Workshops | AAG Annual Meeting

AAG Workshops 2017

Please note: workshops are listed in the order of their start time, not by their session number.

Online workshop registration is now closed. If you would still like to attend a workshop, please register at the on-site registration desk in front of Hall C, Second Level, Hynes Convention Center.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

W1_1 Writing from Qualitative Data: an Advanced PhD Student Workshop
Wednesday, April 5, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Organizers: Dan Trudeau (Macalester College) & Dydia Delyser (California State University, Fullerton)
Capacity: 16
Cost/person: $12.00
Room: Beacon A, Third Floor, Sheraton

This workshop provides training on how to move from the collection and analysis of qualitative data to communicating the insights of qualitative research to an academic audience. The workshop is geared to PhD students working on writing a dissertation from qualitative data who have begun or finished data collection. Participants will work in a hands-on setting to approach writing from qualitative data as a series of decisions about what to say and how to communicate it with a particular audience. Particular emphasis is placed on how to communicate methods, ways of knowing, and ethical considerations.

W1_2 Networking: Promoting Yourself by Making Connections that Count
Wednesday, April 5, 10:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
Organizers: Niem Huynh (AAG) & Angela Rogers (Penn State University)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: 204, Second Level, Hynes

This workshop features the art of networking with a focus on how to develop an effective and memorable “elevator pitch," and what this promotional sound bite about yourself sounds like to prospective employers in different scenarios. The facilitators will guide participants through an interactive workshop to develop and practice your networking skills on how to: creatively introduce yourself, develop and deliver a dynamic "elevator pitch," and how to efficiently "work" a room to make connections with key people. The activities will be followed by a debriefing and time for Q&A.

W1_3 Exploring Web GIS
Wednesday, April 5, 10:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Geri Miller (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: Back Bay B, Second Floor, Sheraton

In this workshop we will cover what sets Web GIS apart from its predecessors (Desktop and Server GIS) and look at best practices for deploying Web GIS in academia. We will examine the various components of Web GIS and talk about options for configuring Web GIS to support both teaching and research- using a combination of portals, web apps and desktop apps. The concept of identity and user management will be discussed, along with traditional GIS workflows and capabilities. Resources to help teach Web GIS and environments in which to teach and implement Web GIS will be examined in detail.

W1_5 How to Shine: Polish Your Resume and Cover Letter
Wednesday, April 5, 12:40 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
Organizers: Niem Huynh (AAG) & Nick Kelch (Esri)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: 204, Second Level, Hynes

This workshop provides an overview of Resume & Cover Letter writing strategies with focus for non-academic applications. The workshop is founded on activities to illustrate key points and highlight three areas, 1) how to emphasize transferable skills in application documents, 2) how to make your resume and cover letter stand out and 3) how to condense an academic CV to a 1-page resume. Please bring one copy of your resume and cover letter for the exercise.

W1_6 Incorporating ArcGIS Pro in Your Curriculum
Wednesday, April 5, 12:40 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Geri Miller (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: Back Bay B, Second Floor, Sheraton

GIS users are quickly adopting ArcGIS Pro as their main desktop application. In this workshop we will cover essential concepts that you need to know to get started with ArcGIS Pro. We will discuss how ArcGIS Pro fits in a GIS pattern and will cover common GIS workflows for data management, mapping and visualization, analysis and sharing of content. Emphasis will be placed on teaching ArcGIS Pro in a GIS curriculum along with an overview of available resources that could be used in the classroom.

W1_7 Stand Out from the Rest: Nailing Your Career Fair Interaction
Wednesday, April 5, 2:40 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Nick Kelch (Esri) & Bill Hodge (GISCI)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: 204, Second Level, Hynes

This workshop focuses on the interaction that takes place at a career fair. We will provide you with the tips & tricks needed to successfully navigate this process by walking you through the three main components of any career fair: 1) Preparation, 2) the career fair interaction, and 3) what to do after the career fair. Please bring a copy of your cover letter and resume.

THURSDAY, APRIL 6

W2_1 Say It Well: Make an Impression at the Interview
Thursday, April 6, 8:00 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.
Organizer: Niem Huynh (AAG)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: 203, Second Level, Hynes

You’ve been invited for a job interview! How do you prepare and how should you say it? This interactive workshop brings together theory and practice to prepare you for your next interview. The workshop builds on activities and group work to highlight three areas of a strong interview, 1) content of response 2) body language and voice and 3) interview preparation. Be prepared to engage and practice your “perfect” answer.

