text:
Pub Meet Up at Willimantic Brewing Company
Arriving early? Join us for a pre-conference drink at the Willimantic Brewing Company.
Monday May 7, 2018 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Offsite - Willimantic Brewing Company 967 Main St, Willimantic, Connecticut
Conference Registration Desk Open
Tuesday May 8, 2018 8:00am - 5:00pm
Exhibit Area Open
Posters On Display
POSTER: A Landscape Genetics Approach to Identifying Canada Lynx Populations Under Threat of Local Extinction
AUTHORS: Tanya Lama*, University of Massachusetts Amherst; John Organ, US Geological Survey Cooperative Research Units; Stephen DeStefano, Massachusetts Cooperative Research Unit; Warren Johnson, Smithsonian Institution; Jennifer Vashon, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
ABSTRACT: The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a widely-distributed, North American felid that exists at low-densities in boreal forests capable of supporting its primary prey source, the snowshoe hare. As a habitat and prey specialist listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, Canada lynx are vulnerable to adverse impacts of climate change. We use a landscape genetics approach to identify lynx populations most at-risk of local extinction by integrating molecular (genetic), ecological (species specific), and environmental (landscape) data. Our framework assesses each population's exposure to climate change impacts, adaptive capacity, and potential to shift or disperse to suitable habitat. Ultimately, our goal is to inform the management of six lynx conservation units in the United States (Northern Maine, Northeastern Minnesota, Northwestern Montana/Northeastern Idaho, North-central Washington, the Greater Yellowstone Area, Western Colorado).
Tags Climate, Natural Resources, Wildlife
POSTER: A LIDAR-Based Approach to Derivative Map Production and Visualizing Bedrock Topography Within the Towns of Proctor and Pittsford, Vermont, USA
AUTHORS: Griffin Shelor*, Green Mountain College; John Van Hoesen, Green Mountain College
ABSTRACT: Surficial and bedrock geologic maps have a useful potential for state and national geologic surveys to produce map products which serve as a value-added deliverable for a variety of stakeholders. The production of these derivative products was facilitated by the three-dimensional capabilities and enhanced geostatistical exploratory tools within many geographic information systems (GIS). Many GIS software packages can render three-dimensional visualizations using spatially-distributed point data. We used recently released 0.7-meter LIDAR, private well data, and ESRI's "Geostatistical Analyst" tool, to create derivative maps depicting surficial overburden, bedrock topography, and a potentiometric surface. These products demonstrate the relevance and usefulness of creating three-dimensional visuals in conjunction with typical two-dimensional map products. Three-dimensional visualizations have particular use with regards to town managers and planners, who may be relatively unfamiliar with traditional geologic map products and can better visualize and interpret relationships between surficial overburden and groundwater resource potential.
Tags 3D, ArcGIS Desktop/Pro, Hydrology, Planning, Visualization
POSTER: Arsenic: Watery Do Now?
AUTHORS: Luke Davis*, Eastern Connecticut State University; Meredith Metcalf, Eastern Connecticut State University
ABSTRACT: Arsenic is a life threatening substance that has become more prevalent in drinking water wells of New England. Many studies have suggested that the source of arsenic is directly related to the bedrock, however there has been no statistical evidence to support these findings. This objective of this study was to determine whether arsenic in groundwater was more likely to occur in discharge areas which would support that arsenic occurrences were naturally occurring. In cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Department of Public Health, a random distribution of bedrock wells throughout Pomfret were sampled and analyzed for water quality parameters which included arsenic. Common water quality parameters and the distance between wells and discharge areas were evaluated using multivariate regression to determine which factors, if any, were significant in predicting observed arsenic concentrations. Forty-three percent of the wells tested positive for arsenic; 20% of the wells had arsenic concentrations exceeding the EPA drinking water standard of 10 micrograms per liter. Although the wells sampled were randomly distributed across Pomfret, the distance between the wells and discharge areas was the only statistically significant variable and explained 18.2% of the observed arsenic concentrations. Additionally, wells with arsenic occurred when water quality conditions showed dissolved oxygen concentrations were high and oxidation reduction potentials were positive which suggests that arsenic would mostly likely occur in recharge areas. In conclusion, the observed arsenic concentrations in Pomfret are most likely explained by anthropogenic sources rather than naturally occurring.
Tags ArcGIS Desktop/Pro, Hydrology, Natural Resources, Public Health
POSTER: Contributions To Air Pollution Is Not The Solution
AUTHORS: Bryce Mase, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
ABSTRACT: Coming soon
Tags Natural Resources, Remote Sensing
POSTER: Discovering the Roots of Connecticut's Opioid Epidemic
AUTHORS: Sam Evans, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
POSTER: From Reckless to Wreck-Less
AUTHORS: Jenn Croteau, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
POSTER: Is Connecticut Public School Funding Fair?
AUTHORS: Noah Hallisey, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
POSTER: Japanese Honeysuckle: The Bittersweet Invader
AUTHORS: Ryan Cueto, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
POSTER: Keep Calm, We Can Continue to Drink On!
AUTHORS: Tara Brooks, Eastern Connecticut State University; Meredith Metcalf, Eastern Connecticut State University
ABSTRACT: As population continues to increase, sustaining the quantity of groundwater in fractured bedrock aquifers of New England will become critical. However, quantifying groundwater in bedrock is difficult due to the complex processes involved. This lack of knowledge on the amount of water available results in homeowners using water at rates that may lead to depletion. This study evaluated the sustainability of the fractured rock aquifer for Lebanon, Connecticut which are aquifers typical within New England. Recharge and discharge rates were calculated using groundwater drainage basins delineated from a digital elevation model and associated well characteristics from well completion reports given the lack of measurements typically monitored. Results indicated that only one groundwater drainage basin was unsustainable and located in northeastern Lebanon. For the town of Lebanon, the average rate of recharge for the groundwater basins delineated exceeded the average rate of groundwater use which implies that majority of residents would be less likely to deplete sources of groundwater. In conclusion, results of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of well data in estimating groundwater sustainability. Additionally, results indicate that groundwater in fractured rock was sustainable in Lebanon most likely because of the lack of development in this area yet the potential for drainage basins to be at risk for becoming unsustainable does exist. Therefore, homeowners should be educated to prevent over use of this critical resource and a system to monitor basins at risk for depletion should be established at the local level.
Tags Geocoding, Hydrology, Natural Resources
POSTER: Mapping and Analysis of Walkability and Bikeability on the Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, New Hampshire
AUTHORS: Matt Waitkins, Nashua Regional Planning Commission; Sara Siskavich, Nashua Regional Planning Commission; Ryan Friedman, Nashua Regional Planning Commission; Andrew Smeltz*, Nashua Regional Planning Commission
ABSTRACT: Making roadways and other urban infrastructure favorable for bicycles and pedestrians has numerous benefits for communities and society at large. In order for planners to make informed decisions on where to allocate resources for bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects, it is necessary to review and analyze a variety of GIS data sources and take input from constituency groups. In this project, staff members from Nashua Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) assisted the Town of Merrimack, NH, acting through its planning board, in compiling and analyzing various types of spatial data, which we used to map current conditions for bicycling and walking on the Route 3 (Daniel Webster Highway) corridor. Our goal was to assist the town in identifying areas most in need of improvements to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. NRPC collected field data on existing pedestrian and bicycle features using the NH Statewide Asset Data Exchange System (SADES), which we merged into an existing statewide dataset. With ArcGIS, we analyzed roadway segments for bicycle and pedestrian level of stress and mapped these findings in the context of datalayers characterizing existing conditions. We also synthesized the planning board?s anecdotal observations and added them to the map as graphical elements. Our final product is a map that incorporates objective spatial data with interpretive analysis. After further public comment and any subsequent refinement, the map will be used to inform a corridor plan that summarizes analyses, recommendations, and action steps that address the town?s specific goals and priorities for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
Tags Analysis, Cartography, Municipal, Planning, Transportation
POSTER: Mapping and Geospatial Analysis of stone Walls in Massachusetts and Connecticut
AUTHORS: Cheyenne Haverfield*, University of Connecticut Center for Integrative Geosciences; William Ouimet, University of Connecticut Center for Integrative Geosciences and Department of Geography
ABSTRACT: From the 17th to early 20th century, deforestation and agricultural growth was common in the northeastern United States. The amount of land cleared in most of the region reached a peak around 1850 and forests regrew after that time. Today, LiDAR point clouds and derivative bare earth rasters (DEMs, hillshades, and slope maps) can be used to identify and analyze relict land use features beneath the forest canopy, such as stone walls, that are indicative of historic land clearing for agricultural purposes. This presentation focuses on mapping and analyzing datasets of stone walls in select towns in Massachusetts and Connecticut. All towns studied lie outside the Connecticut River valley in terrain underlain mainly by glacial till. Massachusetts towns typically have fewer length of stone walls (per sq km) than Connecticut towns. In Massachusetts, high stone wall density consistently occurs within terrain mapped as non-forest in 1830 town survey maps. In the context of modern day land cover maps, we see a shift where high-density stone wall areas can exist equally within modern forest and non-forest areas. Areas mapped as non-forest today, particularly developed areas, often have a lower amount of stone walls - reflecting either removal of walls or that road construction and development obscure stone walls in LiDAR data and lead to fewer being mapped in those areas. Overall, stone wall datasets are valuable resources not only for analysis of historic land clearing, but also for conservation and preservation efforts in forests throughout the region.
