AUBURN, Ala.- The cities of Auburn and Opelika, Auburn University and Lee County Mapping & GIS will hold a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day celebration on Nov. 15. The second-annual event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Opelika Public Library. This free event will highlight innovative applications into geospatial data and leadership in the field of local government and academic research.

GIS Day was first observed in 1999 by Jack Dangermond, the founder and president of the GIS software company Esri. The explosion of geospatial technology since then has expanded that idea into a global event that shows how geography and the real-world applications of GIS are making a difference in business, government, and society.

The day is a chance for organizations to share their accomplishments and inspire others to discover and use GIS. One demonstration will be a hands-on augmented reality sandbox where attendees can build lakes, hills and mountains while seeing the topography projected onto the sand surface in real time. Other stations will talk about how drones have made mapping more efficient, the use of maps and data in storytelling and using GIS for human, physical and environmental geography.

"We're excited for another year of sharing the wonders of GIS with the community" said Stephanie Thompson, the City of Auburn's GIS coordinator. "We look forward to showcasing how each of our organizations use GIS to serve our residents and sharing the many different ways it can be utilized in professional and academic settings."

The cities of Auburn and Opelika have received awards recognizing their uses of GIS technology at the state and national level. They will be one of many organizations hosting in-person and virtual gatherings worldwide that will celebrate the impactful work of GIS professionals.