MAST

Tag: Annual Meeting

  • MGC 9 Recap

    The 9th Annual Mississippi Geospatial Conference was a success! Thank you all for participating and helping to make this wonderful conference, and community, a reality. Feel free to check out some of the statistics and key points from the conference below.

    Statistics

    This was the biggest MGC to-date. Since we know many of you like to see the data, we gathered some statistics for you here:

    • There were 143 total attendees.
    • Attendees came from 5 different states (MS, TN, LA, TX, and NC) *
    • 37 of the attendees were students.
      • 15 from the University of Southern Mississippi
      • 3 from Mississippi State University
      • 4 from Delta State University
      • 15 from Mississippi Coding Academy
    • There were 10 different vendors at the conference.
    • The Student Poster Competition had 5 entries this year – all attending public universities participated

    *Note: Attendees are not required to share the state they are from when registering. It is an optional field, and more states may have been represented.

    Lifetime Achievement Award

    This year, the Lifetime Achievement in GIS Award was given to Michael ‘Mike’ Miller, posthumously. His family was there to accept the award on his behalf.

    Four people stand before a projector screen at the front of a large room. From left to right, they are Rose-Marie Miller, Heather Miller, Jim Steil, and David Hansen. Rose-Marie watches as Heather Miller takes a black box from Jim Steil. David Hansen is behind a podium, also observing. The box contains the Lifetime Achievement in GIS award.
    Rose-Marie (Left) and Heather (Right) Miller accept the Lifetime Achievement Award on Mike Miller’s behalf. Image provided by GEO Jobe

    Student Poster Competition

    This year saw five entries into the student poster competition. Each of the public universities in attendance had at least one entry. The first and second place entries both received the Mike Miller Memorial Scholarship. The entries were:

    • Digital Mapping of Organic Carbon in Low-lying Paddy Soil of Bangladesh by Jannatul Ferdush, Zia Ahmed, GKM Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Muhammad Abdullay, and Varun Paul of Mississippi State University (First Place)
    • Using a Wiki to Enhance Contract Efficiency and Develop Student Skills as Topographic Map Makers by Justin Schluter, Peter Meharg, and Noah Blake of Delta State University (Second Place)
    • Advancements in the Additive Manufacturing of Maps by Sam Humphries of Delta State University
    • Mapping Mississippi’s Coastline by Samuel Wyatt and George Raber of The University of Southern Mississippi
    • Monitoring Seasonal Water Quality for Southeastern U.S. Watersheds Using Remotely-Sensed Data Integrated into Dynamic SPARROW Models by Mohammad Al-Hamdan of the University of Mississippi
    Justin Schluter stands to the left of a poster titled "Topographic Mapping for Dummies Using a Wiki to Enhance Contract Efficiency and Develop Student Skills as Topographic Map Makers". On the right is Noah Blake.
    Justin Schluter and Noah Blake stand proudly beside their poster. Image provided by GEO Jobe.

    Elections

    This year, MAST Secretary and Treasurer were up for election. Congratulations to Courtney Menikheim and Paul Barnes for being re-elected to serve in their respective roles.

    Courtney Menikheim and Paul Barnes stand before an oak tree at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus. They are both facing the camera and smiling.
    Courtney Menikheim and Paul Barnes were re-elected to their positions as MAST’s Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. Image provided by GEO Jobe.

  • MGC 2019 Wrap Up and Thanks

    This year saw the 7th annual Mississippi Geospatial Conference take place in Long Beach, MS. The conference was a success, with over a hundred registrants. It was also the first year we had a keynote. Thank you, Bill Johnson, for your wonderful and inspiring presentation.

    Congratulations to Ian Stewart for winning the student Poster Competition and Scholarship! His work tracking the locations referenced throughout Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was an excellent example of how GIS can be used across multiple disciplines to provide more context.

    While next year’s conference will take place in October, the specific dates have not yet been determined. Stay tuned, as we will put out an update when the dates for the conference are confirmed. We look forward to seeing you all there!

    Finally, a big thank you to everyone who attended, presented, or sponsored at this year’s MGC. Without your hard work and participation, the conference wouldn’t be the success that it is.