Download - Northwest Indiana GIS Forum Beginnings
Northwest Indiana GIS ForumBeginnings
Established in 1997 US EPA / IDEM come to NWI Region searching for data – Request input from Local CreatorsOriginal mission was to catalog local spatial dataEncouraged to continue meetings between GIS Users
Champion and Local Partnerships Necessary
Becky McKinley-Hammond Sanitary District/EPA Region 5 initial Co-Chairs (eventually EPA steps
away and IUN assumes Co-Chair)
IDEM ParticipationPossible Meeting sites – IU Northwest and NIRPCGrant Administration, Website and Listserv capabilities through IUN
NWI GIS Forum - Who are we?Representatives from:
CountyMunicipalitiesEducation – Higher and K-12State (INDOT, IDEM)Federal (USEPA, NPS)Non-Profits (Save the Dunes, Grants, Inc.)Private Industry (GIS Vendors, NIPSCO)
GoalsBimonthly meetingsInclude all Interested Parties (especially in the region) / Encourage NewcomersNetworking through Local Updates at MeetingsEducation and Outreach
Local opportunities at meetingsProvide information about state GIS activities
Meeting Agenda
Welcome and IntroductionsLocal Project UpdatesNWI GIS Administration Items
Upcoming Educational OpportunitiesWebsite Issues
IGIC ReportOccasional Presentations/Education
SuccessesIDEM/Hammond Sanitary District/IUN sponsored Free Certified ArcGIS Training since 1998 (over 300 students trained)ListServ with over 300 ContactsGrants from US EPA region 5 and FGDC to promote Metadata locally and statewide
Partnership with the IGS -Input in the 2008 Lake Rim GIS UpgradeFunding and input on the Online Metadata Tool (2006 IGIC Award for Achievement in GIS)
Service on IGIC Board of DirectorsPromotion of IGIC projects through local Roadshows and ListServ
Continuation of meetings locally
NEW – Joint meeting with NIGIC this year
How is the NWI GIS Forum Different From NIGIC?
Origin Less Formal Organization
Co-Chairs rather than Officers
Possibly More Diverse Participants from County/Municipal/Education/Non-Profits/State/Federal
Want to Start a New Regional Group?
Find a Champion and PartnersCentrally Located Meeting SpaceProvide Educational OpportunitiesIGIC can help
WebspaceListServ
Finding the Hidden Champion Inside you
Do you: Love your job and want to share that enthusiasm? Appreciate the advantages of networking with users outside your
discipline or sector? See an unfilled need to reach out to the surrounding users base? Acknowledge the mutual benefit of sharing data and technology? Think you could convince your boss to support you?
Then YOU might be that Champion – consider organizing a Regional User group in your
part of the state!