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Big Ten GIS Conference 2025

šŸ“REGISTER NOW: The virtual Big Ten GIS Conference takes place April 11, 2025

Join the Big Ten GIS Conference on April 11, 2025 for a day of discovery, collaboration, and innovation in GIS and geospatial research. This free virtual conference brings together leading experts, researchers, and students from across the Big Ten and beyond to explore emerging technologies, share research, and connect with peers. Presented by the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Geospatial Information Network.

šŸ“¢ Keynote Speaker: Professor Emily Fairfax

We are pleased to welcome Professor Emily Fairfax (University of Minnesota) as our keynote speaker. Professor Fairfax is an ecohydrologist and geospatial scientist whose research explores how beavers function as ecosystem engineers, creating drought- and fire-resistant landscapes in a changing climate. Using a combination of remote sensing, modeling, and fieldwork, her work has been widely recognized in National Geographic, BBC, NPR, and other major media outlets.

We are still accepting submissions for the Map Gallery, showcasing innovative geospatial projects. This is a great opportunity to share your work with peers and highlight your research in a visual format.

Submission form (requires a Google account) | Guidelines

ā³ Deadline: March 24, 2025, at 5 PM CST

āœ‹ Who Should Attend?

This conference is open to anyone interested in geospatial researchā€”students, educators, researchers, and professionals from all institutions and industries. Whether you're presenting a project, showcasing research, or simply eager to learn, the Big Ten GIS Conference is a place to share and engage. While the event highlights work from Big Ten universities, we welcome all attendees and presenters, regardless of affiliation.

Accessibility Note: Closed captions will be provided throughout the event.

ā­ Conference Full Agenda

Welcome Remarks

šŸ•š 10:00 - 10:10 am CST

Session 1: GIS for Policy and Social Impact

šŸ•š 10:10 - 10:55 am CST

Facilitator: Tara Anthony, Penn State, The Pennsylvania State University; Slide Operator: Laura McElfresh, University of Minnesota

Presentation 1: Measuring the Impacts of Sidewalks on Public Transit First Mile/Last Mile Accessibility and Their Association with Social and Demographic Factors

šŸ‘¤ Ahmad Tokey, The Ohio State University. Additional authors: Luyu Liu, Ph.D., Auburn University; Harvey J Miller, Ph.D. The Ohio State University.

Public transportation offers a sustainable, environment-friendly, and equitable mode of travel, particularly for marginalized and disadvantaged groups. However, the first-mile/last-mile (FMLM) access problem can pose significant challenges to its efficiency and ability to generate accessibility. An incomplete sidewalk network reduces transit accessibility by creating barriers, especially for sidewalk-reliant groups such as people with mobility disabilities, elderly, and school children. In this study, we develop new metrics to measure the impacts of sidewalk incompleteness on transit FMLM accessibility. Using data from Columbus, Ohio, USA, a typical mid-sized American city with an incomplete sidewalk network, we apply these measures and compare them to the sociodemographic characteristics of the neighborhood surrounding each stop. We find that the sidewalk network and high-quality sidewalk network have 45%-50% less spatial coverage around bus stops compared to street networks, respectively. 39% and 49% of bus stops provide access to fewer groceries and healthcare facilities, respectively, when following sidewalk networks. We observe that inner-city neighborhoods, despite being less affluent, often have better sidewalk access compared to affluent suburban areas. However, peripheral to city-center and less-affluent neighborhoods exhibit a cumulative burden with the poor sidewalk access that impacts access to essential resources such as groceries and health care. The research provides a direct and comparative measure of FMLM accessibility and suggests a strong linkage of urban morphology with sidewalk accessibility. This study calls for targeted sidewalk improvements and a nuanced understanding of accessibility gaps to promote equitable and efficient public transportation systems.

Presentation 2: Integrating Behavioral Science with Spatial Modeling to Target Fertilizer Reduction Campaigns

šŸ‘¤ Qian Lei-Parent, University of Connecticut. Additional authors: David Dickson, University of Connecticut; Jamie Vaudrey, University of Connecticut; Robert J. Johnston, Clark University; Tom Ndebele, Clark University; David Newburn, University of Maryland; Derek Wietelman University of Maryland; Haoluan Wang, University of Miami; Kaichao Chang, University of Maryland.

