Celebrating GIS Day at the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC), York University
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Time: TBA
Event Type: Hybrid (in-person and online options)
Location: HNES 140, York University, Keele Campus
Registration coming soon
Welcome to GIS Day
Join us for GIS Day, a global celebration where maps come to life and technology tackles real-world challenges.
GIS shows us where things happen, why they happen there, and what we can do about it. So, if you think maps are just for directions — think again!
Ever wondered how your phone knows where you are, how cities are planned, or how you can track weather or even a pandemic? That’s GIS and geomatics in action!
From protecting the planet to building smarter cities, these innovative tools are shaping the future — and you can be a part of it! Whether you’re into technology, the environment, gaming, or space, there’s something here for you.
Don’t miss this chance to ignite your curiosity, meet inspiring speakers, and discover exciting careers where you can literally change the world — one map at a time.
GIS – transforming maps into meaning. See the world in a whole new way by joining us for GIS Day @ EUC.
Agenda
We are currently finalizing our list of speakers. Please check back soon for the agenda.
If you are interested in participating as a speaker or vendor, please email Doris Siu, dorissiu@yorku.ca, for more information.
More information about GIS
GIS stands for Geographic Information System and is used to collect, store, analyze, and visualize spatial data. The most common output of GIS is a map, which you can use to answer questions like where things happen, why they happen there, and what we can do about it. Basically, GIS connects data to a map or visualization, and is a geomatics tool.
Geomatics is a broad term for the science of gathering, storing, and analyzing spatial data. It is the toolbox of technologies and methods we use to understand the world based on where things are located. This includes GIS, GPS (Global Positioning System), satellite imagery, drones, surveying, remote sensing, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).
Think of GIS as the engine, and geomatics as the whole car. GIS is crucial for the car to function but is just one component of the entire vehicle. That’s why you can’t spell GIS without geomatics.
Everyone surprisingly interacts with geomatics often, without even realizing it. Our reliance on geomatics to run a city is substantial from electricity, water, transportation, internet, and food supply networks. GIS is embedded in modern technology, services, and decision-making. When we navigate to our preferred coffee shops, track the delivery of our packages, or receive real-time updates on weather conditions, we are interacting with GIS. Similarly, geo-tagging social media posts and engaging in location-based augmented reality video games are also examples of how GIS is a part of our everyday lives.
GIS Day is a global event celebrated on the Wednesday of Geography Awareness Week each November. Over 25 years ago, Ralph Nader proposed to Esri president Jack Dangermond an idea to dedicate one day to demonstrate how geographic intelligence impacts everyone. That led to the establishment of GIS Day, which was first observed in 1999.
GIS Day is all about raising awareness about GIS and geomatics by showcasing its real-world applications to schools, communities, and the general public. It provides a platform to spark curiosity by sharing geomatics stories and technologies to inspire our next generation of GIS leaders.
EUC celebrated its augural GIS Day @ EUC in 2023 where GIS experts at York University gathered together in a small room to celebrate their research achievements. Since then, we’ve expanded our event to be a resource and learning engagement opportunity for the general public. At EUC, we strive to provide a lasting educational experience by showcasing the significance of geomatics in everyday life. We provide everyone with the chance to learn, explore, and network, by engaging both emerging and seasoned GIS experts, alongside industry leaders. GIS Day @ EUC further enables youth to investigate potential career paths they might not have previously considered.
Whether you’re new to GIS or exploring if it fits you, GIS Day @ EUC has something for everyone. Sign up to be notified when registration opens.
GIS has evolved significantly through the efforts of numerous contributors and technological advancements, reaching its current state through key milestones. See how GIS evolved over time with the timeline below.
The first maps date back over 25,000 years, but maps used for global exploration began evolving during the Classical era and matured during the Age of Exploration in the 1400s to 1600s. This was where the roots of GIS began.
1854 – Early spatial analysis – In London, physician John Snow mapped Cholera cases to trace the origin back to one water source.
1960 – Geographic computer science emerges – In the 1960s, computer technology, speed, and design improved significantly, led by IBM. Quantitative and computational geography concepts also emerged during this time.
1963 – The first GIS – Canadian Geographer Roger Tomlinson, hailed as the ‘Father of GIS,’ begins a national land use management program for the Canadian government, inventorying natural resources. Tomlinson first coins the term geographic information system (GIS) by creating the Canada Geographic Information System (CGIS). This forever changed how we collect, view, and analyze geographical data.
1965 – Harvard Lab explores spatial analysis – Architect Howard Fisher founded the Harvard Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis, developing early GIS software like ODYSSEY.
1969 – Design with Nature published – Ian McHarg’s book promotes a comprehensive, eco-friendly approach to landscape architecture and urban planning. He presents the “layer cake” method, which is essential for modern GIS map overlays.
