GeoTel Communications was able to attend the UCF GIS Day 2019 event.
The room was alive with laughter and excitement as GeoTel’s CEO, Dave Drazen, and his team entered the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Pegasus Ballroom. There were groups of K-12 students in every corner of the room all buzzing to be a part of UCF GIS Day. It was a sight to be seen, children who wanted to learn and be a part of the GIS community.
The UCF College of Sciences and Timothy Hawthorne, Ph.D. was to thank for putting together such an amazing event. Other supporters to be mentioned GeoTel Communications, UCF Puerto Rico Research Hub, VHB, UCF Utility and Energy Services, NSF, UCF The Center for Initiatives in STEM, and the UCF Department of Sociology.
UCF GIS Day hosted 400 individuals from various schools, with hundreds more on a waiting list, throughout the Central Florida area. The teachers and students rotated through stations with different volunteers to learn how GIS is already involved in most of their lives and to discover new careers in the field.
The various stations showcased satellite mapping and GIS in everyday life. Some of the event stations consisted of block coding with Sphero robots, navigating mini-drones through obstacles or “cities”, an interactive augmented reality (AR) sandbox to display topography, utilizing map apps, playing with a large Florida map, and even virtual reality goggles.
One of the most exciting aspects of the entire event was getting to see just how enthralled the students were with the material. No matter the grade or age group, everyone seemed generally interested in learning more. While the students were learning, the teachers were able to appreciate GIS teachings coming to life before their eyes.
GeoTel Communications was proud to help support the UCF GIS Day 2019 event. The team was also ecstatic to see the younger generations getting involved with the exciting world of Geospatial education and technologies.
If your company is interested in learning more about GIS or acquiring GIS data, contact the experts at GeoTel Communications today!
Author: Valerie Stephen
