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Faculty and graduate students from Salem State’s Geography and Sustainability Department and the graduate Geo-Information Science program trekked up to Burlington, Vermont to attend the annual , October 27 – 29, 2024. The NEARC Conference brings together academic, governmental, and business users of Geographic Information System (GIS) software developed by Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) from throughout New England and New York. Esri’s GIS software – especially ArcGIS and ArcGIS Online – is the industry standard, and the workhorse of spatial data operations of state and local government agencies, as well as numerous businesses and other private sector organizations. The conference provides a regular meeting point to learn about new developments in the GIS technology field, participate in training, meet up with colleagues, and for professional networking.

Thanks to financial support from the ´ºÃÎÖ±²¥ School of Graduate Studies, the Geography and Sustainability Department sponsored a vendor table at the conference to advertise its undergraduate and graduate Geo-Information Science programs. Attendees were eager to talk with faculty members Keith Ratner and Nick Geron and to thank them for the exceptional that was held at Salem State this past May.

Over a dozen alumni of Salem State’s GIS program stopped by to say hello and to sing their praises of the program, as well as to share updates and stories about their own professional journeys since leaving Salem State. These alumni are now GIS Administrators or Managers for Cambridge, Natick, Newport, Pepperell, and Shrewsbury, as well as Mt Auburn Cemetery in Watertown, GIS Application Assistant for the Massachusetts Division of Water Supply Protection, GIS Specialist at Epsilon Associates, Inc., GIS Analyst at Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc., and Mapping Technologist for New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.