Tags Analysis, LiDAR
POSTER: Mapping Inequality Using ArcGIS Online
AUTHORS: Sarah Hoskins, Wellesley College
ABSTRACT: This semester, I used ArcGIS Online to introduce students in a college sociology class to mapping and spatial visualization. I, a GIS Librarian, worked with a professor to create a month long mapping unit as part of the Social Inequality: Race, Class and Gender course. I introduced ArcGIS online with an in-class workshop in which we calculated the percentage of Boston's Black residents that live within a close walk to the T. For the sake of class time, I used ArcGIS Online?s ability to share material within a group to pre-load the relevant data. In a follow-up class, we used a historical mapping project on redlining as a springboard for brainstorming topics, followed by a discussion of sources of spatial data and metadata. Students worked in thematic groups over three weeks to investigate and spatially represent a systemic inequality, leading to a group presentation. The poster will cover the planning process that went into the assignment, the partnership between a GIS tech professional and a professor, why we chose ArcGIS Online and how the students reacted to it, and strategies for teaching with ArcGIS Online.
Tags ArcGIS Online, Education, Visualization
POSTER: Rapid, Widespread Mosaicking and Orthorectification of Historic Aerial Photographs using Agisoft Photoscan
AUTHORS: Eli Egan-Anderson*, University of Connecticut; Dr. William Ouimet, University of Connecticut
ABSTRACT: Recent technological advances in automated image processing allows new information to be extrapolated from aerial photographs collected prior to the 1980s ? which are seldom orthorectified or mosaicked. In Connecticut alone, there are 4 statewide, unprocessed aerial photographs campaigns (1934, 1951/52, 1965 and 1970) that range in scale from ~1:5000 to 1:20000. For each campaign, individual, overlapping images are available online, but mosaics of multiple images that have been orthorectified to remove the distortion from the lens of the camera and the effects of topographic change do not. Here, we present the results of a study where we are using the software Agisoft Photoscan to automate spatial data processing, rapidly stitch together and orthorectify overlapping aerial photographs to create orthomosaics of large areas within Connecticut in 1934. We use multiple, easily identifiable features in both the aerial photography and LiDAR DEMs as geographically referenced control points. Photoscan orthomosaics are an accurate representation of the Earth's surface that preserve scale across the entire image, reliably allowing comparison with more recent datasets (e.g., 2016 Connecticut statewide 4 band orthoimagery and QL2 lidar). Once created, orthomosaics of past aerial photographs can be used to create land cover classifications that can be compared to more recent classifications (e.g., NLCD 2011 or Connecticut Land Cover maps made through CLEAR for 1985 to present). Overall, orthomosaics from aerial photographs collected prior to the 1980s has the potential to greatly improve our understanding of land use history and landscape change in Connecticut.
Tags Analysis, Cartography, UAV/Aerial Mapping
POSTER: Read a Book, Don't be a Crook
AUTHORS: Madie Varney, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
POSTER: Reducing Fuel Dependency Through Better Building Performance
AUTHORS: Mario Vinci, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
POSTER: Saltmarsh mapping for the north-mid-Atlantic cost using Landsat 8 imagery
AUTHORS: Jenny Petrario University of Rhode Island
ABSTRACT: This Study uses Landsat 8 satellite imagery to perform salt marsh mapping analysis to reveal the spatial distribution and conditions of salt marshes along the north-mid- Atlantic coast. The results would provide the baseline data (2017) for change analysis and comparison for similar data in other years. NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) 2010 data were used as the reference to delineate the salt marsh and adjacent areas from Landsat 8 imageries. There were 6 scenes downloaded for the study area ranging from July 7, 2017 to September 11, 2017 with less than 10 percent cloud coverage. This study used an object-based image analysis (OBIA), which first breaks up the image into objects and then classifies the objects based on their spectral signature. Finer spatial resolution salt marsh mapping derived from Worldview-2 and Quickbird-2 satellites for Fire Island National Seashore are used as ground verifications. The objective of this study is to (1) identify the salt marsh extent along the mid-Atlantic coast line; (2) improve classification accuracy of Landsat 8 imagery in salt marsh mapping. Result is to be presented at the conference.
POSTER: Sighting In On Firearm Ownership In Connecticut
AUTHORS: David Bafumo, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
POSTER: Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Trends in Adverse Outcome Births in Massachusetts from 2000-2014
AUTHORS: Madeleine Haynes, Clark University; Dr. Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger, Clark University
ABSTRACT: This study explores spatio-temporal trends in adverse birth outcomes (ABO) in the state of Massachusetts from 2000-2014. ABO includes low birth weight (< 2500 g) and preterm birth (gestational age <= 37 weeks). This research evaluates if there are areas in Massachusetts that have experienced statistically significant increases or decreases in ABOs throughout the study period. Birth data was obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and only singleton live, black births were selected for the analysis. The data were aggregated to census tracts, and the total number of births and the number of ABOs were calculated for each census tract for each year. In total, 1469 census tracts were included in this analysis. A Space-time cube of ABO rates was created in ArcGIS software, with a time step of one year and 200m x 200m spatial bins. Temporal trends in ABO rates were assessed using the Mann-Kendall statistics. The Mann-Kendall test shows statistically significant upward trends in 66 census tracts (increase in ABO rates over time) and significant downward trends (decrease in ABO rates over time) in 56 census tracts. These tracts are randomly distributed throughout the state and do not form apparent spatial clusters. It is apparent that a majority of the study area did not show any statistically significant trend over time, but the areas that showed statistically significant trends need to be further evaluated in order to potentially initiate public health interventions and awareness.
Tags Public Health, Spatiotemporal
POSTER: Success and Challenges Using ArcGIS Mobile Apps
AUTHORS: Neil Curri*, PVE, LLC; Anna Abrams, Vassar College; Ken Casamento, LRC Group; Elise Chessman, Vassar College; India Futtermana, Vassar College; James Kelly, Vassar College; Stephen Kovari, Vassar College; Jennifer Rubbo, Ecological Cooperative at Vassar Barns; Mark Schlessman, Vassar College; Samuel Short, Vassar College; Keri Vancamp, Vassar Ecological Preserve
ABSTRACT: ArcGIS mobile apps have been used for a various field data collection projects at Vassar College, including an inventory of the college's arboretum tree collection, inspecting and monitoring stormwater infrastructure, managing horticultural planting beds, and collecting bird observations at the Vassar Farm & Ecological Preserve. This poster outlines the successes and challenges of configuring and using these apps.
Tags Crowd Source, Data Collection, Education, Facilities, Natural Resources
POSTER: The Bees Needs
AUTHORS: Zach Adams, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
POSTER: The Role of Invasive Species in the Plant Trade Industry
AUTHORS: Eve Beaury*, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst
ABSTRACT: Invasive plants are a growing concern with well documented, negative ecological and economic impacts. Humans unwittingly introduce the majority of exotic plants by importing, purchasing, and planting invasive species as ornamental plants in our home gardens. To understand the scope of this problem, this project identified a list of plants in the United States that are considered invasive by governmental organizations and The Invasive Plant Atlas, both of which are informed by expert opinion. Standardized Internet searches on a subset of these species determined the extent of invasive plant sales, revealing hundreds of vendors of invasive plants including commercial nurseries and sales through sites like eBay and Amazon. Specifically, across 46 of 48 continental U.S. states, we identified 225 nurseries that currently sell one or more invasive plants. Very few of these vendors warn consumers about the ecological harm these species cause. Several vendors offer a plant for sale within a state attempting to eradicate that species and/or sell a species blacklisted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These results highlight the apparent role of the plant trade industry in the widespread distribution of invasive species, as well as the disconnect between the government listing a species for regulation and enforcement of these regulations. In addition to advocating for increased invasive species awareness, we encourage plant suppliers and the gardeners, arborists, and landscapers contributing to the demand of invasive species to plant locally, thus reducing the plant trade industry's contribution to ecological invasions.
Tags Data Collection, Natural Resources, Regulatory, State, Spatial Ecology
POSTER: Using GIS to Characterize and Compare Preferred Habitat for Riverine Dragonflies
AUTHORS: Rebecca Budd*, Westfield State University; Peter Hazelton, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program; Carsten Braun, Westfield State University
ABSTRACT: Dragonfly larvae spend 3-5 years in an aquatic environment before emerging as adult dragonflies. They inhabit a wide variety of wetlands including lakes, marshes and rivers and are considered to be an indicator of freshwater ecosystem health. Conservation scientists monitor rare and common dragonflies to assess population trends, identify vulnerable habitats, and determine conservation priorities. Species with specific habitat requirements are more sensitive to habitat degradation and changes in climate and land use. As a conservation tool, GIS can be used to efficiently analyze habitat characteristics at locations where each species has been observed. Our analysis combines existing riverine dragonfly survey data from the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program with the Nature Conservancy's Northeast Aquatic Habitat Classification Dataset using ArcGIS. Habitat characteristics including river size, gradient, buffering capacity and temperature were summarized and compared for selected species. We used habitat preference data to identify and select rivers of potential occurrences for two related species; Boyeria grafiana and Boyeria vinosa. Boyeria grafiana is less common in Massachusetts and only occurs west of the Connecticut River while Boyeria vinosa is common and occurs throughout the state. This analysis found that B. grafiana prefers moderately buffered, moderate gradient, cool and cold water creeks and small rivers while B. vinosa inhabits a wide range of available riverine habitat. We also found that there is a greater amount of continuous preferred habitat for B. grafiana available west of the Connecticut River. Our analysis has identified river segments with suitable habitat for B. grafiana that have not yet been surveyed, which may be targeted for future survey efforts.
Tags Analysis, Natural Resources
POSTER: Westfield 350: Land Use and Population Changes in Westfield (MA) since 1669
AUTHORS: Nathan A Moreau, Westfield State University; Dr. Carsten Braun, Westfield State University.
