GIS Day for Education 2017

GIS DAY FOR EDUCATION – Space School Educational Initiative

National High School of Mathematics and Sciences “Acad. L. Chakalov”
30 November 2017

PROGRAM

The first GIS Day for Education in Bulgaria was held on 30 November 2017 at the National High School of Mathematics and Sciences (NHSMS) “Acad. L. Chakalov” in relation with the International GIS Day Initiative, celebrated on 15th of November 2017 and on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the NHSMS. The event is organized under the Space School Educational Initiative, joint initiative of Space Research and Technology Institute – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (SRTI-BAS), SCGIS Chapter Bulgaria and Bulgarian Astronautical Society (BAS) in partnership with ESRI Bulgaria, ESRI Education team, NHSMS, EARSeL, DigitalGlobe Foundation, Copernicus Academy and Canadian Space School.

The event consisted of two parts – an educational workshop for students and a round table with educational presentations and discussion, in which students, teachers, scientists and professionals in the field of geomatics participated. Students from four schools in Sofia Municipality – NHSMS “Acad. L. Chakalov”, 3rd High School “Marin Drinov”, First English Language School and 128 High School „Albert Einstein“ took part in the GIS Day for Education. The event was also attended by the Director of the Information Systems Directorate at the Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre Agency. The event was opened by the Deputy Director of National High School of Mathematics and Sciences (NHSMS) “Acad. L. Chakalov”, Mrs. Nelly Dyankova. A greeting address by the Mayor of Sofia Municipality Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova was read.

The educational workshop part of the GIS Day for education began with a video presentation from Dr. Joseph Kerski, Education Manager at ESRI, USA and lecturer at the University of Denver, USA with greeting towards Bulgarian students devoted to geography and geographic information systems. Evgenia Karadjova, general manager of ESRI Bulgaria presented to the students the free educational resources of ESRI, which they can use in the process of their education and to learn geographic information system. The first part of the GIS Day ended with a speech by Eng. Petrov from the Geodesy, Cartography and Cadaste Agency about the role of GIS in cartography, cadaster and education.

The second part of the educational event included a round table with discussion, within which 5 educational presentations were presented and a fruitful discussion was held. The participants learnt about the Space School educational initiative and its objectives and about the application of geoinformation technologies and the satellite technologies for Earth observation and in which subjects studied in secondary schools they have application. Two of the partner organizations, EARSeL и DigitalGlobe Foundation, and their activities to support education were presented. In the last presentation ESRI Bulgaria presented to the participants how ESRI supports secondary education.

 

 

PROGRAM

13:30–14:10 – Educational workshop for students from secondary schools

  • Video presentation from Dr. Joseph Kerski, Education Manager at ESRI, USA and lecturer at the University of Denver, USA with greeting towards Bulgarian students devoted to geography and geographic information systems (7 min.)
  • Free Educational Resources of ESRI – Evgenia Karadjova, ESRI Bulgaria (30 min.)

 14:20–16:10 – Round Table with educational presentations and discussion for students’ representatives, teachers, education experts, scientists and specialists in the geomatics.

  • Presentation of Space School educational initiative – Chief Assist. Prof. Dr. Stefan Stamenov, SRTI-BAS, SCGIS Chapter Bulgaria, BAS (10 min.)
  • Role and application of GIS and remote sensing in the school subjects in the secondary education in Bulgaria – Prof. Dr. Vanya Stamenova, SRTI-BAS, SCGIS Chapter Bulgaria, BAS (10 min.)
  • European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories (EARSeL) – brief overview and educational activities – Prof. Dr. Vanya Stamenova, National representative to EARSeL for Bulgaria (5 min.)
  • DigitalGlobe Foundation overview – Devon Libby, Manager at DigitalGlobe Foundation (10 min.)
  • How ESRI supports secondary school education – Evgenia Karadjova, ESRI Bulgaria (10 min.)
  • Discussion (60 min.)

Organizers and partners