Monday, July 10. 2006

Beyond Mapping: Meeting National Needs Through Enhanced Geographic Information

Gary Price, this time with his Docuticker Editor hat on, offers up the latest from the National Academy Press on geospatial research:

Beyond Mapping: Meeting National Needs Through Enhanced Geographic Information

As usual, you can download the entire report (or summary) for free or purchase the book in print.

I'll save you downloading the (rather long at 23 page) summary. The goal of the report is to answer these questions:

1. How have mapping/geographic information activities evolved and
what have been their fundamental underpinnings?
2. What is the nature of the research agenda related to the mapping
sciences and how might this agenda be addressed by current and possibly
future collaborations among many disciplines?
3. What skills and knowledge will be required for professionals in
the mapping sciences in corporations, agencies, and educational institutions?
4. What are the current strengths and weaknesses of the mapping
sciences and how successful have they been in responding to technological
change?
5. What is the state of the research infrastructure and the varying
roles of universities, government laboratories, and the private sector?

In response, the report offers five quite reasoable recommendations that essentially encourage research, partnerships, and use existing organizations (UCGIS and OGC, for example) to lead the way.

The reports is by "The Committee on Beyond Mapping" which includes many academics and folks from industry.