ABSTRACT: Westfield 350 takes its inspiration from the book Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City by the landscape ecologist Eric W. Sanderson where he visualized and quantified the transition of the "Island of Many Hills" (or Mannahatta) to the modern urban metropolis of Manhattan. Here I present a similar GIS-based analysis and visualization for the city of Westfield (MA) and its surroundings based on a compilation of historical sources "anchored" onto a series of georeferenced historical maps beginning in 1792. My goal is to assess and map the settlement history and associated land use / land cover changes since the incorporation of Westfield on 19 May 1669. Westfield 350 will be shared with the public as an Esri Story Map as part of the 350th anniversary celebrations in 2019.
Tags Analysis, ArcGIS Online, Land Records/Assessment, Storymaps, Visualization
POSTER: Where is the Home of the Homeless?
AUTHORS: Jeffrey Fontaine, Eastern Connecticut State University (Student)
ABSTRACT: Coming soon!
POSTER: Why can't we eat too? An assessment of food deserts within the city of Hartford, Connecticut
AUTHORS: Tyler Napper, Connecticut Department of Transportation, CT Transit
ABSTRACT: As of last year, at least 33 percent of the United States population has suffered from dwelling in areas known as food deserts. Unfortunately, the state capital of Connecticut has regions that are afflicted by food deserts. By 2020 Hartford's population is expected to be 126,444, to which many restaurants and stores must accommodate, especially in the North End region of Hartford. Hartford may be the capital of the state of Connecticut with a 2017 revenue of $558,900,000 and an average household income of $32,095 but, in comparison to other towns throughout Connecticut it ranks significantly low regarding health, household income, education, and vehicle ownership. The assessment will determine how the factors listed above are correlated to the formation of the food deserts within the city of Hartford. The food desert assessment will identify the specific regions and demographics that are subjugated to food deserts by compiling and aggregating shapefile datasets from the years of 2016 to 2017; the coordinates which were represented as bus stops along with the linear network for every bus route within the metro area and, parcel/polygon data shall represent commercial, mixed-use, and residential zones; both the linear data and coordinates were geocoded and associated with polygon data that represents the target parcels/zones. The research conducted is intended to visualize the causation and consequence of food deserts within Hartford, Connecticut and, hopefully contribute to the end of food deserts within the state's capital.
Tags Infrastructure, Municipal, Planning, State, Transportation
POSTER: Windmill Suitability Analysis of Boston's North Shore From a Planning Perspective
AUTHORS: David Heacock, Salem State University
ABSTRACT: Shifting away from fossil fuel to green energy sources has been an area of interest of Massachusetts towns for years, with the state's Clean Energy Center having earmarked millions of dollars to support commercial and institutional renewable energy development. Strong coastal winds make the region particularly eligible for wind power investment, however, many projects have folded because of various planning conflicts ranging from insufficient space for setback from nearby residences, to environmental concerns, and fear of indirect economic losses due to visual degradation of tourist areas. This study harnesses GIS as a tool to mitigate these conflicts in order to identify areas that are particularly suitable for windmills from a planning perspective. This is performed by creating buffer layers based on criteria from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, historic examples provided by area town planning directors, and industry guidelines, with an output categorized by wind speed as an added dimension. The study found the approach to be effective and had a high success rate in classifying existing windmills in its study area. The method shows promise as an alternative to the more common engineering approach to determining windmill suitability, and could be integrated to produce analyses that are more inclusionary of residential and municipal dynamics.
Tags Analysis, Coastal, Energy, Planning, Utilities
Welcome, Opening Remarks & Keynote Address by Dr. Debs Ghosh - Shapefiles to Social: The role of GIS in social aspects of health
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: DR. DEBS GHOSH, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
Dr. Debs Ghosh, currently an Associate Professor of Geography at University of Connecticut, has a Ph.D in Geography from University of Minnesota, a MPhil in Population Studies, and a MA in Regional and Urban Development from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. With significant experience working on urban health issues from an interdisciplinary approach, Dr. Ghosh is also a Principal Investigator of the Institute on Collaboration for Health Intervention and Policy, co-director of mHealth/ehealth research interest group, and affiliated with Yale University Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS.
Dr. Ghosh informally describes herself as someone who is driven to understand how health is affected by anything outside of pills, needles, and scalpels. As a trained health geographer, however, Debs' research and teaching are primarily focused on the relationship between place and health, where place is a multidimensional unit, connecting people (vulnerable populations), things (facilitators and barriers), and environment. Central to this is her diverse yet complementary skill set including GIS, spatial statistics, mixed methods, social network analysis, mobile-health, and more recently, the design of interventions. The ultimate goal is to conduct spatial behavioral interventions where research findings are translated to practice. She views this as a way to give back to the vulnerable populations and communities that have historically experienced societal-level exclusion and marginalization. To that end, more recently, Dr. Ghosh is working in interdisciplinary-collaborative teams including academic colleagues and community-based organizations such as Hartford Food Alliance, UConn-Extensions, Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition, DC based HIV-CBOs, Yale-New Haven's Community Health Care Van, and Connecticut's Judicial Branch.
Tuesday May 8, 2018 9:00am - 10:15am
Refreshment Break - Visit with Sponsors and Posters
Tuesday May 8, 2018 10:15am - 10:30am
ESRI SESSION: ArcGIS Platform Overview Part 1 (Desktop and Apps)
AUTHORS: Rachel Weeden, Mark Scott
ABSTRACT: Whether you use ArcGIS to manage data and asset information, engage with internal and external stakeholders, perform spatial analysis (or, all of the above!), you know that there are a variety of applications and implementation patterns that meet your needs. This session will put those different options into context by providing an overview of ArcGIS, including a look at new and future capabilities. Understanding how the different components of ArcGIS work together and what capabilities are provided will help you better understand how ArcGIS is a complete platform that allows you to unlock the power of location, which leads to improved decision-making. Note: this session is divided into two 30-minute sessions. Part 1 will focus on the Desktop, and Apps, and Part 2 will concentrate on Enterprise and ArcGIS Online.
ESRI ArcGISOverview pdf
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), Esri
Presentation Slides Available Presentation Slides Available
PRESENTATION: Mapping and Analysis of Walkability and Bikeability on the Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, New Hampshire
ABSTRACT: Making roadways and other urban infrastructure favorable for bicycles and pedestrians has numerous benefits for communities and society at large. In order for planners to make informed decisions on where to allocate resources for bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects, it is necessary to review and analyze a variety of GIS data sources and take input from constituency groups. In this project, staff members from Nashua Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) assisted the Town of Merrimack, NH, acting through its planning board, in compiling and analyzing various types of spatial data, which we used to map current conditions for bicycling and walking on the Route 3 (Daniel Webster Highway) corridor. Our goal was to assist the town in identifying areas most in need of improvements to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. NRPC collected field data on existing pedestrian and bicycle features using the NH Statewide Asset Data Exchange System (SADES), which we merged into an existing statewide dataset. With ArcGIS, we analyzed roadway segments for bicycle and pedestrian level of stress and mapped these findings in the context of datalayers characterizing existing conditions. We also synthesized the planning board?s anecdotal observations and added them to the map as graphical elements. Our final product is a map that incorporates objective spatial data with interpretive analysis. After further public comment and any subsequent refinement, the map will be used to inform a corridor plan that summarizes analyses, recommendations, and action steps that address the town's specific goals and priorities for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
Smeltz Andrew MappingWalkabilityBikeabilityMerrimackNH pdf
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), Transportation 1
PRESENTATION: Mapping Call Before You Dig Tickets with Collector for ArcGIS
AUTHORS: Rich Gallacher, GISP Town of Manchester; Liz DaRos, GISP Town of Manchester
ABSTRACT: During construction season the Town of Manchester receives on average 20-30 Call Before You Dig (CBYD) tickets from the CBYD Call Center in the form of emails. The Town has two business days for routine tickets to mark out underground utilities allowing for construction to start. For emergency tickets such as a broken water service, the Town must immediately mark out the construction zone. The Town's GIS Unit was tasked to create a mobile application that would automatically map incoming CBYD ticket emails allowing the Town's locator staff to schedule the daily CBYD mark out's more efficiently and to keep an inventory of all the CBYD tickets for the entire construction season. The GIS Unit used ArcGIS Desktop (ArcPy) and Collector for ArcGIS/ArcGIS Online to create a mobile application that allowed locator staff to see incoming CBYD tickets on their mobile devices, determine if they were routine or emergencies, edit the ticket attributes at the construction zone and associate photos with each ticket.
Gallacher Rich CBYDwithCollector pdf
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), Utilities
Tags Mobile, Municipal, Public Works, Utilities, Workforce for ArcGIS
PRESENTATION: Practical GIS Drone Applications
AUTHORS: Andy Street, CivilView, Inc.
ABSTRACT: Over the past several years, the functionality of drone technology has rapidly improved. Applications fit into many industries and the GIS world is no different. High resolution, georeferenced orthomosaics easily insert into GIS and drone data can be processed to provide planimetric and topographic data that is both accurate and current. This data can be quickly captured and produced. While the general outputs are often known, sometimes real world, practical applications are not as easy to pinpoint. This presentation explores how the use of drones can enhance actual GIS projects through several case studies. Asset management and inventory projects are made easier by high-resolution imagery that clearly displays surface features. Gone are the days of waiting for another manned aircraft flyover to update base mapping after new developments or capital projects are complete. Drone technology is another tool in the tool belt for GIS professionals to accurately manage and present information about in-the-moment conditions.
