Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day will be marked today by a series of exhibitions and events at the University of Guyana (UG) aimed at highlighting the benefits of GIS technologies.
The events were organised by a GIS Day committee, a voluntary group of GIS professionals both from the public and private sectors. A press release from the group said that this year’s celebrations, to be held under the theme ‘Discovering the World through GIS,’ would commence with a seminar at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre (GWLT) at 9am.
It will be followed by an exhibitions on UG tarmac. The exhibition will have local agencies inclusive of governmental, non-governmental and the private sector displaying and demonstrating their use of GPS and related technologies.
In addition, the GIS Day Committee will host a Geography quiz competition, a GPS treasure hunt and offer spot prizes and giveaways for participating students. The events, according to the release, is aimed at enlightening Geography students of the benefits of GIS, building their enthusiasm and exposing them to a relatively new field and career.
The GIS Day is an international educational event, the release said, which enables GIS users and vendors to open their doors to schools, businesses and the general public to showcase real-world applications of GIS. The GIS is a computer-based mapping tool that transforms information such as streets, buildings, water features and terrain from a database into visual layers. It is not just limited to such use only, the release said, but also allows for interpretation of data to understand relationships, patterns and trends, in addition to the visualisation, questioning and analytical abilities.
The GIS Day committee was formed in 2013 and this is its second time hosting the World GIS Day in Guyana. It is hoped that this event will continue to be celebrated annually in Guyana.
