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Esri will expand its ConnectED curricula, continuing support for the initiative through 2019.
Global smart mapping leader Esri announced that it has extended its support of President Obama's ConnectED initiative through 2019. Esri will continue to expand its wide range of curricula that integrates map-based concepts into primary and secondary school learning.
President Obama established the ConnectED initiative in 2013 to promote donated technology contributions that can equip U.S. schoolchildren with the tools they need to succeed in the digital future. During a visit to the White House in 2014, Esri president Jack Dangermond offered Esri's award-winning cloud-based solution, ArcGIS Online, to every public, private, and home school in the United States. Since that time, Esri has donated more than $40 million in software, curriculum solutions, training, and support for K–12 institutions.
"Esri's contribution to ConnectED has succeeded because it's complemented by human investment," said Dangermond. "Teachers have positively responded to the ready-to-use software and expert training that allow them to build custom curricula in Esri ArcGIS Online. We are pleased to increase that momentum with a new round of investment."
Over 4,000 schools currently use Esri tools as part of their curricula. In addition to software, Esri provides brief geographically enabled lessons on subjects ranging from earth science to history. These lessons and associated maps are viewed over 50,000 times per month.
"Students learn best by engaging with content," said Charlie Fitzpatrick, Esri schools program manager. "Esri offers an interactive experience that helps students scaffold the background knowledge and skills needed to engage in even more powerful project-based learning."
Esri is working with its network of distributors around the world to bring programs like ConnectED to schools outside the United States. To learn more about Esri's support of ConnectED or to access instructional materials, visit go.esri.com/pr-connected
first published week of: 11/21/2016
ArcGIS users have a new way to get no-cost, hands-on training. Next month, we’re staging the first Geodata Academy in New York City (though not on Broadway). The topic: Expand the Reach of Your GIS with Web Maps.
Geodata Academy events are in-person, about three hours, and highly interactive. An Esri expert facilitates each session. Content and activities are carefully designed to ensure attendees acquire a specific set of skills they can apply on their own back at the office.
Fun and collaboration are key to the Geodata Academy experience. Like the Hands-On Learning Lab, live training seminars, MOOCs, and unlimited access to self-paced e-Learning, Geodata Academy is a venue to access high-quality educational resources and further develop your ArcGIS skills.
If you’ve been using ArcMap for a while but have yet to work with ArcGIS Online, this is a great opportunity to connect with your peers in the New York City area and explore new ways to visualize data, perform analytics to create new information, and easily share your work using a web map. The ArcGIS Online organizational site used in the session will be available for two weeks afterwards for those who want to continue practicing what they learned.
If you will be in New York City on November 14, be sure to reserve your spot. continued…
first published week of: 10/24/2016
PwC Report Explores Ways Cloud Computing Combats Margin and Pricing Pressure by Adding Value, Speed, and Scalability
Smart mapping leader Esri announced today that it has been recognized in a new report by PwC as one of the 25 fastest growing cloud companies. The report assesses some of the ways cloud computing continues to change and shape the software industry.
The cloud enables organizations to manage a growing volume of data from mobile devices, sensors, and other connected assets quickly and seamlessly; it accelerates technology deployment and delivers faster time to value. Esri's ArcGIS Online delivers a cloud-powered universe of mapping and analysis resources that bring insight to complex data at speed and scale.
"Our customers expect that the cloud, like other innovative technologies, should offer more than just cheaper ways of doing business," said Esri president Jack Dangermond. "When you have the information to understand a situation or an environment holistically and in real time, you are better equipped to act on that insight. Cloud computing enhances decision-making, and software as a service (SaaS) enables organizations to be more agile, competitive, and profitable."
Additionally, Esri's cloud-based Living Atlas of the World provides easy access to large, high-quality collections of ready-to-use geographic data. These vibrant data layers, enriched and updated continually, can be used to populate any map for deeper study and analysis. The atlas contains carefully curated content that makes it easy to explore by topic, download specific datasets, and include new data into map-based activity.
"We're excited to be part of this growing trend," said Brian Cross, head of Professional Services at Esri. "We continue to invest in and evolve our cloud offerings, including using a third party to host the cloud, hosting it ourselves, or providing GIS as a service."