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), UAV
Tags UAV/Aerial Mapping
Concurrent Sessions
Tuesday May 8, 2018 10:30am - 12:00pm
WORKSHOP: Publishing historic maps as tile cache on ArcGIS Online (pre-registration required; space is limited)
AUTHORS: Mark Goetz, CT MetroCOG, George Obeng, CT MetroCOG, Mark Hoover, CT MetroCOG
ABSTRACT: This workshop will present the steps to georeference scanned maps, produce a seamless and non-overlapping image via a mosaic dataset, and publish the maps as a tile cache on ArcGIS Online. Attendees will learn and go through this process using a series of historic (1940's to 1960's) Connecticut Department of Transportation topographic maps that were developed on CT State Plane NAD27. The workshop will be developed around these maps but users may choose to utilize their own scanned maps using this process.
REGISTER: Please note, space is limited in this session. Adding this item to your agenda through this site does not register you for the workshop. To register for this workshop, go to: https://www.northeastarc.org/spring-registration.html.
ESRI SESSION: ArcGIS Platform Overview Part 2 (Enterprise)
PRESENTATION: An Analysis of Enhanced Tree Trimming Effectiveness in Connecticut using a Geospatial Approach
AUTHORS: Jason Parent, University of Connecticut; Tom Meyer, University of Connecticut; John Volin, University of Connecticut; Robert Fahey, University of Connecticut; Chandi Witharana, University of Connecticut
ABSTRACT: We evaluated the effectiveness of an enhanced tree trimming (ETT) program for its ability to reduce tree-related power outages on an electric distribution system during storm events. Evaluations encompassed thirteen years of trimming (i.e. 2005-2017) data and were performed for both backbone (originating directly from a substation) and lateral (offshoots of backbones) utility lines. The study site spanned the entire state of Connecticut, where the dominant vegetation is temperate deciduous forest. We controlled for variations in weather, tree cover, and wire type, by pairing ETT-treated zones with nearby untreated zones. ETT-treated and untreated control zones had the same wire type and similar percent tree cover and line lengths. Relative outage rates were calculated for each pair to indicate the performance of ETT-treated zones relative to background outage rates of untreated zones. ETT-treated backbone conductors had overall outage rates that were 0.07 - 0.09 outages/km/year lower than untreated backbones, which is a 33 - 42% reduction when compared to all untreated laterals (0.2 outages/km/year). ETT-treated lateral conductors had significantly lower outage rates, than untreated laterals, for "minor" outage types (i.e., blown fuse, tripped recloser, etc.) but not for "major" outage types (broken poles or wires). Overall outage rates on laterals were reduced by 0.07 - 0.36 outages/km/year which amounts to 35 - 150% reduction over the outage rate for all untreated lateral zones; it should be noted that these results are applicable only to storm-damaged areas. Our study provides a robust empirical evaluation of ETT and also proposes a geospatial methodology that controls for variations in weather and environment.
Parent Jason AssessingEnhancedTreeTrimming pdf
Tags Analysis, Infrastructure, Utilities
PRESENTATION: Generating a 3D Point Cloud from UAV Images
AUTHORS: Katrina Schweikert, Blue Marble Geographics
ABSTRACT: These days, it seems that more and more people are discovering creative uses for UAVs or drones. Whether it's Amazon's plans to deliver packages, film makers looking for that perfect shot, or law enforcement officials keeping an eye on the bad guys. The GIS industry is eagerly jumped on this proverbial band wagon, with the rapid proliferation of UAVs opening the broad field of remote data collection and processing to an ever wider audience. Continual improvements in airborne technology and the miniaturization of the requisite sensors has cultivated a nimble new branch of the industry that provides cost-effective data collection services on demand. In this presentation we will explore one increasingly common workflow for UAV operators, in which overlapping geotagged images are processed to create a high-density 3D point cloud. Using the new Pixels-to-Points tool in Global Mapper's LiDAR Module, we address the challenge of calculating the volume of a landfill represented in a surface model derived from a photogrammetrically-generated point cloud. This procedure involves initial visualization of the array of images to ensure optimal and consistent coverage of the landfill area; the establishment of the parameters and settings that allow the output to be customized; the generation of the point cloud along with an accompanying orthoimage and 3D mesh; the identification, reclassification, and filtering of ground or bare earth points; and the creation of a precise Digital Terrain Model (DTM) from which accurate volumetric calculations can be derived.
Tags 3D, Analysis, Remote Sensing, UAV/Aerial Mapping, LiDAR/Point Cloud Processing
PRESENTATION: MassDOT GIS for Municipalities
AUTHORS: Quinn Molloy, MassDOT GIS
ABSTRACT: MassDOT's GIS Services group has been working to better serve municipal partners through the development of new tools and increased access to web-based workflows. Using the geoDOT portal (AGOL) as a staging area for innovative solutions, staff has worked with municipalities to create a suite of new products that help better maintain transportation facilities in the real world, and the data that represent them digitally. Tools like the Road Inventory Update Tool, the Highway Project Intake Tool, and Pictometry Explorer bring classic transportation planning processes to the next level. It is our hope that these and tools yet to be developed will empower local governments with a limited staff capacity to take more of an active role in data stewardship without needing to invest heavily in infrastructure themselves.
Molloy Quinn MASSDOTGIS pdf
Tags ArcGIS Online, Municipal, Planning, State, Transportation
ESRI SESSION: Insights for ArcGIS
AUTHORS: Rachel Weeden
ABSTRACT: We all know that GIS allows us to learn more about where, why, and how things happen; but we also know how challenging it can be to sort through a variety of large or complex datasets looking for that understanding. Insights for ArcGIS is a new application that will change the way you work with your data, and helps you perform complex spatial analysis from disparate data sources. Learn how Insights provides a new interactive analysis environment, ideal for both the GIS and non-GIS users that puts the focus on the visual exploration of your data through maps, charts and tables.
ESRI InsightsforArcGIS pdf
PRESENTATION: ESRI Drone2Map
AUTHORS: Patrick Demer
ABSTRACT: Drone2Map for ArcGIS streamlines the creation of professional imagery products from drone-captured still imagery for visualization and analysis across the ArcGIS Platform. See the software in action using imagery captured from a water treatment plant in California.
PRESENTATION: Optimizing School Bus Routing
AUTHORS: Nicole Rogers, EIT*, Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.; John Diaz, P.E., PTOE, Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.
ABSTRACT: Many school districts have been proactive in investigating delayed high school start times because of the national scientific research validating the academic/health benefits of additional sleep for high school students. This presentation provides insight to implications of pupil transportation as it becomes a critical operational and fiscal aspect when altering school scheduling. GPI completed a study for Acton-Boxborough which analyzed the implications of merging from a three-tier start time/routing system to a two-tier start time/routing system and created a new optimized routing schedule for the school choice district. An in-depth analysis of the existing transportation practices resulted in the recommendation of several new policies with the intent to minimize the number of buses required for a two-tier merge including: planning based on actual ridership; removal of cul-de-sac service; "cluster" stops; student pick-up/drop-off time window; and district seat target rates. GIS tools were utilized to implement cluster stopping which located optimal bus stops to safely service more students in a shorter amount of time based on a district wide ?walk to stop? distance. Stop locations were determined via density mapping and students were assigned via the closest facility layer tool. GPI also utilized TransFinder, a school bus routing software, in conjunction with ArcGIS to map final routing into existing database for a seamless transition._x000D_ Overall, the merge resulted in a reduction of overall trips, dead head mileage, total bus stop time and trip duration, better utilization rates, and most importantly a 40-minute delay in school start time for high school students.
Rogers Nicole SchoolBusRouting pdf
Tags Education, Modeling, Municipal, Planning, Transportation
PRESENTATION: The Re-purposing of Two Rural Towns for New York City's Water Supply Watershed, and Challenges in Historic Geographic Analysis
AUTHORS: Neil Curri, PVE, LLC; April Beisaw, Vassar College
ABSTRACT: New York City began creating its distant watershed with the construction of the Croton Dam at Yorktown in 1837. Over the next 150 years, subsequent reservoirs would displace thousands from homes and businesses by submerging land and by regulating land uses within the larger watersheds. In this study, we attempt to measure the impacts of the New York City watersheds on two rural communities (Town of Olive in Ulster County and Town of Kent in Putnam County) in terms of lost land for businesses, farmsteads, villages, roads, etc. A series of maps show how the watershed permanently changed the composition and character of both communities, and encourage new dialogue regarding the acceptable costs of water management programs. There are many challenges when using archival sources to generate historic geographic analyses, but the long-term perspectives that can be generated (here maps show over 100 years of changes) are well worth the added effort.
Tags Analysis, Education, Natural Resources, Public Works, Historic
Tuesday May 8, 2018 12:00pm - 1:15pm
UConn Green Stormwater Tour
Led by Mike Dietz and Dave Dickson
Time to stretch your legs! Join us for a quick tour of a few of UConn's green stormwater infrastructure practices around the conference location (McHugh hall). UConn has become a national leader in alternative stormwater treatment practices. See the complete tour in the story map at http://s.uconn.edu/virtualGSItour. Meet between McGugh Hall and the Student Union at 12:45pm.
ESRI SESSION: ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6 and the Site Builder
AUTHORS: Alex Brown
ABSTRACT: The ArcGIS Platform supports automation in two distinct categories: Deployment & Operational efficiencies. Enterprise Builder and Chef, an IT standard automation framework , offer two distinct patterns for deploying ArcGIS Enterprise -- The session will provide an overview of deployment automations, the Chef framework, demonstrate how to utilize the tools, and provide resources for understanding your deployment options.
