YPI Workshop at Meydenbauer Center from 1:30-3:00pm.Casual social at Zeeks 315-5pm.
Optional YPI & WGGL lunch at Bellevue City Hall 12-130.
The session will begin with a structured networking activity intended to help participants connect with peers and more experienced professionals in a supportive, low-pressure environment. Guided prompts and facilitated small-group rotations will encourage meaningful conversations around career paths, technical skill development, workplace expectations, and navigating early career challenges. Participants will leave this portion of the workshop with new contacts, conversation strategies, and a stronger sense of belonging within the geospatial community.
Emergency Management GIS Specialist/ 911 GIS Administrator, Navy Region Northwest
The Young Professionals Special Interest Group (YPSIG) is a community within Washington GIS Association (WAGISA) dedicated to supporting students, early-career professionals, and anyone with fewer than five years of experience in the geospatial field. YPSIG creates opportunities for... Read More →
OpenStreetMap (OSM) is the world’s largest crowdsourced geospatial database, powering thousands of applications across corporate, government, nonprofit, and academic sectors. As an open, community-driven resource, OSM offers GIS professionals a unique platform for collaboration, innovation, and data sharing at a global scale. Far more than a map, OSM has become critical infrastructure for data-driven decision-making, humanitarian response, and digital cartography.
Wednesday May 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am PDT 404-406
Join us to celebrate the incredible work being done by Washington’s students in GIS and related fields! The Dick Thomas Award (DTA), hosted by the Washington GIS Association, highlights original student research and projects in geography, GIS, and geospatial technologies.
Finalists from across the state will present their work live, showcasing innovative approaches to real-world challenges, from environmental analysis to community planning and beyond! The DTA competition is designed to encourage students to share their ideas, gain presentation experience, and connect with professionals in the geospatial community.
Come support the next generation of GIS professionals and be inspired by the creativity, passion, and impact of student-driven research.
Madeleine Kopf-Patterson - Disturbing the Deep: Mapping Arctic Sedimentary Blue Carbon at the Intersection of Climate and Industry
Jen Stolz - GIS-Based Prioritization of Salmon Habitat Riparian Restoration in WRIA 1
Chelsea Ha, Niko Wood, Seth Borne - Mapping Washington’s Secondary Resale Economy – Visualizing Opportunities for Circular Markets
Maureen Montiel, Tahniat Naseem - The Invisible Layer: Modeling Seattle City Noise to Map Neighborhood Soundscapes