PwC recognizes Esri alongside organizations such as Apple and Microsoft for innovating the SaaS model and supporting a complex ecosystem of users, partners, and competitors to deliver the best aggregated customer experience available.
first published week of: 09/26/2016
Developers Worldwide Receive Access to Powerful GIS Tools
At this year's AWS re:Invent, global smart-mapping leader Esri announced that customers can now deploy select ArcGIS licenses from Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace instantly, using a pay-per-use pricing model available through hourly or annual subscriptions. Automated software provisioning allows users to launch new projects, respond to emergency requirements, address spikes in usage, and respond seamlessly to business needs without being tied to restrictive enterprise licensing models. Esri also offers a full suite of managed cloud services to support customers that do not have the resources to design, deploy, and manage cloud-based geographic information system (GIS) implementations in-house. Esri has the skills, staff, and experience to manage complex public and private cloud environments. Esri managed services professionals not only design and configure ArcGIS implementations, but they can also provide ongoing management of the environment, allowing internal resources the freedom to focus on the mission.
"Esri is excited to join AWS Marketplace," said Dean Angelides, head of international alliances and partners at Esri. "Flexible pay-as-you-go deployment models and service options make launching GIS in the cloud simple, unleashing the power of maps, geographic analytics, and comprehensive developer tools to users around the world."
Developers and starts-ups require innovative, productive technologies to support high-growth businesses with limited capital. Using Esri software on AWS enables developers to share assets and build new applications that take advantage of a range of ready-to-use content with location and mapping services.
first published week of: 12/05/2016
Fire? Flood? Hurricane? You can apply for free Esri tech support
GIS vendor Esri says it will offer free help to agencies dealing with a major disaster -- whether or not that organization is an Esri customer. The company is currently providing help to governments coping with flooding in Louisiana and wildfires in California.
"Esri's Disaster Response Program provides software support, data support, and consulting/technical support for active disasters," Russ Johnson, director, global director for emergency response at Esri said in an emailed statement
That can include creating real-time maps with road-closing and evacuation-route information, mapping affected areas and available relief supplies, and incorporating social media posts from disaster areas with useful on-the-ground information.
Anyone at a government or non-profit agency dealing with a disaster such as fire, flood, hurricane or earthquake can request help at the Esri website. continued…
first published week of: 08/29/2016
Global smart-mapping leader Esri announced a new partnership with Waze, the free, crowdsourced traffic and navigation app that makes it easier for governments of every size, anywhere in the world, to begin building intelligent transportation systems in their communities. Governments already using the Esri ArcGIS platform can quickly and easily exchange data through the Waze Connected Citizens Program, a free, two-way data share of publicly available traffic information. Waze has set the gold standard on how to share and harness the power of anonymous, aggregated data to promote greater transportation efficiency, deeper insight into travel conditions, and safer roads. Esri is the industry leader in geospatial analytics, empowering more than 350,000 organizations in making location-based decisions. Starting today, governments that have not already subscribed to Esri technology or joined the Waze Connected Citizens Program can sign up online to start sharing road closure alerts and other information with their citizens right away.
"Municipalities can now leverage real-time reports without having to invest in sensor networks or an Internet of Things infrastructure," said Andrew Stauffer, manager of civic technology at Esri. “Waze allows local governments to share open data with a purpose—in an application that is already popular with constituents, commuters, and tourists."
The simplicity and structure of the data feeds allow local governments to merge information into existing enterprise systems, such as emergency dispatch and street maintenance systems, to make their communities operate smarter—and safer.
Importantly, the partnership enables communities to extend the reach of the data they map and manage by sharing it with Waze, which has more than 65 million monthly active users worldwide. This free, public-private partnership allows greater government transparency and collaboration with citizens to help people better navigate their streets and highways.
"The Waze Connected Citizens Program empowers municipalities to harness real-time driver insight to improve congestion and make better informed planning decisions," said Paige Fitzgerald, head of new business development—data acquisition for Waze. "With 100 partners worldwide, Waze provides each partner with the same set of free, data-driven tools and resources to foster collaboration and communication between all partners. Working with Esri allows Waze to further scale the program and creates additional opportunities for our partners to collaborate, helping each other incorporate the power of crowdsourced data into their traffic management strategies." continued…
first published week of: 10/17/2016