Tuesday May 8, 2018 1:15pm - 1:45pm
PRESENTATION: 2020 Census Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP)
AUTHORS: Cynthia Hale Gillham, U.S. Census Bureau; Trent A Berger, U.S. Census Bureau
ABSTRACT: The decennial census is fast approaching. The 2020 Census Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) offers regional planning organizations, councils of governments, and local governments the opportunity to review and modify select statistical boundaries that the U.S. Census Bureau uses to collect data in your community, so that we can give you the most relevant, useful information possible. Statistical boundaries let us give you the small-area statistics and spatial data you need. The 2020 PSAP geography review includes census tracts, block groups, Census Designated Places, Census County Divisions, and for the first time, American Indian and Alaska Native areas. Data made available by Census for these statistical areas is often used in grant applications to fund community and regional development, education, agriculture, energy, and environmental programs, as well as other needed community improvements and enhancements. You know your local community best. By participating in PSAP, you can help us provide relevant, useful data about population, income, and housing for small-geographic analyses. The Census Bureau will use the statistical areas defined for the 2020 Census to tabulate data for the 2020 Census, Annual Population Estimates Program, the American Community Survey (ACS), and Economic Census throughout the decade. Come learn more about PSAP today. The next opportunity to review and delineate statistical areas will not come again until Census 2030!
Berger Trent ParticipantStatisticalAreasProgram pdf
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), Data Collection
Tags Data Collection, Infrastructure, Municipal, Planning, Census 2020
PRESENTATION: Building Effective Dashboards for Web-based ArcGIS Apps
AUTHORS: Larry Spraker, VHB*; Dale Abbott, VHB*
ABSTRACT: When designing and developing dashboards for web-based applications using ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS, there are many different options. This presentation will provide an overview and demonstration of the various tools within the ArcGIS platform for deploying effective web-based dashboards as well as the pros and cons of each. ArcGIS technology to be discussed, compared and demonstrated include Operations Dashboard, Insights, Web App Builder, StoryMaps, and ArcGIS Maps for PowerBI.
Spraker Larry EffectiveDashboardsGISApps pdf
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), Web Apps
Tags ArcGIS Online, Operations Dashboards, Portal, Storymaps, Visualization
PRESENTATION: NH Statewide Asset Data Exchange System (SADES): Statewide Mapping Tool for Roadside Assets
AUTHORS: Chris Dowd, SADES Manager
ABSTRACT: Through a partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) the University of New Hampshire Technology Transfer Center (UNH T2) hosts a suite of statewide collection modules for a variety of roadside assets. UNH T2 facilitates the development, training, and technical support for these statewide collection efforts. UNH T2 leverages ESRI ArcGIS products to change the way data is collected across New Hampshire. Users of SADES range from State agencies, Regional Planning Commissions (RPC), and municipal level. Current collection efforts include: Stream Crossings, Guardrails, Road Surface Condition, Pedestrian Infrastructure, and more.
Dowd Chris SADES pdf
WORKSHOP: Getting Started with ArcGIS Pro (pre-registration required; space is limited)
AUTHORS: Krithica Kantharaj
ABSTRACT: This introductory workshop will help GIS professionals get up to speed quickly with ArcGIS Pro terminology and the new, intuitive tools to efficiently complete mapping, editing, geoprocessing, and analysis projects. You will explore the new interface, experience for yourself the tight integration between 2D and 3D capabilities, and learn how to share your authoritative GIS content more quickly and easily than ever before.
This is a "Bring your own Device" Workshop. You will need to download and install ArcGIS Pro on your laptop prior to the workshop. Please refer to the ArcGIS Pro system requirements (http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/get-started/arcgis-pro-system-requirements.htm) before installing ArcGIS Pro on your Laptop. If you are an existing ArcGIS user current on maintenance, download ArcGIS pro from your MyEsri Portal (https://accounts.esri.com/?redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fmy.esri.com%2F). If you are a new ArcGIS user, you can download a free trial version by signing up here (http://www.esri.com/arcgis/trial). Follow the instruction in this link to complete the install (http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/get-started/install-and-sign-in-to-arcgis-pro.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_3D4C69C5FA7740A0B2F5BD74DDF24C30).
ESRI GetStartedwithArcGISProWorkshop pdf
ESRI SESSION: The ArcGIS Python API
ABSTRACT: The ArcGIS Python API is a powerful, modern and easy to use Pythonic API for GIS professionals, developers, organization administrators, content publishers and anyone with access to the ArcGIS Platform – specifically this refers to either ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise. The session will provide an overview of the python API, how one can leverage the tools within, demonstrate some basic use cases for administering a Web GIS, and provide additional resources to get started.
PRESENTATION: Election Polling Place Solutions
AUTHORS: Amanda Guers*, GeoDecisions
ABSTRACT: Finding the correct polling place is important on Election Day. Using a website specifically set up to find the correct polling place prior to Election Day can help make the process of getting to the polling place to vote easy. Hanover County, Virginia enlisted the help of GeoDecisions to make this a reality for their residents. GeoDecisions incorporated Hanover County's data into ESRI's Election Polling Places for Web App Builder as a solution to Hanover County's request. Within this application, residents can find their polling location by searching for their address or clicking their location on the interactive map. If additional assistance is needed, this application generates turn by turn directions and gives other helpful information. All of this information can be printed out or used on a mobile device as well. This application is useful for county residents.
Guers Amanda ElectionPollingPlaceSolutions pdf
Tags ArcGIS Online, Elections, Mobile, Municipal
PRESENTATION: Integrating Field Collected Data into Linear Referencing Systems (LRS): The Case for Crash Data
AUTHORS: Mike Kamalabad*, University of Connecticut - Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center
ABSTRACT: The Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center supports the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) in maintaining sophisticated crash data entry, collection, and safety analysis systems. Advanced safety analysis methodologies, such as those outlined in the Highway Safety Manual, require accurate and robust crash data. Embarking upon an effort to enhance safety analysis capabilities, enterprise crash data, with multiple forms of location information, is integrated into a linear referenced roadway network maintained by ConnDOT to ensure consistency and accuracy. This presentation seeks to outline the process via ArcGIS Desktop and the challenges encountered in properly integrating crash data into the ConnDOT roadway network. Additional discussion will address the potential benefits of integrating field data into LRS - including validation, visualization, analysis, and metrics.
Kamalabad Mike FieldDataIntoLRS pdf
Tags ArcGIS Desktop/Pro, Geocoding, Public Safety, State, Transportation
PRESENTATION: Municipal Solutions with AGOL and Collector
AUTHORS: Fred Kapinos*, Town of West Springfield, Stephanie Straitiff*, Town of West Springfield.
ABSTRACT: 'The Town of West Springfield has developed several innovative approaches to using GIS for municipal applications. Using AGOL with related tables, our Building Department and Town Clerk have switched to using Collector to track building permits and dog licenses, instead of relying on outdated and under-supported software. We also implemented a Python script to send notification emails when new features are added to a DPW Request map, which alerts supervisors to work requests and potential emergencies. Moving forward this year, we hope to use Survey123 for Health Department inspections, as well as AGOL GeoForms--allowing utility companies to submit Street Occupancy Permits directly to our Engineering Department. All of these GIS applications are complemented by browser-based SQL reports, which can be customized to fit each department's unique needs. The goal of this presentation is to provide an overview of how we implemented these applications and address the issues we encountered along the way.
Straitiff Stephanie MunicipalSolutionsCollectorAGOL pdf
Tags ArcGIS Online, Data Collection, Municipal, Programming (Java - Python - R etc.), Public Works
ESRI SESSION: Introduction to the ArcGIS Utility Network
ABSTRACT: Utilities have been using the geometric network and ArcMap to manage their water, gas and electric networks since 2000. In January with the release of ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6 and ArcGIS Pro 2.1 we introduced a new extension for ArcGIS Enterprise to help utilities manage their networks. With this update come many new advancements which will be covered and demonstrated in this session.
PRESENTATION: Building an Ecosystem of Data Users
AUTHORS: Michelle Riordan-Nold, CT Data Collaborative
ABSTRACT: Striving for informed decision-making across Connecticut, the CT Data Collaborative empowers an ecosystem of data users by democratizing access to public data and building data literacy. With the increased availability of public data and open data initiatives, users now find themselves with more data than they could have accessed even a decade ago. Though data users have more data at their fingertips, their ability to evaluate data quality and navigate data analysis and reporting remains a challenge. In this session, we present our work to make data not only available but also accessible through www.ctdata.org; our efforts to liberate public data; and our data user engagement workshops held through our CT Data Academy-- designed to increase data literacy, expand data capacity and enable all to use data effectively.
Riordon Nold BuildingEcosystemDataUsers pdf
Tags Data Collection, Open Data, State
PRESENTATION: CT Crash Data: Meandering Through a Wealth of Information and Methodologies to Produce Viable Results in ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro
AUTHORS: Mark Hoover*, CT MetroCOG; Mark Goetz, CT MetroCOG
ABSTRACT: The Connecticut Crash Data Repository provides access to detailed accident information from state and local police. Updating nightly, this dataset includes critical attribute information, in addition to accident location, that can help guide analysis. This presentation will detail the process in which MetroCOG utilized pertinent attributes along with ROW boundaries to perform hot spot analysis on state and local roads in ArcMap. It will highlight how scale and feature selection can create vastly different results. Space-time patterns were also explored using ArcGIS Pro. Following a published workflow from ArcGIS Analytics, hot spot trends were visualized using space-time cubes in 2D and 3D. Temporal trends were visualized graphically, and hot spots were scaled down to individual street segments. Finally, accident data was summarized by day of the week and hour of the day to identify peak days and time periods for accidents in the region.