Nitrogen (N) from residential lawn fertilizer is an increasing concern for the Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed due to its contribution to water quality impairment. While the impacts of excessive fertilization on coastal waters are well known there is a need to understand behaviors by residential households to guide behavior-change campaigns and attain N-reduction goals. This presentation describes a GIS-based approach that integrates predictions of household fertilizer use with N loading and transport models to estimate the potential for reducing N delivery to the Sound through behavior-change campaigns. Specifically, our approach integrates multiple models including: (1) econometric modeling that uses survey data and household characteristics to predict parcel-level residential lawn fertilizer applications, (2) a biological model that estimates the nitrogen loads applied to landscape from residential fertilizer application, (3) a spatially explicit nitrogen transport model (N-Sink) to predict nitrogen loads to LIS, and (4) contingent behavior modeling to examine willingness to reduce fertilizer use in response to prospective policy interventions. The products of the study have been made available to stakeholders through an interactive web tool built in ArcGIS Experience Builder. This tool aims to help behavior-change campaigns target areas where they can have the greatest impact on LIS water quality.

SHORT BREAK

Session 2: GIS and AI Solutions for Complex Challenges

šŸ•š 11:00 - 12:00 pm CST

Facilitator: Kathleen Weessies, Michigan State University; Slide operator: Colleen Wilson, University of Minnesota

Presentation 1: Detecting Legend Items on Historical Maps

šŸ‘¤ Sofia Kirsanova, University of Minnesota. Additional authors: Weiwei Duan, Inferlink; Yao-Yi Chiang, University of Minnesota.

Detecting and localizing legend areas, including individual legend symbols and their text descriptions, in scanned historical maps is a crucial step in automated map interpretation. This study explores the effectiveness of multimodal language models for detecting legend items, their descriptions, and link the detected legend to their corresponding descriptions. We use in-context learning, where the GPT-4 is given examples in the prompt to guide its predictions, instead of training it from scratch. The modelā€™s accuracy is tested using F1-score and Intersection over Union, which measure how well it detects legends and their locations. Results show that adding more examples improves accuracy up to a point, but too many examples cause the model to overfit, so it makes predictions less reliable. Findings highlight the limitations and scalability of in-context learning for structured object detection tasks and provide insights into optimizing large language models for spatially aware text-to-image relationships. In addition, this is part of the DARPA USGS funded project on AI for map Geolocation and Extraction to find Critical Minerals (AIM). The results help to improve AI-driven map analysis which makes it easier to locate and study important map features, such as those related to mineral exploration and geospatial data integration.

Presentation 2: Value Added Remote Sensing: Integrating Machine Learning from the Lakebed to Grapes

šŸ‘¤ Phillipe Wernette, Michigan State University. Additional authors: Bob Goodwin, Michigan State University; Nick Weil, Michigan State University; Erin Bunting, Michigan State University.

Improvements in remote sensing technology have enabled us to collect significantly larger data volumes across large areas more efficiently than ever before. With these new data comes new challenges, such as sorting through and analyzing the data and then serving it to the stakeholders and/or public. Here, we seek to leverage automated photogrammetry processing coupled with machine learning (ML) models to (1) process and present large volumes of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) imagery across the Great Lakes lakebed and (2) identify, segment, and quantify wine and juice grapes from mobile LIDAR and structure from motion (SfM) point cloud data. Results from the lakebed project demonstrate that photogrammetry can improve our data to information pipelines by reducing data redundancy and effort during processing, while still retaining high-accuracy and high-resolution data. Ecologically valuable information (e.g., substrate composition, invasive mussel abundance and distribution, and fish and crustacean habitat use) can be automatically extracted from the resulting point cloud, digital elevation models, and orthomosaics with relatively simple ML models. Results from the viticulture project highlight the need for continued technological improvement with mobile LIDAR, but also the important role other data and ML models can play in developing automated methods of monitoring agricultural production. Fusing ML models into data-to-information pipelines can streamline an otherwise time-consuming process and enable researchers and stakeholders to better focus on the science and management implications of the new information.

Presentation 3: Urban Socio-Environmental Vulnerabilities Dataset

šŸ‘¤ Juan Fernando Martinez, Columbia University - Center for Integrated Earth System Information (CIESIN). Additional author: Dana R. Thomson, CIESIN.

