The International Geospatial Society is the individual membership arm of the GSDI Association and seeks individuals for membership that have geospatial, SDI, GIS or related professional or specialist interests. The Society intends to engage and enhance communications globally among individuals that are actively involved in promoting, developing, or advancing spatial data infrastructure and related concepts.

The Society is in the formative stage but there are significant benefits to be gained by joining early.

Benefits of Joining the Geospatial Society

Review the benefits and join the International Geospatial Society.

Help Guide the Formation of the Society!

Members joining in 2009 will be designated as founding members and will be invited to help form the goals and objectives of the organization leading to the creation of bylaws and operating procedures for the society.

Join the Discussion List!

After you join the organization by paying your dues and the payment is verified, you will automatically be signed up for the Society Email Discussion List. You can change your preferences or drop off at any time at this link.

The first topic of discussion is to articulate the Goals and Objectives of the Society. Should we adhere to something like the strawman language below? What would you like to see the organization accomplish? What primary benefits would you like to see emerging from the organization? Should we do an initial survey of all founding members? Please join in the discussion!

Strawman Goals and Objectives

It is expected that the goals and purposes of the new Society will need to generally comport with the goals and purposes of the GSDI Association although the focus could be expanded to encompass the advancement and development of geospatial technologies and methods generally. In the GSDI bylaws may be seen the following statements:

• formed exclusively for educational, scientific, research and other similar nonprofit purposes
• support the establishment and expansion of local, national, and regional (multi-nation) spatial data infrastructures that are globally compatible,
• foster international communication and collaborative efforts for advancing spatial data infrastructure innovations,
• support interdisciplinary research and education activities that advance spatial data infrastructure concepts, theories and methods;
• enable better public policy and scientific decision-making through spatial data infrastructure advancements;
• promote the ethical use of and access to geographic information;
• foster spatial data infrastructure developments in support of important worldwide needs such as:
  • improving local to national economic competitiveness,
  • addressing local to global environmental quality and change,
  • increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and equity in all levels of government, and
  • advancing the health, safety and social wellbeing of humankind in all nations.