Tags Analysis, ArcGIS Desktop/Pro, Public Safety, Transportation, Visualization
PRESENTATION: Hard-to-Survey Populations: Response Outreach Area Mapper (ROAM) by the U.S. Census Bureau
AUTHORS: Cynthia Hale Gillham, U.S. Census Bureau; James Bogart, U.S. Census Bureau
ABSTRACT: Nationwide, 79.3 percent of households that received a 2010 Census mail questionnaire completed it and mailed it back. The resulting non-response rate of 20.7 percent was not evenly distributed across the country, but rather varied greatly by location. The Census Bureau's Response Outreach Area Mapper (ROAM) application was developed to make it easier to identify hard-to-survey areas and to provide a socioeconomic and demographic characteristic profile of these areas using American Community Survey estimates available in the Census Planning Database. The Planning Database is publicly available, but it is a large comma-delimited file that requires software to open and explore it. Additionally, mapping the Low Response Score (LRS) metric (predicted mail non-response rate) from this data would require an entirely different set of software skills. ROAM is an interactive web mapping application developed to make the Planning Database and the LRS much easier access and visualize. In ROAM, Census tracts are classified and symbolized by their LRS, and users click on a tract to display a subset of socioeconomic and demographic variables to reveal what factors influence an area in being harder to count, eliminating the necessity of user software proficiency. ROAM Users include Census Bureau Field staff, local officials, external stakeholders and partners, and the public. Learning about each hard-to-survey area allows the U.S. Census Bureau to create tailored outreach, marketing, and promotional partnership campaigns, as well as planning for field resources such as hiring specialized staff with appropriate language skills. These and other efforts can improve response rates.
Bogart James HardToSurveyPopulationsROAM pdf
Tags Data Collection, Municipal, Planning, Visualization, Census 2020
ESRI SESSION: ArcGIS Online Tips and Tricks
ABSTRACT: ArcGIS Online gives you the ability to create interactive web maps and apps that you can share with anyone. With ready-to-use content, apps, and templates, you can be productive right away. From sharing your work with others to preventing accidental deletion of items and more, this session will provide tips and tricks that will help you maximize your use of ArcGIS Online.
ESRI ArcGISonlineTipsTricks pdf
PRESENTATION: Did You See NBEP's Poster at the Fall Conference? This Is How We Did It. Harmonizing Data Across States to Create Sound and Natural Resource Indicators in a Shared GIS Database
AUTHORS: Eivy Monroy*, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program; Julia Twichell, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program; Anne Kuhn, US EPA Atlantic Ecology Division; Mike A. Charpentier, CSRA; Jessica Cressman, Environmental Data Center URI; Juliet Swigor, MassDEP; Peter August, University of Rhode Island; Paul Jordan, RIDEM; Courtney Schmidt, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program.
ABSTRACT: The poster presented at the 2017 NEARC Fall Conference "2017 State of the Bay and Its Watershed, Mapping Drivers of Change and Variation" was awarded People's Choice and Best Overall. This presentation describes the process and practices related to the results displayed on the poster and documented in 2017 State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed report by the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP). The Narragansett Bay Watershed is bi-state (MA and RI) and there are obvious challenges for compiling and harmonizing data in a seamless way across political boundaries for which data are not consistent, insufficient, or not comparable in terms of what data is collected, data definition, and temporal and geographic-scale. These challenges are compounded when dealing with an extensive range of environmental indicators. The approach involved three best practices ? partnerships, data selection with a focus on spatial and temporal scales and representativeness, and using proper (and diverse) methods for each indicator (including advanced geospatial tools in ArcMap, and Dasymetric Analysis). The goal of bringing harmonized data together and developing sound science and data management continues with creating data sharing protocols and updating databases. Concrete benefits are visible - NBEP partners representing state, NGO, and academic institutions are requesting and using the improved geospatial and tabular data and results for their own initiatives, outreach and watershed management. Use of data that cuts across political boundaries facilitates better management for a common purpose - the conservation and enhanced environmental management of the bi-state Narragansett Bay and watershed.
Moroy Eivy EnvironmentalIndicatorsForNarragansettBayWatershed pdf
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), Grab Bag
Tags Analysis, Coastal, Data Collection, Natural Resources, Visualization
PRESENTATION: How to Communicate the Value of your GIS Program and Increase your Budget
AUTHORS: Michele Giorgianni*, Applied Geographics, Inc. (AppGeo)
ABSTRACT: To geospatial professionals, the value of GIS technology and services seems indisputable. But does the leadership of your organization feel the same? Do those who make decisions about budgets and investments, understand how GIS brings value to every department and every citizen each and every day? This presentation will focus on articulating and communicating the ROI (return on investment) of your GIS and garnering the support you need to build an innovative, thriving program. We'll describe methods for capturing and quantifying the current value (time saved, money saved, better decisions, mistakes avoided, and opportunities identified) and explore examples that will demonstrate value to your organization.
Giorgianni Michele CommunicateValeOfGISProgram pdf
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), Management
Tags Analysis, Business, Municipal, Visualization, ROI
PRESENTATION: Yes, Queries Can Be Spatial, Too
AUTHORS: Michael Olkin*, Springfield Water & Sewer Commission
ABSTRACT: Did you know that it's possible to conduct the most common types of spatial analysis without using any ArcGIS geoprocessing tools? Thanks to Esri's adoption of Open Geospatial Consortium data specifications, the power of spatial queries are available within geodatabases stored in relational databases (SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, PostgreSQL, etc). In this presentation, we'll explore several ways to unleash the power of spatial queries in Microsoft SQL Server. Examples will include results displayed both in ArcGIS Desktop/Pro and in web/mobile map apps.
Olkin Mike QueriesCanBeSpatialToo pdf
Concurrent Sessions (30 Minutes), Analysis
Tags Analysis, ArcGIS Desktop/Pro, Open Platform/Open Standards, Programming (Java - Python - R etc.), SQL Server
ESRI SESSION: Using ArcGIS Maps for Office
AUTHORS: Mark Scott
ABSTRACT: Do you manage data in Microsoft Excel? Want to use Excel to create, use, and share this data in the form of a map? ArcGIS Maps for Office gives you the ability to create and analyze your spreadsheets using maps that can then be shared into your ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise portal. Do you use PowerPoint as a presentation tool? See how to embed interactive maps into your presentation, and make a bigger impact at that next meeting.
ESRI ArcGISMapsforOffice pdf
PRESENTATION: Demystifying Data Science and Putting it to Work for Geospatial Projects
AUTHORS: Guido Stein, Applied Geographics, Inc.
ABSTRACT: Why is data science becoming the new hipster of analysis? Can data science be a tool you can use for problem solving? How can you become a geospatial data scientist? Guido Stein will share his take on data science and how to answer questions geospatially using a data science approach. You will learn to use Jupyter, Python, and CartoFrames to process geospatial data and run experiments. Using these tools you will learn why Jupyter notebooks are core to building and sharing analysis across organizations and teams. It's not rocket science, it's data science.
Stein Guido DemystifyingDataScience pdf
Tags Analysis, Open Data, Programming (Java - Python - R etc.), Visualization
PRESENTATION: ROI - or NOT Another GIS Presentation
AUTHORS: Thad J. Dymkowski GISP*, 3SG Plus
ABSTRACT: Return on Investment is typically a clear cut metric for any project or tool. However, because GIS is an intangible technology that can provide solutions that cannot be easily equated or encapsulated it is challenging to resolve it as a number that can be quantified. Or is it? This presentation will examine ROI from the viewpoint of GIS. It will illustrate clear examples and provide evidence to support an ROI determination.
Dymkowski Thad ROI pdf
Tags Analysis, Business, Municipal, State, Visualization
PRESENTATION: Using Gazpacho and ArcGIS to Create Forecast Snowfall Bias, Error, and Composite Maps Stratified by Flow Regime
AUTHORS: Joseph P. Villani, NOAA/National Weather Service Albany, NY
ABSTRACT: In order to evaluate patterns of snowfall forecast error, the Gridded Automated Zonal Precipitation and Complete Hi-Res Output (GAZPACHO) verification program and ArcGIS were used to create maps of observed snowfall, zone-average snowfall and forecast error maps for 56 snowfall events in the National Weather Service Albany, NY County Warning Area (ALY CWA; eastern New York and western New England). Events from the 2013-2017 winter seasons were used for the study. The criteria for an event was when at least advisory level snow fell or advisory level snow was forecast (around 4 inches or greater somewhere in the ALY CWA). Each event was categorized by determining a representative wind direction and speed at 925 and 850 mb. The wind direction categories were 0-90, 90-180, 180-270, and 270-360. The wind speed categories were 0-19 kt, 20-39 kt, and 40 kt or greater. Twelve categories were defined based on the various direction and speed combinations. The winds were derived from Albany, NY (ALY) observed sounding data for each snowfall event. The wind direction and speed (at 0000 or 1200 UTC) closest to the midpoint time of each event was used to categorize each event. Forecast bias, mean absolute error (MAE), and snowfall composite maps were created for each of the twelve wind categories from the 56 total snowfall events using ArcGIS. Since there were 12 wind categories and 56 total snowfall events, some of the categories only contained a few events. However, there were several wind categories with five or more events. Results from a few of the wind categories using 925 mb winds will be presented, with some discernible patterns noted in the forecast bias, MAE and snowfall composite maps. It is hypothesized that some of the larger forecast biases can be attributed to terrain influences based on the over/under forecast of snowfall in favored upslope/downslope areas in the ALY CWA.
