Virtual Globes in Science
 

Conference Session: 2nd Annual Virtual Globes Scientific Users Conference
5th International Symposium on Digital Earth
5-9 June 2007
San Francisco, CA

Digital Earth is a visionary concept, popularized by former US Vice President Al Gore, for the virtual and 3-D representation of the Earth that is spatially referenced and interconnected with digital knowledge archives from around the planet with vast amounts of scientific, natural, and cultural information to describe and understand the Earth, its systems, and human activities. This international vision encompasses the virtual and 3-D representation of the Earth with vast amounts of scientific, natural, and cultural information that is spatially referenced and interconnected with digital knowledge archives from around the planet to describe and understand the Earth, its systems, and human activities.

This ISDE promises to be the highest-profile, non-commercial event highlighting the use of virtual globes in earth sciences and public policy since the virtual globe revolution began. Virtual globes, such as Google Earth, World Wind, and GeoFusion, are leading a paradigm shift in the way that earth sciences are conducted and the way the public perceives the earth, combining science, data management, and outreach into a single, visually-compelling, easy-to-use tool. With dignitaries such as Al Gore present, it seems like an excellent opportunity to raise public awareness and participation in these new technologies.

The virtual globe session will have two parts. First is a series of top-down presentations by invited industry speakers leading the virtual globe development within Google, NASA, ESRI, Microsoft, GeoFusion, and others, following the style of our first users conference and recent sessions at the American Geophysical Union. This section will end in a panel discussion. Second is series of presentation by users of these tools, with talks distributed within the 20 or so sessions within ISDE in two broad themes: technology

(eg., mobile mapping, interoperability, remote sensing, search engines, 3D rendering) and applications (eg., disaster management, environmental protection, community development, security, conflict resolution, global warming, International Polar Year). We will make every effort to not schedule virtual globe talks concurrently between these sessions. Any users of virtual globes are welcome to present here, and no affiliation with university or government is needed.
 

Conveners

Tim Foresman
foresman(at)hughes.net

Matt Nolan
University of Alaska Fairbanks
matt.nolan(at)uaf.edu