The Urban Socio-Environmental Vulnerabilities dataset analyzes climate risks and vulnerabilities in global cities where urban populations face multiple environmental stressors. These areas experience high urbanization trends, substantial climate risks, and opportunities for adaptation investments to enhance resilience. The analysis examines pre-existing environmental vulnerabilitiesā€”including extreme heat, water scarcity, cyclone wind, storm surge, riverine flooding, landslides, and air pollutionā€”alongside future climate risks. By integrating novel high-resolution spatial datasets, the study identifies urban areas exposed to multiple environmental hazards and estimates the total and percent of the urban population at risk. Climate risks often compound, particularly the interaction between extreme heat and water scarcity, which disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities. These risks strain health systems, worsen air pollution, and threaten food and water security. The findings provide a data-driven foundation for policymakers, researchers, and urban planners to prioritize adaptation investments, especially in cities where the convergence of climate risks and rapid urbanization demands urgent action. This research underscores the need for improved climate data, particularly for sub-city analyses, to enhance urban resilience planning. Addressing data gapsā€”such as those related to flash flood risksā€”will strengthen future assessments and inform more effective climate adaptation strategies at local, national, and regional levels.

LONG BREAK

šŸ§° Workshop: Getting Started with Cloud-Native Geospatial: Tools, Data, and Scalable Workflows

šŸ•š 12:30 - 1:00 pm CST

What You'll Learn:

  • What cloud-native geospatial means, why it matters, and how it improves data access
  • How to work with modern formats like GeoParquet and Cloud Optimized GeoTIFFs using tools like QGIS and Python
  • How to access and explore data with Spatio-Temporal Asset Catalogs (STAC)
  • How to scale your spatial analysis using distributed computing tools like Apache Sedona

Bio: Matt Forrest

Matt Forrest is a geospatial professional focused on education and scaling technology. He is Director of Customer Engineering & Product Led Growth at Wherobots, founder of the geospatial teaching community, Modern GIS, and a founding editorial board member of the Cloud-Native Geospatial Forum. He holds a BA in Geography and Sociology from the University of Wisconsinā€“Madison.

šŸ¦« Keynote: Beavers: Architects of Climate Resilience (with Q&A)

šŸ•š 1:00 - 2:00 pm CST

šŸ‘¤ Emily Fairfax (University of Minnesota)

Abstract

Beaver dams and beaver mimicry (e.g. Beaver Dam Analogs) are gaining popularity as a lowā€cost, nature-based strategy to build climate resiliency at the landscape scale. Beavers slow and store water in their ponds, canals, and the surrounding soil during flood events, which can then be accessed by riparian vegetation during droughts. As a result, the well-watered vegetation in beaver-dammed riparian corridors is less flammable during wildfires. I use satellite remote sensing to understand how these beaver-influenced patches of the landscape function as climate-resilient natural infrastructure and provide ecosystem services to other wildlife and to people.

Bio

Emily Fairfax is an Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota and an affiliate faculty member at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory. Dr. Fairfax double majored in Chemistry and Physics as an undergraduate at Carleton College, then went on to earn a PhD in Geology with an emphasis in Hydrologic Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder. She uses a combination of remote sensing, modeling, and field work to understand how beaver ecosystem engineering can create disturbance-resistant patches in the landscape under a changing climate. Her research has been featured internationally in National Geographic, the New York Times, the LA Times, PBS, NPR, BBC, Vox, and others.

SHORT BREAK

Lightning Talks

šŸ•š 2:15 - 3:00 CST

Facilitator: Nicole Scholtz, University of Michigan; Slide Operator: MĆ©ch Frazier, Northwestern University

  1. The Role of Fear and Creativity in the World of Maps

    šŸ‘¤ Arpan Yagnik, Penn State University

    The complex interaction of imagined reality, subjective reality, and objective reality will be explored by using the constructs of fear, creativity, and AI in the context of the world of maps. The development of maps has been fundamentally driven by the fear of the unknown and the creative impulse to manifest new worlds. Early cartography arose from anxieties surrounding uncharted territories, dangerous coastlines, and imagined landscapes. This transformed fear into actionable spatial knowledge, with creativity serving as a tool to discover what lay beyond the horizon. Once territories were mapped, the fear of loss, distortion, or reduction of these mapped territories spurred further technological advancements, fueled by creative problem-solving. Creative maps, Artistic maps, and counter-mapping projects, born from creative reimagination, challenge dominant narratives and shape public discourse. This creative reinterpretation of maps can foreground marginalized perspectives, fostering empathy, critical engagement, and influencing public opinion. The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the world of maps, and its interplay with fear and creativity, remains a critical area of inquiry. Technology-led mapping remains an area of skepticism and fear due to the potential risks of data breach, algorithmic bias, and surveillance. This talk discusses the convergence of fear, creativity, and AI to explore a previously neglected perspective on the world of maps. By analyzing maps through the lens of fear and creativity, we can gain fresh insights and stimulate new ways of thinking about the role and significance of maps, which are essentially visual narratives of the known and unknown.

