KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Opening Keynote - Dr. Aileen Buckley

Dr. Aileen Buckley has been making maps for over 25 years. She has a Ph.D. in geography from Oregon State University, a Masters in Geography from Indiana University, and a Bachelors in Geography and Spanish from Valparaiso University. She is a research cartographer at Esri where she focuses on the development of best practices for mapping. While she publishes and presents worldwide on many aspects of mapping and GIS, much of her research relates to space-time mapping, terrain representation, map use, and cartographic methods. She is a co-author of Map Use: Reading, Analysis, Interpretation and co-editor of the Atlas of Oregon. Aileen is a former president of CaGIS (the U.S. cartographic association) and is active in the International Cartographic Association. She is currently chair of the US National Committee for the ICA and lead delegate for the United States to the ICA.  https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/author/abuckley

GIS in a Changing World

Change is all around us – at home, at work, in our communities, across our nations, on our earth. We often talk about how GIS is changing the world, but the world is also changing GIS. How we use GIS, how we interact with GIS, and how GIS interacts with the world are all changing. Some of the change is technology-driven, but the biggest driver of change is you – the GIS user. The challenges you deal with and how you want or need to deal with them are changing GIS. In this talk, I share how GIS is changing in response to our world and the requirements of you – its users.

Christopher Moravec is an expert problem-solver and technology innovator who specializes in turning complex challenges into elegant solutions. As the CTO and founder of dymaptic, an Esri Gold Partner, he combines his passion for building software with his expertise in GIS and AI technologies. Known for his creative approach to engineering challenges—from developing enterprise mapping solutions to creating whimsical inventions like candy-dispensing robots—Christopher brings both technical precision and innovative thinking to every project he undertakes. https://www.christophermoravec.com/

Don't Panic, It's Just AI: A Developer's Handbook 

In a world where AI has become as ubiquitous as towels are to interstellar hitchhikers, Christopher Moravec stands ready to guide you through the galaxy of possibilities and pitfalls.

"Don't Panic, It's Just AI: A Developer's Handbook" is your essential guide to navigating the often bewildering landscape of artificial intelligence. More controversial than Oolon Colluphid's trilogy "Where AI Came From," "Some More of God's Greatest Mistakes," and "Who is this Siri Person Anyway?", this handbook is for any developer looking to harness AI without resorting to Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters to cope with the absurdity.

Through real-world examples, Christopher will show you how to use AI as a practical tool—from writing code with chatbots to generating sensible map names—while also revealing what AI excels at, where it falls short, and when to leave it out of your toolkit entirely.

Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, join us and, remember: Don't Panic, and always know where your towel is.