs, Brandman University

This special event brought together the unique perspectives of three current and former State executives to discuss how geospatial governance, data and methods can be most effectively structured and leveraged to more effectively support integrated, data driven decisions in State and local government to support better decision-making. Video of the session is forthcoming.

CalGIS 2020 Student Competition winners:

Best Student Poster

First Place: Sasa Arsic, Claremont Graduate University. Title: “The Application of GeoAI to Identify Qanat Locations: An Assessment of Deep Learning Techniques Using ArcGIS Pro”.
Second Place: Alissa Goldberg, California State University – Channel Islands. Title: “Utilizing Drone and Mapping Technology in Western Snowy Plover Conservation”.

Best Student Web Map/Web App

First Place – Daniel Jones, Humboldt State University. Title: “ArcCollector Spillway Inspection Workflow for the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District”.
Second Place – Thomas Crimmel, University of California-Santa Barbara/MesoAmerican Research Center. Title: “Using web mapping to circulate data on archaeological research at El Pilar”.

The URISA chapters in California and the California Geographic Information Association, come together every year to present CalGIS.

Stay tuned for details about next year's CalGIS and opportunities to participate.

Event Hosts

"CalGIS presents excellent opportunities to network with friendly fellow professionals and to have a nice time while doing so. Organizers and attendees are generally approachable and enthusiastic about discussing their work and ideas. The conference is a perfect opportunity to see how people in a wide variety of fields are using GIS to accomplish intriguing and important goals. And as a student new to the field, I found CalGIS to be a welcoming and educational window into the profession." (Allen Dailey, CalGIS 2019 attendee)

"It was like being in a room full of people like me, just excited to nerd out about GIS applications!
Everyone is so friendly and approachable. This was a beneficial and fun experience. Can't wait until next year." (A.M., CalGIS 2019 attendee)

Recent events:

2020 - Long Beach, California

2019 - Fresno, California

2018 - Palm Springs, California (in partnership with GIS-Pro 2018 - click here) - Program

2017 - Oakland, California (Click here)

2016 - Anaheim, California (Program)

CalGIS 2016 Online Program - check out what you missed!

2015 - Sacramento, California (Program)

2014 - Monterey, California (Program)

2014 CalGIS Webinars

2013 - Long Beach, California (Program)

2012 - Sacramento, California (Program)

2011 - Fresno, California (Program)

2010 - Huntington Beach, California (Program)

2009 - Sacramento, California (Program)

2008 - Modesto, California

2007 - Oakland, California

2006 - Santa Barbara, California

2005 - Bakersfield, California

2004 - San Jose, California