  2. Conservation on a Slippery Slope: Using GIS and Remote Sensing to Predict and Prevent Land Degradation

    šŸ‘¤ Ethan Bledsoe, Northwestern University

    Amidst Ecuadorā€™s cloud forests, where conservation and development collide, soil erosion threatens biodiversity and local communities. Using ArcGIS Pro, Google Earth Engine (GEE), Python, and high-resolution remote sensing, I mapped erosion risks in Manduriacu, a region where steep slopes and land-use changes endanger fragile ecosystems. By integrating these outputs into the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), I quantified erosion risk through key factors: R-factor (rainfall erosivity), K-factor (soil erodibility), LS-factor (slope steepness and length), C-factor (land cover), and P-factor (conservation practices). My analysis pinpointed severe soil loss near roads, deforested areas, and the Manduriacu Hydroelectric Dam, where infrastructure has destabilized surrounding slopes. By overlaying my results with hydrological flow accumulation models, I identified sediment transport pathways threatening local waterways. Field validation with conservation rangers confirmed exposed root systems and degraded slopes in high-risk zones, strengthening the modelā€™s predictive accuracy. To enhance this analysis, I used GEEā€™s cloud-based processing to automate NDVI classification, linking vegetation loss trends to topographic and hydrological factors. Leveraging Sentinel-2 imagery, I conducted NDVI time-series modeling, applying linear, spline, and moving average interpolation to detect vegetation loss patterns over time. These insights directly informed FundaciĆ³n Ecomingaā€™s reforestation priorities by pinpointing degraded areas most in need of intervention, optimizing efforts to stabilize slopes and restore biodiversity. In this talk, Iā€™ll explore how geospatial analysis transforms conservation planning ā€” demonstrating how satellite-driven NDVI forecasting, cloud computing, and erosion modeling can bridge the gap between remote sensing and on-the-ground reforestation strategies to protect Ecuadorā€™s cloud forests.

  3. Teaching about communities: Integrating open geospatial and map resources into projects

    šŸ‘¤ Tara Anthony, Penn State University

    This session will highlight course activities, instructional initiatives, and library engagement activities focused on community projects using open government geospatial, maps, and GIS resources. Resources highlighted include the BTAA Geoportal, open government GIS sites including ArcGIS Hub sites and data portals, along with map resources. This lightning talk will highlight activities for group assignments, individual activities, and student employee engagement activities to help foster greater awareness of community GIS resources for teaching, research, and engagement purposes. This session will highlight strategies for integrating activities focused on communities into geospatial projects based on an academic library setting, and a selection of course integrations applying GIS to projects.

  4. Geographic information integrated with genomic information for wildlife conservation

    šŸ‘¤ Jong Yoon Jeon, Purdue University; Additional authors: Andrew N. Black, Purdue University; Natalie M. Allen, Purdue University; J. Andrew DeWoody, Purdue University

    Many contemporary populations are threatened by habitat loss (ecological vulnerability) and a lack of adaptive potential (evolutionary vulnerability). Ecological and genomic attributes of populations can provide two orthologous perspectives on the biological profiles associated with conservation challenges. Together, GIS and modern genomics help identify the environmental and genomic conditions that should maximize fitness and thus population productivity. Here, I illustrate representative approaches to combine GIS and population genomics. I first introduce recent approaches that combine modern genomics and ecological niche modeling to identify and conserve local adaptation profiles. I then introduce the idea of distilling genomic information into thematic GIS layers. This integration of genomics into GIS thematic layers will help convey the implications from genomic datasets to nonspecialists to help better inform applied conservation management and associated policy. I provide several examples relevant for conservation, including my own research, that illustrate how this integration of GIS + modern population genomics could be realized.

  5. Developing the Washington State Food Rescue Map

    šŸ‘¤ Mariah Rubin, University of Washington

    Food insecurity and food waste are persistent challenges in Washington state. Over 2 million residents face food insecurity, while more than 1 million tons of food wasteā€”including 390,000 tons of edible foodā€”are generated annually (Use Food Well Washington Plan, 2022). Food rescue presents a solution to reduce food waste and improve food security. In 2015, the Washington state legislature set a goal to cut edible food waste by 50% by 2030, tasking the Department of Ecology (DOE) with tracking progress. However, scattered data and limited tools have hindered these efforts. Our University of Washington team developed the Washington State Food Rescue Map with the best available data to support DOEā€™s mandate to collect and monitor food waste reduction efforts, identify data gaps, and support opportunities for preventing food waste through food rescue. Our team leveraged the expertise of hunger relief organizations across Washington by conducting a survey and in-depth interviews. This provided insights for assessing their current food rescue practices and capacity to accept food donations, identifying barriers and opportunities for improving and expanding food rescue, validating the mapā€™s data layers, and understanding how the map could rescue more food. The findings and mapping products from this project will equip decision-makers with the tools to make data-informed decisions that will reduce the distance that excess food travels to increase food safety, reduce carbon emissions from transportation, and address food security gaps in overburdened and underserved communities.

