GISCorps: GIS Professionals Volunteering for Communities in Need

2015 Levin College Research Conference

August 20, 2015

Mark Salling, PhD, GISP

Summary

History/Model/Volunteers

GISCorps Missions

WHO Volunteers’ presentations

Q & A

GISCorps started with a simple idea and question:

Would GIS professionals be willing to volunteer their time and expertise – for a short time – to

communities in need?

History of GISCorps

GISCorps Mission

A Program of Urban and Regional Information System Association (URISA),

GISCorps coordinates short-term volunteer GIS services to communities in

need worldwide

Areas of Service Services provided to assist with:

Humanitarian Relief & Human Rights Disaster Response Conservation & Wildlife Environmental Quality GIS Education (K-12 & non K-12) Micro-lending Health & Human Services NGO Coordination “Expert” Crowdsourcing

GISCorps Core Committee (CC) is responsible for: establishing relationships and partnerships with recognized

agencies & associations such as UN agencies, GSDI, Peace Corps, and...

evaluating/screening agencies – after receiving a request for volunteers – to make certain their objectives are in synch with GISCorps and URISA

developing job descriptions – selecting a Project Manager screening and evaluating volunteers - matching volunteers’

expertise with project’s needs putting the volunteer in contact with the Partner Agency monitoring and evaluating the outcome

GISCorps Model

Projects are Remote or On-site

GISCorps does not pay for its volunteers’ expenses, on-site or remote missions, the Partner Agency does

A recent change in policy allows for provision of minimal assistance to qualified projects

GISCorps Model (continued)

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Oct-03 Oct-04 Aug-05 Oct-05 Apr-08 Sep-09 Sep-10 Oct-11 Jul-12 Jun-13 May-14 July-15

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27003000

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GISCorps Volunteer Count (2003-2015)Volunteers’ Profile

• Currently have over 3,800 volunteers & 2,200 registered “friends”

Volunteers’ Locations +/- 3,800 (July 2015) volunteers reside in 98 countries 78% of them reside in the US and Canada

Volunteers provide expertise in:

Capacity Building (training & technical workshops) GIS Needs Assessment & Strategic Planning Building/Designing/Cleansing spatial & non-

spatial database Remote Sensing Spatial Analysis & Modelling Geo-coding Application development Quality Control

As of July 2015, engaged in 167 missions in 59 countries; deployed 907+ volunteers:

38 on-site missions; deployed 88 volunteers

129 remote missions; deployed 819 volunteers

Deployments are to emergency (61) as well as non emergency (106) missions (36% DR)

Missions 2004-2015

Missions’ Locations (in 59 countries)

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2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Projects 2 8 9 9 14 12 8 26 24 20 21 10Volunteers 2 47 13 12 50 20 50 78 137 39 208 244

2 8 9 9 14 12 8

26 24 20 21102

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GISCorps Missions 2004-2015 (July)Total: 167 projects & 907 deployed volunteers

Projects Volunteers

Missions 2014-2015

Humanitarian OpenStreetMap (HOT) – Nepal Earthquake49 volunteers digitized various features

Total time reported at: +/- 470 hours

UNOCHA & ACAPS – Nepal EarthquakeCleansing Nepal’s Census Data

Volunteers: Mark Salling & Charlie Post

NetHope Ebola Response Project – East AfricaVarious GIS related tasks & products

9 Volunteers: German Whitley, Liz Dow, DeAnna Hohnhorst, Melodie Grubbs, Katie Mayr, Alice Pence, Nathan Shemella, Grace Lee & Carol Kraemer

National Association of County and City Health OfficialsNACCHO – Ebola Response Maps

Generating Static and Online MapsVolunteer: Ian Dunn

Kabale University– UgandaTeaching GIS & Remote Sensing

Volunteers: Joey Abrams & Adam McKay

Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN)/UNOCHATyphoon Pam

Social Media Early Indication Maps &Health & Medical Update Maps

Volunteers: 17 volunteers

Mimika Land Rights Project – West PapuaRemote Sensing/Change Detection

Volunteer: Mike Alonzo (CA)

DHN/Humanity Road– PhilippinesTyphoon Hagupit

Catalogue all Published Mapping ProductsVolunteers: Leonard Olyott & Keeve Brine

DHN/Standby Task Force– PhilippinesTyphoon Hagupit/Ruby

Classify Social Media Posts on MicroMappers15 GISCorps Volunteers

USGS/iCoast– US/NY/NJCrowd Sourcing Post Sandy Images

Pilot Project: “Did the coast change?”111 GISCorps Volunteers

Kabul Polytechnic University– AfghanistanTeaching GIS & Remote Sensing to KPU FacultyVolunteers: Heath Robinson & Stephane Henriod

International Rescue Committee (IRC) – DRCDigitizing Health Zones & Publishing on AGO

Volunteers: Barry Gauthier and Dimo Diakov

1947 Partition Archive Project – India/PakistanPublishing Web Application of Events

Volunteer: Jason Lampel

World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) Publishing Event Info Using Tableau

Volunteer: Katie Mayr

Young Voices For The PlanetCreating a Story Map

Volunteer: Pamela Bond

WFP/iMMAP – North KoreaDigitizing the Base Map

Volunteers: 86 volunteers; 5 year project

1. An expert volunteer geocoder/programmer assisting a project in Guatemala; geocoding locations of microinsurance holders; a prototype

2. Volunteer assisting in creating a new web map – Laos: Map Our World app

3. The Uyghur Human Rights Project - China: mapping incidents of violence and arrests

4. TerraWatchers: crowd sourcing project: examine archaeological sites for evidence of looting and other military-related damage; 96 volunteers

5. Geotag-X: UNOSAT/UNITAR, crowd sourcing project; 74 volunteers

Missions in progress

Missions 2014-2015

Ebola Project with the World Health Organization (WHO)

Jeff Pires (Geneva)Charleen Gavette (Liberia)

Leslie Zollman (Ghana)

At the heart of volunteerism are the ideals of service and solidarity and the belief that together we can make the world a better place.

Volunteers do not ask, “why volunteer?”, but rather “when?”, “where?” and “how?”. These dedicated and courageous individuals are important partners in the quest for a better, fairer and safer world.

Kofi Annan, 5 December 2003

www.giscorps.org

info@giscorps.org