W2_2 Using LiDAR Data for Terrain Analysis, Volume Calculation, and Change Detection
Thursday, April 6, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Organizer: David McKittrick (Blue Marble Geographies)
Instructor: Katrina Schweikert (Blue Marble Geographies)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: Beacon A, Third Floor, Sheraton

The increased availability of LiDAR and other 3D point cloud datasets have provided the means to measure and analyze spatial and temporal patterns in the terrain. In this workshop, we will explore the procedure for transforming raw X,Y,Z point files into an accurate surface model that can be used for precise ground analysis. We will demonstrate a series of workflows for calculating volume, measuring and visualizing change, delineating watershed patterns, modifying or flattening a terrain surface, and creating contour lines. This workshop will provide a basic introduction to LiDAR and its application for terrain analysis.

W2_3 Spatial-Temporal Predictive Modeling with Open Source and Open Data for Urban Areas - Kick - off Workshop
Thursday, April 6, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Organizers: Luis Santa (GEO-C Doctorate in Geoinformatics: Enabling Open Cities) & Shivam Gupta (GEO-C Doctorate in Geoinformatics: Enabling Open Cities)
Capacity: 25
Cost/person: $5.00
Room: Beacon B, Third Floor, Sheraton

The half-day workshop is aimed as a collaborative exercise, which extends ongoing research for developing open smart cities, using open data and open source statistical and GIS tools. Also, to provide a comprehensive but digestible introduction to the most common methods of analysis and geomatics work flows which are nowadays often encountered when tackling various issues in urban agglomerations. Given a multi-tiered nature of contemporary web applications, we propose an interactive session devoted to a R-supporting middleware, as well as the of statistical packages for popular web frameworks. The exercises in form of examples from fields of air pollution, climate and transportation among others.

W2_4 Geo Apps: Modern Day GIS
Thursday, April 6, 10:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Geri Miller (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: Back Bay B, Second Floor, Sheraton

In this workshop we will cover various apps that are available as part of a Web GIS pattern. GIS has evolved to be a web-centric technology and an important part of modern day GIS is the use of apps available to support common GIS workflows and make information readily available to those who need it. The workshop will examine many different apps available for sharing information with the community, apps for field data collection, apps for office, and configurable builder applications. Emphasis will be on using apps in academic setting for teaching, research and campus administration.

W2_5 GISCI - An Exploration of Professionalism Early in a Career or Profession
Thursday, April 6, 1:20 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Organizer: Bill Hodge (GISCI)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: 205, Second Level, Hynes

Individuals attending this workshop will receive information on the various facets of a professional career, especially from a geospatial perspective.
Included will be a discussion of certification and professional credentials in general, and the GISP, specifically, and how this area can help an individual succeed early and throughout one's career.

W2_6 Compelling Cartography with ArcGIS
Thursday, April 6, 1:20 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Ken Field (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: Back Bay B, Second Floor, Sheraton

This workshop will showcase a range of techniques that take your map-making beyond the defaults. We’ll illustrate how you can build and style custom basemaps for use with your online maps and explore a range of mapping techniques including flow maps, pictorial symbols and cartograms. We’ll also explore how you can create artistic maps with beautiful hillshades, different terrain representation and 3D. We’ll show how to take advantage of new and powerful cartographic features in ArcGIS Pro, where to download some great free cartographic tools and how to begin to think creatively to create beautiful and compelling maps.

W2_10 Wine Specialty Group; Wines of the Northeast United States
Thursday, April 6, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Organizers: Percy Dougherty (Wine Specialty Group) & Robert Ziegenfus (Kutztown University)
Capacity: 23
Cost/person: $20.00
Room: Beacon B, Third Floor, Sheraton

Wines from the NE US will be tasted in order to illustrate regional differences in grape types grown in cooler climates. Participants will be led through an exercise in which the effects of the physical geography on the smell and taste of Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay will be shown. An opportunity to sample several cold hardy French Hybrid wine will show how the area has adapted to a short growing season.

W2_7 Walking the Tightrope: Practical Ideas for Building Inclusive Spaces for Women in Geography
Thursday, April 6, 3:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Organizers: Patricia Solis (Texas Tech University) & Rickie Sanders (Temple University)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: 205, Second Level, Hynes

Join us for the fourth annual workshop in a series of themes addressing career advancement and success for women in Geography. The basis of this year’s workshop is to facilitate discussion among men and women to find practical ways to overcome and thrive despite challenging climates on our campuses, workplaces, and in society at large. How can we build truly inclusive spaces that recognize the multiple subjectivities of women across categories of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, able-bodiedness, and other axis of difference? How can we respond to challenges to inclusion or expressions of hate from within our work settings, and in both virtual and real spaces? How can we effectively promote self-care and solidarity during difficult times? In this highly interactive session, we will explore how to think about promoting a career in less than ideal institutional contexts while getting beyond setbacks.

