The 2025 UCGIS Symposium, held from June 23–27 at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, celebrated the 30th anniversary of the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science. Under the theme Navigating the Geospatial Frontier: Future Directions for Academia and its Partners, the event brought together over 200 scholars, students, and professionals from across the geospatial community.

Highlights from the Symposium

Workshops and Technical Sessions

The symposium featured a diverse array of workshops and technical sessions, including:

• AI in ArcGIS: Exploring the possibilities and practicalities of integrating artificial intelligence into ArcGIS workflows.
• 3D Printing from Photogrammetry: A hands-on workshop demonstrating the process of creating 3D models from photogrammetric data.
• Harnessing Future Climate Data: Creating automated pipelines with R/Python using University of Wyoming Open Data APIs.
• Mapping and Measuring Structural Racism: A workshop focused on using GIS tools to map and measure structural racism and discrimination in the U.S.

These sessions provided attendees with practical skills and insights into the latest geospatial technologies and methodologies.

Plenary Sessions

The symposium featured several plenary sessions, including:

• Mapping out a Future for Migratory Ungulates in the Changing American West: Presented by Matt Kauffman, this session discussed the challenges and strategies for conserving migratory ungulates in the face of climate change.
• Where's our future Workforce?: A panel discussion exploring the future of the geospatial workforce and the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving field.
• Using the Sage Grande Artificial Intelligence Testbed to Explore the Future of Distributed Sensing: Presented by Pete Beckman, this session delved into the use of AI in distributed sensing networks for environmental monitoring.

These sessions provided valuable perspectives on the future directions of geospatial science and technology.

Lightning Talks, Paper Presentations, and Poster Sessions

The symposium also featured lightning talks, research presentations, and poster sessions, where students and professionals presented their latest research and projects. These sessions fostered networking and collaboration among attendees.

For more details on Symposium sessions and presenters, please visit the UCGIS Symposium 2025 Schedule.

Student Awards

The symposium recognized outstanding student contributions in various categories:

Student Paper Awards

• First Place: Zhijie Zhou
• Second Place: Tianci Guo
• Third Place: Devon Borthwick / Purna Saud

Student Poster Awards

• First Place: Sean Kraemer
• Second Place: Yen-Yi Wu
• Third Place: Jin Xu

Lightning Talk Awards

• Graduate: Katie Slack
• Undergraduate: Will Jones

These awards highlight the exceptional research and presentations by students in the field of GIScience.

30th Anniversary Celebration

The symposium culminated in a special 30th Anniversary Dinner & Awards Presentation at the Alice Hardie Stevens Center (Laramie Plains Museum), celebrating three decades of UCGIS's contributions to the geospatial community.

See you next year in Maryland!

The 2025 UCGIS Symposium provided a platform for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and envisioning the future of geospatial science. We will gather in 2026 at the University of Maryland in College Park, June 15-18, 2026, with the them of AI Everywhere!