Session 3: GIS for Equity and Engagement

šŸ•š 3:00 - 4:00 CST

Facilitator: Karen Majewicz, University of Minnesota; Slide Operator: Sue Oldenburg, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Presentation 1: Map Making: Fostering GIS and Makerspace Inquiry through a Collaborative Data Physicalization Project at a Liberal Arts College

šŸ‘¤ Tracy Tien, Wellesley College; Additional authors: Allegra Dufresne, Wellesley College; Johanna Okerlund, Wellesley College

We conducted a multi-year initiative to engage the Wellesley College community with interdisciplinary GIS and making methods through a participatory data physicalization activity that transformed a library hallway wall into a large-scale map. The first iteration (2024) consisted of using a Cameo paper cutter to create foldable, origami-style pyramids, inviting the community to delineate a Massachusetts land use and land cover map. The second iteration (2025) expanded to experience GIS layers tactilely with two layers: using the same paper pyramid method for a wall map of nighttime lights on the Korean peninsula, and a second, semi-transparent and moveable layer made out of PVC pipe, wire fencing, and cross-stitched yarn to overlay population density. This presentation will detail the project's evolution, including logistical challenges, outreach strategies, desired learning outcomes, and observed results. Overall, we found the ease and familiarity of craft-based engagement correlated with the extent to which community members made the activity their own and the spectacle of a large in-progress project was an effective magnet for gathering and conversing, but it was challenging to channel this interest into deeper engagement. Furthermore, we will delve into broader conceptual considerations as they relate to the liberal arts context, taking a critical look at what the project says about the relationship between data, materiality, labor, and learning.

Presentation 2: A 3D GIS Web Application for Map Library Exploration

šŸ‘¤ Jose Anza Garcia, University of Maryland; Additional author: Milan Budhathoki, University of Maryland

At McKeldin library, we are lucky to have one of the largest map collections of any college library in the world. With over 200,000 print maps, including government maps provided through the Federal Depository Library Program, the collection is an important repository of print geographic materials that serves millions of people. However, the collection's size and complexity, which has prevented the creation of a comprehensive catalog of every individual item, makes it daunting for users to explore and find materials. To tackle this problem, the library's GIS and Data Services team created a 3D model of McKeldin's map collection using ArcGIS Pro and extensive field measurements. The model was deployed to a custom web application by leveraging ArcGIS Online and JavaScript mapping libraries, allowing users to search the collection by map category, cabinet number, or keyword and interact with the results in a realistic, intuitive 3D environment. This project seeks to bridge the gap between print and digital geography by showing that digital solutions can enhance the reach of print geographic materials in an increasingly Internet-centered world.

Presentation 3: Mapping Innovation: How a Century-Old Institution is Advancing Equity with GIS

šŸ‘¤ Jarell Brown, The Henry Ford

In a world where inequities and barriers continue to shape educational outcomes, what if maps could be the key to fighting them? This session will explore how GIS technology can be used in creative ways to break down barriers to equity and innovation by making data accessible to the change-makers who need it most. Itā€™s not just about creating mapsā€”itā€™s about using data to uncover systemic barriers and spark real, transformative change. The Henry Fordā€™s Innovation Atlas is one powerful example of how GIS is reshaping the way we understand and address K-12 innovation. But this session is not just about showcasing a tool; itā€™s about rethinking the very concept of what GIS can do. Weā€™ll explore how spatial data can reveal hidden inequities, support inclusive policy development, and drive community engagement in ways that go far beyond the conventional map. Youā€™ll leave this session with concrete, inspiring examples of how GIS is creating a more accessible and equitable world. Learn how interactive maps can make complex data visually understandable, and how spatial models can inform policy decisions that drive lasting change. Whether youā€™re an educator, researcher, or advocate, youā€™ll gain actionable insights on using GIS to think creatively, engage with your community, and tackle the biggest challenges in education. Join us to explore the untapped potential of GIS and discover how you can leverage this technology to break down barriers and make a meaningful impact in the fight for educational equity.

Closing Thoughts and Thanks

šŸ•š 4:00 - 4:10 pm CST