W2_8 Writing Successfully for the Journal of Geography in Higher Education (JGHE)
Thursday, April 6, 3:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Organizers: Derek France (University of Chester) & Bob Bednarz (Texas A&M University)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: Beacon A, Third Floor, Sheraton
Sponsored by: The Journal of Geography in Higher Education & Taylor Francis Routledge

After discussing the mission of the Journal of Geography in Higher Education (JGHE), the organisers will explain the submission, review, and publication processes. Topics will include the nature of material appropriate for submission, the type and levels of evidence necessary to support findings, the recommended length of manuscripts, advice about writing for an international readership, and JGHE’s citation index. Prospective authors are encouraged to interact with the panellists through an interactive peer review exercise to demystify the peer review process and to discuss issues specific to manuscripts they are planning to write.

W2_9 Undertaking a Smart Campus Project
Thursday, April 6, 3:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Michael Gould (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: Back Bay B, Second Floor, Sheraton

Smart Campus is a GIS-based, multi-participant project that allows you to experiment with Smart City concepts, practice enterprise GIS methodology, and impress your dean with practical campus apps. This workshop explains the Smart Campus concept and highlights free application templates (many extended from Local Government users) that are ready to be applied. We present a wide range of possible campus apps that have been created around the world. Finally, we cover lessons learned regarding logistics and campus politics while undertaking these projects, and we invite your contributions to this discussion.

W2_13 GeoMentors: A Program Primer and Strategies for Success
Thursday, April 7, 3:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Organizer: Candice Luebbering (American Association of Geographies)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: 203, Second Level, Hynes

The AAG-Esri GeoMentors program is a nationwide network of volunteers supporting Esri’s donation of ArcGIS online software to US K-12 schools (www.geomentors.net). GeoMentors help schools and teachers introduce GIS and geographic concepts into classrooms across the country. Current and aspiring GeoMentor volunteers are encouraged to attend this workshop led by GeoMentors program staff. It will provide a program overview, covering aspects from the registration process and finding collaborators to available resources and example activities. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, share experiences, and discuss strategies, challenges, and success stories of the GeoMentors Program and general K-12 outreach efforts.

FRIDAY, APRIL 7

W3_1 What’s New in ERDAS IMAGINE
Friday, April 7, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Organizer: Michael Lane (Hexagon Geospatial)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: Beacon A, Third Floor, Sheraton

This workshop will focus on the latest and greatest features in ERDAS IMAGINE, including building customized analytics with Spatial Modeler. Spatial Models have been used extensively for decades for a variety of processing capabilities in ERDAS IMAGINE. In the last few years, a complete re-architecting of the Spatial Modeler has resulted in a much broader set of capabilities, including the ability to publish new products via Hexagon Geospatial’s new cloud-based Smart M.Apps. Take geospatial to the next level and learn how you can become a part of the next generation of spatial innovation.

W3_8 Get the Knowledge You Don’t Get in College: A Professional Skills Development Workshop for Entering and Excelling in Sustainable Infrastructure, Environmental and Growth Careers
Friday, April 7, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Organizer: Drew Lehman (Drew Lehman Environmental and Education)
Capacity: 48
Cost/person: $0
Room: 204, Second Level, Hynes

Join an interactive session that addresses the practical realities of entering and succeeding in public, private and non-profit sectors. This workshop is led by an applied Geographer during whose career in sustainable infrastructure (wastewater, recycling, composting, disposal) has recruited, trained and managed over 100 professionals nationwide, and visited 250+ operating facilities (water, power, sewer, trash, transportation). Learn about skills employers need and want in employee prospects. Great for students and transitional employees alike. Invest in yourself; come and stay for the full 3-hour session.
NOTE: Space is limited (48 - Room 204 Hynes Center). Pre-registration preferred.

W3_2 Land Change Analysis
Friday, April 7, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Organizer: Robert Pontius (Clark University)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $40
Room: Beacon B, Third Floor, Sheraton

This workshop includes lectures, discussion and hands-on training concerning GIS-based measurement and simulation of land change. Concepts include: quantity difference, allocation difference, calibration, extrapolation, validation, total operating characteristic and Intensity Analysis (https://sites.google.com/site/intensityanalysis/). Typical participants range from graduate students to experienced GIS professionals. Prior experience with GIS is not necessary. Participants should bring their computers on which they have loaded free materials from www.clarku.edu/~rpontius. Participants are entitled to a 50% discount on a general, academic, or student license of TerrSet (www.clarklabs.org). Clark University Professor Robert Gilmore Pontius Jr has presented this workshop dozens of times in 16 countries (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-wcuY9zmF4&feature=youtu.be).

W3_3 Web GIS Administration: Tips and Tricks
Friday, April 7, 10:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Geri Miller (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: Back Bay B, Second Floor, Sheraton

In this workshop we will cover best practices for Web GIS management and administration in an academic setting. We will start with out of the box tools and workflows available to create an effective Web GIS portal and efficiently manage users, content and credits. We will also discuss 3rd party solutions which are available to simplify these tasks. In addition, we will cover a new Python API that empowers administrators to easily manage large number of users, content and sharing workflows. Newer features such as Portal to Portal collaboration and their implications for teaching and research will be examined.