1969 – Esri is founded – Jack and Laura Dangermond founded Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute). They focus on aiding land use planners in making environmentally conscious decisions.
1972 – First Landsat satellite – Inspired by NASA’s Gemini IV mission photos, the US government launched the first Landsat satellite for Earth observation. The program offers global satellite imagery linked to geographic points, becoming essential for GIS and initiating the era of remote sensing.
1978 – First GPS satellite – The US launched its first GPS satellite, Navstar I, achieving full global coverage in 1994. Other countries developed similar GNSS systems, leading to exponential growth in spatial data as objects worldwide could report their positions.
1981 – First Esri User Conference – Sixteen users from 11 US organizations attend the first Esri technology user meeting in Redlands, California.
1982 – ARC/INFO is released – Scott Morehouse, who worked on ODYSSEY at the Harvard Lab, joins Esri in 1981 and significantly contributed to developing ARC/INFO, establishing Esri as a leading software company.
1982 – GRASS develops – US Army Corps of Engineers begins development of an open-source GIS software called GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System), which broadens access to GIS and is still available today.
1986 – In-car navigation – Etak pioneers in-car navigation concepts. Mazda’s Eunos Cosmo features the first automatic navigation system. Eventually, real-time GIS led to self-driving cars from companies like Tesla.
1988 – NCGIA is established – The National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) is established to conduct research in geographic information and its related technologies. Michael Goodchild leads the project and becomes a GIS leader.
1990 – TIGER is completed – The US Census Bureau finishes the Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) spatial database, creating the first nationwide digital map of roads, boundaries, and water, which supports numerous business applications.
1991 – GIS goes mainstream – GIS reaches a significant phase, becoming vital to numerous workflows. Publications such as Forbes, Fortune, and Business Week begin covering GIS.
1995 – Britain digitizes its maps – The UK Ordnance Survey, established in 1791, remains a prominent authority in GIS and mapping. It has successfully digitized 230,000 maps, encompassing the entire United Kingdom within a GIS database. This achievement marks Britain as the first nation to complete a comprehensive large-scale electronic mapping program.
1999 – First GIS Day – Jack Dangermond, Dr. Roger Tomlinson, and students celebrated the first GIS Day at Murch Elementary School in Washington, DC. Ralph Nader inspired GIS Day, which is now observed globally on the third Wednesday of November during Geography Awareness Week.
2001 – 1 million GIS users – Esri achieves milestone of 1 million licensed software seats and serves around 100,000 organizations. The GIS market is worth $7 billion.
2004 – National Geospatial Agency (NGA) – In the US,the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) is renamed to NGA to highlight the increasing significance of geospatial intelligence, which includes other geospatial technologies and data.
2004 – Web 2.0 – The web evolves into a more interactive platform, facilitating the transition of GIS to online environments. GIS services can now be provided as Software as a Service (SaaS) in addition to traditional desktop-based applications.
2005 – Google Maps – Mapping apps like Google Maps and Google Earth have made GIS technology accessible, integrating it into daily life.
2006 – Cloud computing – Amazon Web Services (AWS) launched, providing cloud data storage to organizations. Cloud computing, developed over decades, now enables scaling online operations and storing more data.
2007 – First iPhone – Apple’s iPhone revolutionized smartphones, turning them into computers and GPS devices. GIS can now be accessed universally, enabling easy data collection through mobile apps.
2009 – Digital data libraries proliferate – The US government publishes open datasets on Data.gov, which makes it faster and easier for anyone to access spatial data. Esri’s ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World offers curated, ready-made datasets to make geospatial analysis more accessible.
2012 – ArcGIS Online is released – Esri releases ArcGIS Online, a cloud-based version of the company’s GIS software. The system enables collaboration and alters the way GIS and technology professionals use mapping in their organizations.
2018 – AI and GIS come together – The Esri AI team begins merging GIS and AI in a pilot project called GeoAI. Although machine learning was introduced to ArcGIS in 2009, Esri did not release its first deep learning pre-trained AI model until October 7, 2020 in the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World. GeoAI automates tasks for analyzing large datasets, particularly imagery.
2020 – GIS supports COVID-19 response – Johns Hopkins University’s ArcGIS-powered COVID-19 dashboard receives over a trillion views, becoming the primary tool for tracking the global health crisis. It inspires numerous similar dashboards and highlights GIS’s importance in understanding the pandemic.
Today – GIS is everywhere – GIS is increasingly powerful and widely used. Billions of maps are created daily with GIS. Over 95% of universities offer GIS courses. Most Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofits use GIS.
Do you know?
EUC offers Certificate in Geomatics, giving students an understanding of GIS, spatial data analysis, mapping technologies, and remote sensing.