A VerySpatial Podcast | Discussions on Geography and Geospatial Technologies

News:

• Gemini is Google Maps
• MapGuide Open Source 4.0
• GISCI recertification grace period
• New Emlid models
• Sentinel 1D

Web corner

• #30DayMapChallenge

Topic:

• Geography Awareness Week
• Making Spaces of Possibility
  • https://www.aag.org/geography-awareness-week-2025/
  • https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/242619483f124ee2b10848e9ddb49782
  • https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/celebrate-geography-awareness-week/
  • https://www.gisday.com/en-us/overview

Events:

• GeoWeek: Feb 16-18, Denver

Music: A Place Called Home by Justin Morgan

News:

• Grounding with Google Maps
• Geospatial Reasoning and Gemini in Google Earth
• Google AR/Galaxy XR
• Meta Ray-Ban Display
• Meta's Wearables Device Access toolkit announced
• Amazon AR for delivery drivers

Web corner:

• The Leventhal Center's Atlasscope Map Tool

Events:

• GeoAI 2026: 3-5 June, Ghent city center, Belgium CFP due 20 January
• The 2026 International Conference on Geographical Information Systems Theory, Applications and Management (GISTAM): 21-23 May, Benidorm, Spain CFP due 5 January
• The 2026 GIS-in-Central-Asia (GISCA) conference: 28-30 May, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

News:

• 2026 Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) ROV World Championship Open

Web corner

• Mapping the Past: The Welsh LiDAR Portal

Topic:

• Unique GIS Jobs (From reddit)

I'm a geography major with a concentration in GIS and I've done some digging through jobs but what are some unique GIS related jobs? What companies that you wouldn't think have a GIS person have them?

Events:

• AAG: 17-21 March, San Francisco - Abstracts due October 30
• PA GIS Conference 2026: 15-17 April, State College, PA - oral submissions due Jan 11
• Esri UC: 13-17 July, San Diego - Abstracts due October 24

Music: Link in the Chain by The Old North

News:

• First images from NISAR, joint NASA-ISRO SAR mission
• Niantic spatial creates geospatial Death Stranding game
• Earthmover climate startup focuses on weather data

Web corner:

• Maps Learning Hub

Topic:

• Geography as an interdisciplinary binding agent

Events:

• CalGIS 2026, January 20-23, Redlands, CA, call for papers
• GISSuRF 2026, January 30-31, Andhra Pradesh, India, call for papers
• 2026 GIS/Valuation Technologies Conference, March 30 – April 2, Mobile, Alabama, call for papers

News:

• International Geomagnetic Reference Field Explorer Updated
• Researchers use AI machine learning to uncover hidden earthquakes

Web corner

• McAtlas - McAtlas.com

Topic:

• This week we return to a discussion on worldbuilding this time focusing more on games that allow for worldbuilding.

Music: Who Put That Ceiling There by niko

News:

• New U.S. Cooperative National Geologic Map for the Nation
• CREAM AI developed to address satellite space debris
• Study Analyzes National Geography Curriculum across countries

Web corner

• Esri World Sizes App

Topic:

• Geography and AI

Music: "Why Do I Cry" By Vian Izak

Topic:

• WorldPop interview with Professor Andrew Tatem and Heather Chamberlain.

News:

• Gaussian Splats in gltf
• Draft Part 108
• Natural language searches in map apps
• OSM vector tiles
• Instagram Map
• AlphaEarth

Web corner

• Allen Carroll's new book

Events:

• State of the Map: 3-5 Oct, Manila - call for posters
• Geoweek 2026: 16-18 Feb, Denver

This week Sue, Jesse, and Frank have a conversation about Geography, disciplines, where we are, and where we were.

Music: Imaginary by Oceanne

Topic:

• This week we spoke with Willow Ross and Eden Kinkaid of the GeoZone Collective about 'zines and how they can give voice to geographers.
• https://geoz.one/

House Keeping:

• 20 years of avsp

Music: Windowseat by Zion Isaiah

News

• Storymaps.com deprecation
• AGO update
• Google Earth gets historical streetview
• MethaneSat likely lost
• First images from the Biomass satellite
• TEMPO mission extended
• Eagleview One platform release

Web corner

• pntportal.eu

Topic:

• Esri UC

Music: Feel You Here by Melissa Polinar