W3_4 Dealing with Incomplete Data for Mapping and Spatial Analysis
Friday, April 7, 1:20 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Aileen Buckley (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: Back Bay B, Second Floor, Sheraton

Many data sets are incomplete causing problems when performing spatial analysis or when mapping. Sometimes the data is unable to be collected, other times the data is collected but its quality is questionable or the method of collection is suspect, and still other times the data is collected but not shared. When data sets are incomplete, they can cause errors or biases in spatial analyses and result in uninformative or incomplete-looking maps. This workshop examines a variety of approaches that can be taken to help to mitigate these problems and evaluates their relative strengths and weaknesses.

W3_5 Preparing Geography Students for the 21st Century Workforce
Friday, April 7, 1:20 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Organizers: Niem Huynh (AAG) 7 Michael Solem (AAG)
Instructor: Joseph Kerski (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: 203, Second Level, Hynes

Despite rapidly evolving and expanding employment opportunities, many students are unfamiliar with the numerous career paths for which a degree in geography can prepare them. Using the recent AAG publication Practicing Geography: Careers for Enhancing Society and the Environment (Pearson 2013) as a resource, the workshop facilitators -- who are contributing authors to the book -- will introduce participants to a series of classroom activities that have been designed to raise students' awareness of employment prospects for geographers and to help them recognize and articulate the value of their geography training to potential employers. The participants will then break into small groups to brainstorm ideas for adapting these exercises to the specific needs of students at their grade level and institution type. This workshop is suitable for educators at all grade levels and career stages.

W3_7 Telling Your Story with Esri Story Maps: A New Medium for Geography-Based Storytelling
Friday, April 7, 3:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Organizers: Astrid Ng (Esri) & Angela Lee (Esri)
Instructor: Joseph Kerski (Esri), Allen Carroll (Esri)
Capacity: 75
Cost/person: $0
Room: Back Bay B, Second Floor, Sheraton

Explore why and how to communicate using today's web mapping tools, include creating your own multimedia stories utilizing Esri’s storytelling web applications. Audience, goals, mobile devices, symbology, classification methods, and other considerations and skills will be demonstrated and practiced. Hands-on work with Esri's powerful and easy-to-use Story Maps platform will include how to incorporate multimedia and how to share your work with selected audiences. We’ll focus on how faculty and students can author story maps, and how to use Story Maps as communication and assessment tools in your instruction. Bring your own laptop if you wish to do hands-on work.

SATURDAY, APRIL 8

W4_1 Spatial and Temporal Analysis with R
Saturday, April 8, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Organizer: Benoit Parmentier (Sustainability Solutions Initiative)
Instructors: Albert Decatur (Hachure LLC) & Marco Millones (Mary and Washington University)
Capacity: 20
Cost/person: $65.00
Room: Beacon B, Third Floor, Sheraton

This workshop will introduce participants to R for GIS spatial and temporal analysis with emphasis on raster data. The workshop will start with a short introduction to R and review the different packages available to carry out GIS analyses. Topics include performing map algebra, plotting raster/vector, raster cropping, raster extraction using vector data and other raster processing. The workshop will also cover basic raster time series analysis using raster image stack. If time permits, kriging and regression models will be carried out on climate stations data using covariates as an example of raster modeling.

W4_3 Geography of Networks
Saturday, April 8, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Organizers: Pierre-Alexandre Balland (Utrecht University) & Andrea Morrison (Utrecht University)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $39.00
Room: Clarendon, Third Floor, Sheraton

Geographers use concepts and methods from network science to understand a complex, global, and interconnected world. In network thinking, the fundamental unit of analysis consists of the relationships among interacting units rather than the individual characteristics of these units. The ability to analyze the particular way relationships are organized - i.e. the network structure - is crucial in understanding complex phenomena in nature and society. In this course, we discuss how a network perspective can help us to re-think key issues in geography (with a focus on human geography). This course is an introduction to network analysis and consists of lectures combined with computer exercises (no prior knowledge is needed).

W4_2 subconference : Study
Saturday, April 8, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Organizers: Christian Anderson (University of Washington Bothell) & Elsa Noterman (University of Wisconsin – Madison)
Capacity: 30
Cost/person: $0
Room: Beacon A, Third Floor, Sheraton

This workshop will pursue what Fred Moten, Stefano Harney, and others have simply named “study”—a mode of thinking together and embedding ourselves with and for others, huddled against the atomizing forces of institution and profession. Participants will share and create methods for collective thought and action “in but not of” the spaces we often find ourselves in—classrooms, meetings, professional conferences, etc.—precisely in the interests of making the activities that go on in those spaces a critical resource for the kinds of research, scholarly praxis, and transformative collective action that seem urgently necessary at the present historical moment.