The Tennessee professional geospatial organization, TNGIC, meets annually for their statewide conference every April. After several years of virtual conferences, 2022 was our opportunity to reconnect with our peers in person at Montgomery Bell State Park.
Undergraduate Student Participation
TNGIC encourages students from across the state to participate in the conference by submitting maps and posters to the map gallery, giving presentations on their research, and volunteering. This year’s cohort of UTK undergraduate students participated in all three.
Student Presentations
- Maya Rao presented her undergraduate research on food insecurity titled How to Feed the World by 2050: Mapping Three Solutions
- Heath Allen presented his GIS in the Community Project for the Beck Cultural Exchange Center titled Cost of Community: Urban Renewal in Knoxville and the Impact on Black Spaces
- Jonathan Bell presented his undergraduate research project with Dr. Mayra Román-Rivera titled Understanding the Impacts of Transverse Bars on Beach Dynamics
Student Maps
- Emma Sexton submitted her ArcGIS Online Hub and interactive maps created for KIN Connect
- Megan Porter, Elijah Hedrick, Jonathan Bell, and Will Nelson submitted their GIS in the Community Project Knox County Covid-19 Pandemic Eviction Trends from 2020-2020
Student Volunteers
TNGIC waives student registration fees in exchange for volunteer hours at the annual conference. This year, Susanna Diamond and Elijah Hedrick both helped with the registration table, answered attendee questions, and helped in other ways to make the conference a success.
Alumni Participation
One of the best parts of attending conferences and workshops is to reconnect with alumni and make new connections. UTK has always had a strong presence in TNGIC as part of our mission to support geospatial technology in the state.
Sponsorship
UTK Geography has served as an official TNGIC sponsor for the last several virtual and in-person events. In addition to supporting our mission of sharing geospatial technology with the state, this also affords us an opportunity to meet with potential students and professional partners and engage with current students and alum.
