Welcome, Overview, & Introduction
It all begins with an idea.
The American Geographical Society's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. John Konarski, welcomes attendees to the first Geography 2050 Symposium in America's Heartland, followed an overview of the coming day's content by Chairman Dr. Christopher Tucker and President Dr. Marie Price. Then, Chancellor of the University of Missouri—St. Louis, Dr. Kristin Sobolik, gives an Introduction to the day's topic, discussing how St. Louis is the perfect location to highlight the convergence of agricultural science and geospatial technology.
Geospatial Technology and the Future of Agriculture
It all begins with an idea.
Former head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Research Fellow for the UMSL Geospatial Collaborative, VADM Bob Sharp, USN (Ret.) , leads a panel of geospatial technology leaders and professionals to discuss how advancements in geo are helping the global agricultural industry mitigate climate challenges to keep up with the world's increasing demand for food.
Members of the panel:
Ms. Abigail Fitzgibbon, Product Engineer with Esri
Mr. Aakash Parekh, Chief Commercial Officer with Pixxel Space Technologies
Dr. Vasit Sagan, Acting Director of the Taylor Geospatial Institute
Mr. Ian Warner, Director of Industry Workforce Development & Innovation at Trimble
Using Planetary Forensics to Support Food Security & Ag Mgmt
It all begins with an idea.
Dr. Joseph Mascaro, Director of Science Strategy & Programs at Planet, shares more about the latest geospatial technology's contributions to work of feeding the world.
Focus on Heartland Innovators
It all begins with an idea.
The Managing Director of Capital Innovators, Mr. Frank Hopper, holds a panel discussion with four leaders from the St. Louis region who are developing cutting-edge technology to feed our future planet.
Members of the panel:
Mr. Carlos Hirsch, Chief Revenue Officer, Eiwa
Ms. Bronwyn Morgan, Chief Executive Officer, Xeo Air
Mr. Nick Reinke, Chief Executive Officer, Habiterre
Dr. George Worrall, Director, Deep Grain
Feeding the Future is Not About Food
Dr. Lee Schwartz, Geographer of the United States and AGS Councilor, gives an overview to the geopolitical issues of feeding the world.
Indoor Agriculture and the Future of Self-Feeding Cities
Dr. Haitao Li, Chair of the Department of Supply Chain and Analytics at the University of Missouri—St. Louis, moderates a discussion on how indoor agriculture and urban farming are giving cities the means to sustain their populations with lower acreage.
Members of the panel:
Dr. Jejung Lee, Associate Director of Natural and Built Environment, University of Missouri—Kansas City
Mr. Tyrean "Heru" Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Heru Urban Farming
Mr. Thad Simons, Chairman, The Yield Lab Mr.
Tony White, Chief Executive Officer, Tony's Family Farms
A Conversation With...
Ms. Adella Jones, Chief of Staff for the Chancellor's Office at the University of Missouri—St. Louis, leads a conversation with local restaranteurs, Ms. Bethany Budde of SqWires Restaurant and Market, and Ms. Cathy Jenkins of Cathy's Kitchen, to get a ground-level view of feeding the St. Louis community.
Lightning Talks, Part 1
Five minutes to share your presentations - without a net! Dr. Allan Trapp of Object Computing and Mr. Peter Webb of MARSfarm give fast-paced talks on new developments to improve food production.
The Future of Surf & Turf: How the Midwest Can Have It All
AGS Chair Dr. Christopher Tucker leads a discussion with Atarraya's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Daniel Russek, and Dr. Bryon Wiegand, Director of the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri, to take a look at the current state and future direction of animal-based protein production in the region.
Building the Next Generation of Mappers
AGS President Dr. Marie Price moderates a panel discussion on cultivating an inclusive and globally-minded new generation of geographical and geospatial professionals.
Members of the panel:
Ms. Adele Birkenes, Geospatial Analyst, USAID
Mr. Clinton Johnson, Racial Equity & Social Justice Solutions Lead, Esri
Ms. Zola Manyungwa, YouthMappers Communications Specialist, West Virginia University
Lightning Talks Part 2 and Concluding Remarks
Dr. Mary Fernandes of Solis Agrosciences and Dr. Allan Trapp from Object Computing give us two more fast-paced looks at next-generation methods for raising healthy, nutritious crops. Then, UMSL Chancellor Dr. Krisin Sobolik and AGS Chair Dr. Christopher Tucker wrap up the inaugural Geography 2050 STL Symposium.
Welcome and Geographical & Geospatial Resources in St. Louis
After a welcome to the gathered educators from American Geographical Society Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Konarski, Dr. Reda Amer, Director of the Geospatial Collaborative at the University of Missouri—St. Louis (UMSL), leads a panel discussion on resources for teaching geography and geospatial technology in St. Louis. His guests for the conversation are Ms. Zekita Armstrong-Asuquo, Chief Executive Officer of the Gateway Global American Youth and Business Alliance, VADM Bob Sharp, USN (Ret.), Research Fellow for the UMSL Geospatial Collaborative, and Dr. Kristin Sobolik, Chancellor of UMSL.
It's All About the Maps: Tools and Applications, Pt. 1
Dr. Tara Mott, Esri's Account Manager for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, leads a two-part session highlighting tools and techniques for teaching students about geography and geospatial technology. In the first part, Mr. Steven Johnson, Adjunct Professor from George Washington University, and Ms. Jess Beutler, Program Director for OpenStreetMap-US walk viewers through the essentials of OpenStreetMap.
It's All About the Maps: Tools and Applications, Pt. 2
In the second part of the two-part session on mapping tools and applications for the classroom, Esri's Dr. Tara Mott holds a panel discussion with Dr. Sarah Coppersmith, Adjunct Assistant Professor for the University of Missouri—St. Louis, Dr. Fatemah Mardi, also from UMSL, and local teacher Ms. Dee Leible from Christ Community Lutheran School. The panelists share their findings and experiences of utilizing GIS in middle and high school classroom applications.
Feeding Our Future Minds
Local geospatial tech evangelist and President of GEO261, Mr. Brian Monheiser, holds a one-on-one discussion with Mr. Michael Faust, Social Studies Instructor from St. John Vianney High School, to discuss expanding the study and understanding of geography in the classroom.
Cultivating the Future
Dr. Sandra Arango-Caro, Sr. Education Researcher and Program Manager for the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, shares her research and insights into expanding accessibility for students from diverse backgrounds to study STEM and Agriculture.
GeoCareers: There's a Place for Everyone
A panel discussion moderated by Ms. Tracy Whelpley, Senior Vice President of Business Attraction for Greater St. Louis, Inc. on pathways to professional success for students who decide to study geography and geospatial technology. Guests include Ms. Emily Blackburn, Senior Geospatial Analyst with the University of Missouri—St. Louis, Ms. Jessica Bleile, Professor of Practice at UMSL, and Dr. Demetrice "Dee" Jordan, Instructor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.