This week you can - right here in Charlotte, on your lunch break.
Mecklenburg County's Geospatial Information Services department
is hosting National Geographic's Giant Traveling Map exhibit at
the 11th annual GIS Day on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, at Spirit Square,
345 N. College St. The event is free and open to the public.
National Geographic's giant map of Asia will be on display all
day for residents and geography aficionados to study - and yes, walk
across - as they consider how maps and culture intersect to enrich our
lives.
"I think having the National Geographic Giant Traveling Map this
year sets this GIS Day apart from others," said Paul Martin of
Mecklenburg County GIS. "It's fun and interactive, and
will bring people to GIS Day who don't know what GIS is. The
map is a great equalizer across age and technical proficiency.
It's a springboard for showing the community how Mecklenburg
County uses GIS every day. "
The traveling map is making stops at several Charlotte-Mecklenburg
middle schools this month, as well.
A geographic information system (GIS) captures, stores and manages
data in relationship to a specific location. That data is used for
many purposes, from mapping a family vacation route to charting
economic growth and business strategies.
GIS Day explores the marriage of geography and technology, and how
people can use geographic information to learn more about a variety of
topics, including:
●
Crime
● Weather
● Homeland security
● Urban planning
● Sustainability
● Economic development
● Market
analysis ● History
and cultural anthropology
●
Geocaching ● 3-
dimensional modeling
GIS enthusiasts of all ages are welcome!
In addition to the traveling map, another first at this year's
GIS Day is geocaching. Attendees are invited to participate in this
family-friendly activity in which global positioning systems (GPS) are
used to find hidden treasure outdoors. It's just another way
that mapping technology has made our world a bit bigger.
National Geographic Information System Day reaches millions worldwide
with its message of how geography makes a difference in our lives. Its
global sponsors include the National Geographic Society, the
Association of American Geographers, the University Consortium for
Geographic Information Science, the United States Geological Survey
and the Library of Congress.
Local sponsors include Independent Mapping Consultants, the Charlotte
Chamber of Commerce, Avioimage and Sanborn.
For more information on the County's Geospatial Information
Services and GIS Day, go to http://gisday.charmeck.org or call (704)
336-4442.