Villani Joe UsingGAZPACHO pdf
Tags Analysis, Climate, Meteorology
ESRI SESSION: Implementing Workforce for ArcGIS
ABSTRACT: Do you manage a group of field crews ? Do they use Collector or Survey 123 to collect data and integrate it into web maps? See how Workforce for ArcGIS provides a simple tool to manage work in the field, fully integrated with your current use of ArcGIS field mobility apps like Collector, Survey 123, and Navigator, or as a stand-alone app. A project will be created, configured, and deployed in a live demonstration.
ESRI WorkforceforArcGIS pdf
PRESENTATION: Integrating Conversational Bots into Web Mapping Apps
AUTHORS: John Waterman
ABSTRACT: "Hey Siri: How do I add a chatbot to my map?" Using "Vermont Cow Talk" as an example, we will discuss how to mesh a conversational bot with spatial data. A Cowbot helping you discover Vermont through an interactive web map. "Vermont Cow Talk" is the 1st place award winning HACKVT 2017 app. It uses Amazon Lex. Moo.
Tags Programming (Java - Python - R etc.), Server
PRESENTATION: TBD
AUTHORS: Coming soon!
PRESENTATION: What Works in a GIS MOOC
AUTHORS: Peggy Minnis
ABSTRACT: Ten semesters of teaching a free online Desktop GIS class has yielded information about who takes such a course, what the retention of students is, how the students respond to their electronic rewards and how they evaluate the course when they finish.
Minnis Peggy WhatWorksInAGISMOOC pdf
Tags Education
NEURISA "Mappy Hour" Networking Social
Join your NEARC colleagues for some snacks and a social networking opportunity after the conference at the True Blue Tavern in the Nathan Hale Inn. All attendees welcome, and the winners of the poster competition will be announced!
True Blue Tavern at the Nathan Hale Inn on UConn campus 855 Bolton Rd, Storrs, CT 06269


text:
Job Title: Esports Content Producer
Department: Marketing
Reports To: VP of Marketing
Classification: Full Time, Exempt
About New Meta Entertainment and Dignitas New Meta Entertainment, Inc ("NME") is a leading digital sports and entertainment company focused on the gaming industry. NME is the parent company of Dignitas Esports, LLC ("Dignitas"). Dignitas is one of the most storied and most recognized brand names in esports. Formed in 2003, the team has gone on to produce thirty-five world champions and eighteen world championships. Dignitas is the renowned esports franchise with an ownership group led by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which also owns the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and NHL's New Jersey Devils. Our other top investors are Fertitta Entertainment, owners of the Houston Rockets, and Delaware North, owners of the Boston Bruins.
New Meta Entertainment is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
NME is seeking an experienced digital content creator and social media manager to create gaming and esports focused video and graphic content. We're looking for someone who loves video games and esports, has a track record of creating compelling social media content, and a vision for building an online community.
Core Accountabilities
- Pitch, produce, and create short form gaming content for distribution across social media platforms.
- Meet deadlines and publish in a timely manner to these platforms.
- Develop a programming strategy and content calendar for this brand.
- Manage and prioritize projects autonomously, using time and resources efficiently.
- Communicate and collaborate with a team of social-savvy producers, video editors, and graphic designers.
- Leverage knowledge of gaming and social media landscapes to maximize content engagement and exposure.
- Identify engaging storylines and video clips, and then write and produce engaging pieces around them.
- Create in a fast-paced environment that is reactive to sports and culture.
- Guide creative strategy on assigned social channels, using analytics to inform and optimize our content.
Minimum Skills and Experience
- 3+ years producing highly engaged social media content
- Deep understanding of the esports and gaming landscapes.
- Experience creating viral social media video content across Snap, FB, YT, IG, and other social platforms.
- Experience in Adobe Suite of content creation tools, including Photoshop and Premier.
- Skilled in content production and executing creative projects from concept to completion.
- Strong sense of social media style geared toward a younger Millennial/Gen-Z audience.
- Able to work full time M-F. Some telecommuting okay, but the ideal candidate can work out of our Santa Monica office when necessary.
- Experience in fast-paced, tight deadline, production team work environment.
- A passion for gaming and digital/social media.
Preferred Skills and Experience
- You have a gritty and entrepreneurial attitude, and don't shy away from things you don't know.
- Willing to think against the grain and find disruptive solutions to emerging challenges.
- Previous experience working in startups preferred.
- Required travel would be rare (<5% time). Trips may require air travel and/or overnight stay for one or more nights.
- This position generally requires that work be performed from the Dignitas Headquarters in Los Angeles, CA, but attendance at events taking place in the arena or offsite, including on weekends and/or holidays, may be required.
APPLY: Email your resume to jobs@dignitas.gg and include "Esports Content Producer" in the subject line.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: What's the current policy on prefixing tags wiki excerpts with tag names? I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that it is redundant to repeat the tag name in the first few words of the excerpt, but while searching for that, I came across another question/answer which seems to imply (or at least endorse) the opposite.
I've seen quite a lot of suggestions recently which start: "[tagname] is used for...", where I'd have preferred just "used for...", as the excerpt is always (?) displayed in conjunction with the tag name.
Combine that with the answers here (New tags page mangles tag wiki excerpts) and I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do with these suggestions...

A: An excerpt is always shown in a place where it is understandable to which tag it is referring; the same is true for the tag wiki content.
The reason somebody starts the excerpt with the tag name is to write a sentence, instead of a phrase. To avoid using a phrase, it is sufficient to start the excerpt with "This tag," as done for the discussion.

The con of using "This tag," "is," or "are" is that the excerpt is truncated when shown in the page listing all the tags.

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Minakshi Jha () is a Nepali politician and a member of the House of Representatives of the federal parliament of Nepal. She was elected under the proportional representation system from Nepali Congress. She has also served as member of both the constituent assemblies.

Jha was elected with third highest popular vote to NC central working committee from 14th general convention of Nepali Congress. She is one of the closest leader to NC Vice president Bimalendra Nidhi.

References

Living people
21st-century Nepalese women politicians
21st-century Nepalese politicians
Nepali Congress politicians from Madhesh Province
Madhesi people
Place of birth missing (living people)
Nepal MPs 2017–2022
Members of the 1st Nepalese Constituent Assembly
Members of the 2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly
1959 births

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Reentry Permit and N-470
4 years ago By Anonymous (not verified) 7 comments
Any lawful permanent resident (LPR) or a conditional resident (CR) must present an admission document like special immigrant visa (obtained at consulate abroad), green card or reentry permit upon entry to the U.S. after their temporary trip abroad. In the absence of such document he/she is considered inadmissible. If the LPR or CR seeks admission to the U.S. after more than one year since her departure from USA, the green card may not be sufficient to allow them back into the United States.
Any lawful permanent resident (LPR) or a conditional resident (CR) must present an admission document like special immigrant visa (obtained at consulate abroad), green card or reentry permit upon entry to the U.S. after their temporary trip abroad. In the absence of such document he/she is considered inadmissible. If the LPR or CR seeks admission to the U.S. after more than one year since her departure from USA, the green card may not be sufficient to allow them back into the United States. To avoid such situations the LPR or CR must apply for a reentry permit while they are physically present in the U.S.A. A reentry permit thus allows a LPR or CR to apply for admission to the United States upon returning from abroad during the permit's validity, without having to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. Embassy or consulate. Departure before the USCIS decides the application (Form I-131 to be filed with Nebraska Service Center) does not affect the validity of the document. However, USCIS has recently introduced a biometrics requirement for the issuance of the reentry permit. Where biometric collection is required and the applicant departs the U.S. before the biometrics are collected, the application may be denied (If the applicant leaves the country before the biometrics are completed, the applicant will have to come back for the biometrics on the assigned date). A reentry permit after approval may be picked up at a consulate or overseas Department of Homeland Security office provided it is requested when the application is filed.
Generally, a reentry permit issued to an LPR is valid for two years from the date of issuance. However, if the applicant has been outside the U.S. for more than four of the last five years since becoming an LPR, the permit will be limited to one year.
An exception exists where a permit with a validity of two years may be issued to
(a) a LPR whose travel is on the order of a U.S. Government, other than exclusion, deportation, removal or rescission order
(b) a LPR employed by a public international organization of which the United States is a member by treaty or statute
(c) a LPR who is a professional athlete and regularly competes in the United States and worldwide.
A reentry permit issued to a conditional resident shall be valid for two years from the date of issuance or to the date the conditional resident must apply for removal of the conditions on his or her status, whichever dates comes first. A reentry permit may not be extended. Furthermore, a reentry permit may not be issued if the applicant has already been issued such a document and it is still valid, unless the prior document has been returned to the USCIS or the applicant demonstrates that it was lost or a notice was published in the Federal Register that precludes the issuance of such a document for travel to the area where the applicant intends to go.
A reentry permit does not relieve the holder of the permit of any of the requirements of U.S. immigration laws. An alien who may not return to the U.S. within the two-year reentry validity period should seek a special immigrant visa at the U.S. consulate in order to return to the United States.
Possession of a reentry permit does not guarantee the alien's readmission to the U.S. It also does not prevent the Port of Entry officials from inquiring as to whether the permit holder abandoned his permanent residency. The alien still must be admissible when applying for readmission to the U.S. Note: Duration of an alien's absence especially a lengthy absence may be relevant to his/her admissibility into the U.S. Even though a green card holder (LPR) may have the reentry permit, the failure to pay U.S. income taxes as a "resident" of the U.S. during the absence usually shows an intention contrary to that required of a green card holder.
An LPR who is interested in applying for naturalization should note that applying for a reentry permit does not negate the effect of a lengthy absence on his/her ability to meet the requirement for naturalization.
