GIgateway®'s New Technical Officer

On the 20th January, Robert Turner became the newest member of the GIgateway® team, replacing Matteo Mode as the AGI's Technical Officer.

Picking up the reins from Matteo, Robert is responsible for the technical delivery and support of GIgateway® as well as contributing to the service's strategic direction. In addition to his work for GIgateway®, Robert will also manage the general IT infrastructure of the AGI.

Robert has a strong geographic background, having graduated from the University of London in 1989 with a BSc in Geography and Geology. In 1990 he went on to obtain a Masters degree in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) from Leeds University. Following graduation, Robert worked at the Ordnance Survey in Southampton, joining initially as a trainee systems developer and staying for over 12 years, before leaving in June last year.

But its not all work, work work! Last summer Robert completed the 195-mile Coast to Coast Walk from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay and is currently planning his next walk - Hadrian’s Wall - which he hopes to achieve later in 2004. Robert is looking forward to working within both the GIgateway® and wider AGI team, especially during this exciting period in GIgateway®'s evolution.

If you have any questions for our new Technical Officer, please contact Robert via email or directly on 020 7017 8491.

What's At Stake? 

The second ever meeting of the GIgateway® Stakeholders Group was attended by ten people on 15 January. There was considerable discussion on how the participants wished to see the group evolve. Technical issues, data quality issues and standards ruled the agenda. The following statement of objectives was proposed:

The GIgateway® Stakeholders Group is a comprised of individuals interested in GIgateway® and the services it offers. Although the content of the meetings is not limited in any way, the primary focus tends to be technical. It is a forum for exchanging information, providing advice to the GIgateway® team and articulating and implementing user requirements.

If you are currently a metadata contributor to or nodeholder on GIgateway® and would be interested in joining the Stakeholders Group, please send a note to info@gigateway.org.uk.

Positional Accuracy Improvement

AGI and Ordnance Survey GB are planning a series of seminars on the subject of PAI. After a highly successful group of workshops last year, it was decided that a major component of implementing a successful PAI program is a solid data management foundation. And of course metadata plays a primary role in this. The GIgateway® team will be participating in these forthcoming seminars which will be scheduled for the spring. Details will be finalised soon.

MetaGenie Reminder

MetaGenie, the GIgateway® metadata creation tool, will be available soon. This tool has been designed to create valid NGDF compliant metadata and we encourage you to use it within your organisations for the creation of your geo metadata. Use of MetaGenie does, however, include a commitment to publish your metadata on GIgateway®. To register your interest in MetaGenie, please email info@gigateway.org.uk.

AGI2004 Conference and Exhibition

GIgateway® is proud to announce that we will be exhibiting at AGI2004 in October 2004 at Chelsea Village. AGI2004 will be the premier event for anyone wishing to unlock the power of geographic and spatial information in their business. The event is designed for GI users BY GI users and is the first of its kind in the UK.

AGI2004 will take place at Chelsea Village in London, from Monday 18th to Wednesday 20th October 2004. The event will incorporate the renowned AGI Conference and a new look Exhibition and Solutions Hall featuring all the major GI software vendors, data suppliers, policy makers and expert services.

For further information or to register you interest in booking exhibition space, please email AGI2004@agi.org.uk or telephone Angela on 020 7017 8497, Sallie on 020 7017 8492.

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GIgateway - Association for Geographic Information - Block C, 4th Floor - Morelands
5-23 Old Street – London - EC1V 9HL
Tel: 020 7253 5211 / Fax: 020 7251 4505 / info@gigateway.org.uk