Keynote

Imagine that geographic information about Indiana is plentiful, integrated, accurate, accessible, current, and free, no matter the origin or steward. Now imagine the benefits Hoosiers receive as a result: improved health and safety, faster government service, better natural resource management, and more opportunities to collaborate. This vision, or some part of it, may have been why you were first attracted to geospatial technologies, and why you wanted to join Indiana's GIS community.

The keynote session will focus on the challenges that keep us from realizing this vision. Facts and opinions will be presented, discussed, and debated about a variety of topics related to these challenges. Topics may include:

How public should public GIS information be?
Should governments charge for copies of GIS data?
Can governments in Indiana charge for GIS data?
Can GIS data be copyrighted? Can government works be copyrighted?
Can the use of public information be limited by user agreements?
Should commercial “tax payers” be treated differently than private tax payers regarding access to public GIS data?

Jim Sparks, Indiana Geographic Information Officer, will facilitate the discussion. Come prepared to join in!

Keynote Speaker
Jim Sparks, Indiana GIO

Jim Sparks has spent most of his career working with geospatial information. His experience has come through positions as construction surveyor, cartographer, parcel mapper and consultant, and in capacities as technician, supervisor, team leader, project manager, and director. Of note among the 40-plus significant GIS projects that Jim has led is the 200,000 person-hour IMAGIS (Indianapolis Mapping and Geographic Infrastructure System) data conversion project, which was completed between July 1987 and July 1989.

While most of his experience has been in the private sector, he has also worked in county and state government and the university environment.

He is a founding member of the Indiana GIS Initiative, and has served as co-chair of INGISI's Data Standards and Data Sharing committees and as Vice President of the Indiana Geographic Information Council Board of Directors.

Jim has also contributed to the local GIS community as a frequent presenter of topics that have included "GIS for Librarians", "An Introduction to GIS", "GIS Legal Issues", "Implementing a County GIS" and "For Fee or Free? Access to Government Spatial Data". His published papers include "Getting a GIS in 'Bits and Pieces'", American City and County Magazine; "The Indianapolis Pavement Management Project", AM/FM International; and "Controlling Quality during the Data Conversion Process", GIS/LIS.

In October 2007, Jim was appointed as Indiana's first Geographic Information Officer with a mission to facilitate the development, maintenance, and distribution of comprehensive statewide geographic data.


Online Maps Standards GIS Policy & Guides Projects IndianaMap GIS Inventory What's GIS? GIS In Action Awards Classes & Seminars Links GIS Council Membership Committees Annual Conference Funding Jobs & Internships News Calendar Contact Us Home	home > conference > keynote Keynote Imagine that geographic information about Indiana is plentiful, integrated, accurate, accessible, current, and free, no matter the origin or steward. Now imagine the benefits Hoosiers receive as a result: improved health and safety, faster government service, better natural resource management, and more opportunities to collaborate. This vision, or some part of it, may have been why you were first attracted to geospatial technologies, and why you wanted to join Indiana's GIS community. The keynote session will focus on the challenges that keep us from realizing this vision. Facts and opinions will be presented, discussed, and debated about a variety of topics related to these challenges. Topics may include: How public should public GIS information be? Should governments charge for copies of GIS data? Can governments in Indiana charge for GIS data? Can GIS data be copyrighted? Can government works be copyrighted? Can the use of public information be limited by user agreements? Should commercial “tax payers” be treated differently than private tax payers regarding access to public GIS data? Jim Sparks, Indiana Geographic Information Officer, will facilitate the discussion. Come prepared to join in! Keynote Speaker Jim Sparks, Indiana GIO Jim Sparks has spent most of his career working with geospatial information. His experience has come through positions as construction surveyor, cartographer, parcel mapper and consultant, and in capacities as technician, supervisor, team leader, project manager, and director. Of note among the 40-plus significant GIS projects that Jim has led is the 200,000 person-hour IMAGIS (Indianapolis Mapping and Geographic Infrastructure System) data conversion project, which was completed between July 1987 and July 1989. While most of his experience has been in the private sector, he has also worked in county and state government and the university environment. He is a founding member of the Indiana GIS Initiative, and has served as co-chair of INGISI's Data Standards and Data Sharing committees and as Vice President of the Indiana Geographic Information Council Board of Directors. Jim has also contributed to the local GIS community as a frequent presenter of topics that have included "GIS for Librarians", "An Introduction to GIS", "GIS Legal Issues", "Implementing a County GIS" and "For Fee or Free? Access to Government Spatial Data". His published papers include "Getting a GIS in 'Bits and Pieces'", American City and County Magazine; "The Indianapolis Pavement Management Project", AM/FM International; and "Controlling Quality during the Data Conversion Process", GIS/LIS. In October 2007, Jim was appointed as Indiana's first Geographic Information Officer with a mission to facilitate the development, maintenance, and distribution of comprehensive statewide geographic data.

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Keynote