Join us on October 15th at 3:30 in Thomas & Nell Lafferre Hall room E3510 for the DSA Seminar Series and hear Thomas Vought, Senior GIS Specialist at the University of Missouri present:

"Preparing for Missouri’s Collaborative Geospatial Future"

The role of geospatial data clearinghouses is changing. In a world where feature classes are simultaneously updated by multiple field crews using off-the-shelf technology, precision sensor arrays provide around-the-clock streams of live measurements, and high-resolution aerial photography is used to generate building footprints for whole cities at the speed of machine learning, traditional clearinghouse tasks like managing metadata and publishing imagery services are no longer enough to remain relevant to their users and stakeholders. The Missouri Spatial Data Information Service is preparing for a future characterized by resource-intensive requests, emerging technologies, and multi-agency collaboration. Whether through adopting new platforms to enhance data sharing capacity, training current and future generations of geospatial professionals, working closely with state partners, or bridging the gaps between academia and the private sector, MSDIS remains at the center of Missouri’s geospatial ecosystem.

Tom Vought is a Senior GIS Specialist at the University of Missouri where he manages the Missouri Spatial Data Information Service (MSDIS), the GIS data clearinghouse for the state of Missouri. He earned his M.A. in Geography from Kansas State University in 2006.

Under Tom’s management, MSDIS has been rebuilt to take advantage of modern geospatial data sharing technologies and server infrastructure, culminating in the recent deployment of a 6” resolution statewide aerial photography service. Tom received the Outstanding Contribution in GIS Award by the Missouri GIS Advisory Council in 2021 and the GIS Coordination Award by the MidAmerica GIS Consortium in 2022.

In addition to his work with the clearinghouse, Tom provides geospatial support to multiple interdisciplinary grants, teaches an introductory geospatial technology course, mentors undergraduate students interested in pursuing geospatial careers, serves on the Missouri GIS Advisory Council, and has represented Missouri at both the MId-America GIS Consortium and the National States Geographic Information Council.

About the Data Science Seminar:

The Data Science & Analytics Seminar Series hosts monthly talks that foster interdisciplinary dialogue among students, faculty, and industry professionals exploring data-driven research, emerging technologies, and real-world applications. It serves as a collaborative space for sharing ideas, presenting work, and building connections across fields in the rapidly evolving world of data science and analytics.