Preserving Residence for Naturalization/Eligibility for Extended Absence Benefits (N-470)
A permanent resident (LPR) may be able to preserve residency (lawful permanent resident status), which he/she previously gained for naturalization purposes, even though he or she may be residing outside the United States for longer than one year by filing Form N-470. In such case, the time spent abroad may be counted towards the residency requirement for naturalization purpose or to meet the eligibility for extended absence benefits. See the table at: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-d-chapter-5
Filing N-470 does not relieve an LPR from obtaining a reentry permit in advance of trips outside USA for one year or more, nor does it relieve the LPR from the physical presence requirement needed for naturalization purpose. In most cases, before filing N-470, the LPR must have been physically present and residing in the U.S. for an uninterrupted period (without any absences whatsoever even if such absences are brief and are necessary for the LPR to prepare for his or her foreign assignment) for at least one year after becoming an LPR. Also, N-470 must be filed before the LPR have been absent from the U.S. for a continuous period of one year with appropriate evidence of eligibility that may include letters or affidavits from the concerned employer/organization. Approval of N-470 will be only for the employment and conditions stated in it. Any changes of employment must be approved by a new application.
Typically, persons employed in specific jobs of U.S. government; private sector; and religious organizations file N-470. Whether a U.S. corporation can qualify its employees for extended absence naturalization benefits depends on the "nationality" of the company (US company must be 50% owned by U.S. nationals or foreign subsidiary must be 50% owned by a U.S. company). Some U.S. owned joint ventures and consortia therefore, do not qualify. If no single U.S. Company owns more than 50% of the foreign subsidiary even though U.S. companies hold the majority of the subsidiary's shares, subsidiary's employees do not qualify for extended absence naturalization benefits.
The reason of the absence due to employment abroad may vary. It may be due to employment taken up on behalf of U.S. government (even under contract and includes members of U.S. Armed Services); carrying scientific research on behalf of an American research institution; engaging in development of foreign trade and commerce on behalf of a U.S. firm/corporation (includes subsidiary also); protecting property rights outside of U.S. of an American firm/corporation engaged in development of foreign trade and commerce of U.S.; public international organization of which U.S. is a member; and in the capacity of a clergyman or clergywoman, missionary, brother, nun or sister of a denomination or mission having a bona fide organization in the United States.
The Form N-470 must be filed before the person departs from the United States except religious workers who may apply before or after departure, or after return to the United States. The religious workers are not required to have lived in the United States for a specific period of time prior to the filing of N-470. Similar exception is granted to alien members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In such cases the LPR employee who filed N-470 is considered physically present in the US during such employment abroad and does not need a reentry permit.
An N-470 applicant may extend the benefit of preserving residency to his or her spouse and dependent children who are all members of the same household and have lived with the main applicant while abroad. An LPR who have claimed nonresident status under the income tax laws may be or become ineligible for preserving the continuous residency.
Note: Unless the context shows otherwise, all answers here were provided by Rajiv and were compiled and reported by our editorial team from comments, blog and community calls on immigration.com. Where transcribed from audio/video, a verbatim transcript is provided. Therefore, it may not conform to the written grammatical or syntactical form.
Submitted by Sandy Boudreau (not verified) on Tue, 03/01/2022 - 11:38 Permalink
My son returning to the US on a green card
My son went to NZ on a student visa to attend school. A few weeks after he left covid hit and NZ locked down. He was hoping to come home within 6 months of school to visit, but due to lock down, and 2 years and he finally came home. NZ opened it borders for him to leave. We did not think or know about the reentry form for green card holders. We have never left the country as long as my son. He just arrived in LA last night and got his green card revoked. He is on his way home in Atlanta. Is there a way to contest it. I would appreciate any help you can give.
Submitted by Rajiv S. Khanna on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 09:00 Permalink
Get a local lawyer in LA to fight it. There seems to be a good reason to stay abroad.
Submitted by Sakina (not verified) on Mon, 01/02/2023 - 13:54 Permalink In reply to My son returning to the US on a green card by Rajiv S. Khanna
How can you add a new family member to an existing and approved N-470 form?
This answer is for information purposes only and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Submitted by Simrat (not verified) on Wed, 07/20/2022 - 16:40 Permalink
RE entry permit
My father applied for a re entry permit while he was in US after which he left for India in AUG2021. His case status shows that "case was updated to show fingerprints were taken" but have not received the permit as of today while his one full year of absence from US will be complete by AUG 30 , 2022. So the concern is how can he receive his "re - entry " permit in time without putting his green card status in jeopardy or will he have to come to US before the end of AUG 2022 ?
Submitted by Rajiv S. Khanna on Sun, 08/07/2022 - 13:23 Permalink
I have not researched this issue, but I think it may be prudent to travel back.
Submitted by Priyank Patel (not verified) on Tue, 12/20/2022 - 02:36 Permalink
April 2021 - I-526 got approved June 2021 - I-485, I-131 & I-765 submitted at USCIS February 2022 - Got AP/EAD May 2022 - Given biometrics for I-485 at USCIS September - I-485 approved and got Conditional green card
My question is I will travel to India for 5 months on conditional green card so I ask my lawyer to visit India for 5 months and they told me if you leave US more then 3 months we recommend to apply Reentry Permit and they give me estimated amount of $4320 so I fill a Reentry Permit I-131 form my self and submitted to USCIS on October 2022. USCIS reuse my previously captured fingerprints but my I-131 is not approved yet so I can travel without I-131 approved?
Submitted by Adnan A. (not verified) on Mon, 01/09/2023 - 11:35 Permalink
LPR prolonged absence for 3-4 years
My US employer (in the private sector) intends to send me to one of our subsidiaries overseas for 3 years or more (my employer owns less than 50% in this subsidiary). I recently obtained my green card in mid 2022. I'm planning to leave my grown-up child in the US, keep my property (or probably lease it out and rent another apartment for my visits), bank accounts, car, etc. in the US. The plan is that I (and my spouse) will do short visits back to the US every 6 months or less. How will this impact our citizenship application when we return to the US and how do we keep our eligibility for it?
Reentry Permit ,Reentry Permit ,Form N-470 Related Videos


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Q: Utility engineer trying to understand electric vehicle charging when the car is getting "topped off" I'm an engineer trying to understand the impact electric vehicles will have on service transformers and other customer facing grid equipment. I'm mainly interested in the energy consumption profiles of EVs, specifically how they charge as well as the nuances.
I understand that the vast majority of EVs charge using the constant current / constant voltage charging algorithm (CC/CV) or some variation of it, but I was wondering what happens when the vehicle is getting "topped off". For instance, if I fully charged my Tesla then drove 40 miles, what would the energy consumption profile look like when I plugged it back in? Would it jump back to its peak power rating (11.5 kW) immediately? Would it recognize that it is at a high SOC and trickle charge?
Couldn't find an answer in the literature. This is a big concern for us utility engineers as we want to quantify the impact of short commutes. Any insight anyone can share would be highly appreciated.

A: I can't speak for how other EVs charge, but for my 2017 Tesla (90KW battery) the charge rate slows down the "fuller" the battery gets. For example, charging from 15% to 50% takes about 15 minutes, while charging from 90% to 100% takes half an hour.
Generally, you should avoid "topping off" an EV. It reduces the life of the battery. You should also avoid charging to 100%, partly because it wears the battery out faster and partly because the regenerative braking doesn't work above 90%.
By default, the car will stop charging at 90%. I only raise it if I'm going on a long trip.

A: Generally, batteries charge relatively slowly, or quickly for only a short time, when near full charge.
At a given voltage (once reached from CC phase), the current drops over time.  Not quite exponentially (like a capacitor charging through a resistor), but slower (due to ionic diffusion, so current might drop more like \$t^{-1/2}\$ instead).
The exact response is complex, depending on charge/discharge history over a relatively long time scale (hours or days), but this is close enough for overview purposes.  The above also assumes a charging cycle with a step-like stimulus (which is to say: it'll respond differently if we modulate the current or voltage during charge, fairly obvious) -- but we also aren't too concerned about that, because other waveforms simply charge slower.
Anyway, you basically have the same gradually-decaying charging curve, and you start somewhere along it relative to SoC.  It can accept a lot of current from low SoC (limited by safe terminal voltage, internal resistance, and temp rise), which then tapers off over time (once reaching, then held at, CV).  At high SoC, you start quite far down the curve already, and not much current may flow; little or no CC phase might occur.  So, even if say 60 kW is available from the charger, only maybe 20 might flow, and tapering off over time at that.
The cutoff also depends; a charger could opt for a lower cutoff voltage (still waiting for the 10% or whatever termination current to occur, if not terminated by user sooner), or terminate it automatically (at higher than the usual threshold).  I don't know the specifics of premature cutoff; it may result in more wear, and certainly results in less charge (that's the point!), but that charge will eventually distribute itself through the cell (again, ionic diffusion going on) so it's not like you're missing out on efficiency or capacity (besides the capacity already lost to the early cutoff, which again, was the point, heh).
As for what the grid sees, at least for a single car, it's likely some kind of flat, then tapering off, load.  At least for single vehicles.  For multiple, the power supply may pass this to the grid as-is, or manage charge rates of multiple vehicles to give a smoother load -- for that, you'd have to ask the manufacturers if they have any strategies as far as managing loads.


I saw this image when I was walking down a street in London, a cloud behind a bare tree that seemed to draw an outline of the missing foliage. I found it so whimsical that I immediately made a note of it in my sketchbook.
I made several versions of this image some that included animals and people but they always became a distraction and I started losing the point of the drawing. In the end I went for simplicity, the two separate elements that come together by chance and seem to draw a memory of Spring.