Images: (Above) An attendee looks at a poster presentation at the NC GIS Conference. (Below) An aerial drone and a marine drone at a vendor's table.
The 2025 North Carolina Geographic Information Systems Conference was held March 19-21 in Winston-Salem.
As the largest state GIS conference in the nation, it was a chance for the GIS community to learn, share, network and have fun. It brought together GIS professionals and enthusiasts from across the state and beyond to demonstrate the many ways that geospatial data can solve real-world problems in a variety of sectors, like public health, climate, disaster response and more.
The N.C. Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, within NCDIT’s Enterprise Data Office, sponsored the conference with the N.C. Geographic Information Coordinating Council and Carolina URISA, soon to be known as GPN Carolina.
The conference featured a variety of workshops and sessions tailored for both seasoned professionals and newcomers.
Notable presentations included:
Next Generation 911 GIS in North Carolina – Jessica Beierman from GeoComm discussed the integration of GIS in Next Generation 911 systems, highlighting the importance of accurate spatial data in emergency response.
N.C. 911 Board Statewide Orthoimagery – Ben Shelton and John Derry, with the CGIA, presented on the importance of orthoimagery as a foundational dataset to the Next Generation 911 system.
N.C. Seamless Parcel Program – Elizabeth Daniel, with the CGIA, along with Rich Elkins, Land Records Manager at N.C. Secretary of State’s Office, and Katie Doherty, GIS and E911 addressing administrator for Rutherford County, discussed continuing to evolve and improve N.C. Parcels, which offers statewide property boundary information.
Mapping Public Health in the Digital Age: Dr. Emily Turner, a public health expert, presented on how GIS is playing a key role in the fight against infectious diseases. By analyzing spatial patterns of disease spread, GIS is helping public health officials make data-driven decisions that save lives.
These sessions provided attendees with in-depth training on various GIS topics and practical knowledge applicable to their work.
The conference also fostered a vibrant networking atmosphere. The poster session was a highlight, offering a unique opportunity for professionals to showcase their work and engage with peers. Attendees voted on innovative GIS displays across sectors such as agriculture, disaster management and urban planning.
The conference continued its tradition of recognizing excellence in GIS applications and student achievements. The G. Herbert Stout Award honored inventive uses of GIS by local governments, highlighting the impactful work being done across the state. This year, there were also 18 student winners of the G. Herbert Stout Award for innovative papers on use of GIS technology.
The NCGIS Conference has been held every two years since 1987 as an opportunity for professionals and students in the GIS community to network and learn more about advancements, use cases and new applications for geographic information systems. The next conference will be held in 2027.