July 10, 2008 (Park Ridge, IL) - URISA’s 4th Caribbean GIS Conference (August 25-29 on Grand Cayman) boasts speakers from across the region and the world. Caribbean projects, research and success stories will be well-represented with speakers from Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts, Trinidad, and the US Virgin Islands. Speakers will also be participating from Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

This year’s exceptionally strong participation from the Caribbean community indicates how established and important GIS has become in the region. In addition to sessions on disaster management, web-based GIS, and privacy issues, presentation topics will include:

• Caribbean SDI coordination and policy
• Enterprise solutions
• Regional collaboration opportunities
• Selling GIS - how to attract new markets and applications in the region
• Capacity building - GIS training and education
• Developing trends in the region
• Securing funding for ongoing GIS development

Important keynote addresses will be delivered by Vanessa Lawrence from the UK Ordnance Survey and David Maguire, Chief Scientist at ESRI. Preconference workshops and training sessions, an exhibition and numerous social events and networking opportunities make this an all-inclusive, not-to-be-missed event for GIS professionals in the Caribbean.

The conference will take place August 25-29, 2008 at the Ritz Carlton on Grand Cayman. For more information, visit www.urisa.org/conferences/caribbean/info. 

Note that discounted hotel rooms are available only until July 24.