SpatialNews Press Release

ESRI Users to Converge on the Twenty-First Annual International User Conference The World’s Largest GIS Conference

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Redlands, California-ESRI will host the Twenty-First Annual International User Conference, the largest geographic information system (GIS) conference in the world, July 9?13, 2001, in San Diego, California. The User Conference is open to all ESRI software users with current maintenance or paid registration. About 10,500 attendees and 200 exhibitors from 90 countries are expected to attend this annual event held at the San Diego Convention Center.

Themed “Geography-Creating Communities,” the ESRI International User Conference holds to tradition in creating a true GIS community. The GIS industry is experiencing phenomenal growth, both in the number of users and in the number of applications, making it increasingly necessary for the GIS user community to come together and share experiences with peers to stay current with this growth. The opportunity to share a wealth of practical information, offer ideas for creative problem solving, and help each other achieve GIS goals has been a User Conference trademark since its inception.

The plenary session will kick off the conference, featuring an overview of GIS applications and trends by Jack Dangermond, ESRI founder and president, and a keynote presentation from Dr. J. Michael Fay, an Explorer in Residence from the National Geographic Society.

On Tuesday through Thursday, attendees can choose from more than 225 technical workshops, 275 papers presented by the ESRI user community, and nearly 100 special interest group meetings. These moderated sessions and individual presentations are highlighted by the most comprehensive collection of GIS papers in the world. For the first time, Friday’s activities will offer workshops along with the traditional closing session.

One of the most popular features of the conference is Monday night’s Map Gallery. This festive evening reception will feature an amazing collection of maps created by ESRI users around the world; their vast array of works will remain on display for the duration of the conference week. Another popular feature of the conference is the ESRI Showcase, where ESRI staff will be on hand to answer technical questions, demonstrate the latest software, and provide assistance with technical support and application development issues. One of the more visible components of the User Conference is the Exhibit Pavilion, a complete trade show within the conference. Attendees will have the luxury of visiting a wide range of hardware, software, and technology companies all in one venue.

Other popular events include the Doctor’s Office, where ESRI staff from various departments and offices throughout the world will be available to answer questions from users. Kid’s Camp will give the children of attendees a chance to learn GIS in half-day sessions. New this year is the Software Applications Fair. This latest addition to the list of conference activities is a forum for users who have developed an application program or customized ESRI software to meet the specific requirements of their GIS work to showcase what they have done and be judged by their peers. Also, the Geography Network Challenge will make its debut, allowing organizations to compete in a contest showcasing their live map or data hosting services created for the Geography Network, a place where people can go to publish, share, and use geographic data and services on the Web.

For more information, visit www.esri.com/events/uc or contact the User Conference information center (uc2001@esri.com or call 909-793-2853, ext.1-1363).

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Jul 2, 2001 Jun 26, 2002