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GIS Workshops and Development
Stay ahead of the curve with our upcoming lineup of GIS events and hands-on workshops for the 2025–2026 academic year. Whether you're a student, researcher, or just interested in GIS, these events offer valuable opportunities to explore cutting-edge tools, emerging technologies, and real-world applications of GeoAI, spatial modeling, and app development.
From wildfire readiness assessments to water quality modelling and no-code web app design, each session is led by experts in the field, including industry leaders from Esri Canada. Plus, don't miss key events like the Esri Education & Research Conference and the Esri Canada ECCE App Challenge.
For more information about any event, please contact Kathy Tang (ktang28@uwo.ca).
📍SSC 1059
Jonathan Van Dusen, Higher Education Specialist (Developer/Analyst), Esri Canada
Learn how GeoAI methods can optimize spatial analysis. Explore the fundamentals of GeoAI and its practical use in assessing wildfire readiness. Includes a hands-on demo using GeoAI models.
This event is sponsored by Western Sustainable Impact Fund.
📅 Thursday, October 16, from 8:30am-4:30pm
🎓 Esri Education & Research Conference
📍 Hart House, University of Toronto
The 6th biennial GIS in Education and Research Conference hosted by Esri Canada in partnership with the University of Toronto. Please visit the ESRI official conference site for information on the keynote speaker, workshops, call for papers, and other event details. Free for all Western ECCE Associates.
Please contact Kathy Tang (ktang28@uwo.ca) if you're interested in attending this conference.
🧠Introduction to Story Maps
📍Zoom (registration required https://arcg.is/jvTSf0)
This beginner-friendly workshop hosted by Western Libraries will walk you through the basics of creating your own story map, explore examples across disciplines, and highlight ways to share research, projects, or community stories in an interactive format.
Contact: Liz Sutherland liz.sutherland@uwo.ca
🧠Building your first Data Dashboard
📍Zoom (registration required https://arcg.is/jvTSf0)
Discover how to transform data into clear, interactive visual stories with ArcGIS Dashboards.
This beginner-friendly workshop will guide you through the basics of building dashboards, showcase examples across disciplines, and demonstrate how real-time visuals can support research, projects, and community engagement.
No prior GIS experience required.
Contact: Research and Scholarly Communication - rsclib@uwo.ca
📅Friday, November 14, from 1:30-3:30pm
🧠 GeoAI for Transporation: From Modeling Driving Behaviours to Detecting Crosswalks with Deep Learning
📍SSC 1059
Presenter: Dr. Peiqi Zhang, Postdoctoral Associate, Human Environments Analysis Laboratory
Kathy Tang, GIS Analyst, Geography & Environment Department
Explore how geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) is transforming the way we understand cities and improve everyday life. The workshop begins with an introduction to how different types of location data —points, polylines, polygons, and networks—can be encoded and used to train AI models. Dr. Zhang will demonstrate how an unsupervised deep learning model helps uncover between cruising and direct parking behaviors using GPS trajectory data from a real-world transportation study in Washington, DC.
In the second part of the workshop, Kathy will lead a hands-on session using ArcGIS Pro’s deep learning tools to identify pedestrian crosswalks that need repainting—helping improve road safety and urban accessibility. By the end, you’ll understand the core of GeoAI data encodings, see an end-to-end modeling example, and discover why GeoAI is one of the most exciting frontiers in geospatial technology today.
Register here: https://forms.gle/eiiUhb8UF9N6aqVq6
* This event is sponsored by Western Sustainable Impact Fund. Please contact ktang28@uwo.ca if you have any questions.
📅Tuesday, November 25, from 1:30-3:00pm
🧠GeoAI Workshop: From Field Data to AI Models: Water Quality Modeling in UTRCA
📍SSC 1059
Presenters: Craig Irwin, Water Quality Specialist, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority Kathy Tang, GIS Analyst, Geography & Environment Department, Western University
Ever wonder how scientists keep track of what’s happening in our local lakes and reservoirs? Monitoring key water quality indicators—like total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved oxygen (DO)—helps us understand lake health, manage algae growth, and protect aquatic life.
In this workshop, please join Craig Irwin, Water Quality Specialist at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, as he explores the Conservation Authority’s role in Watershed Management, water quality trends in phosphorus and chloride levels, and key data gaps—highlighting opportunities for future collaboration.
Then, Kathy will introduce two machine learning models, Random Forest and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and demonstrate how these tools can be applied to predict and map TP and DO concentrations in three small reservoirs in the Upper Thames River Conservation Area. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or simply curious about how technology is helping us care for our environment, this hands-on session will show how data and AI are shaping the future of water management.
Please click the link below to register the workshop: https://forms.gle/bhFzTYSY6yucQjt28
*** This event is sponsored by Western Sustainable Impact Fund. Please contact ktang28@uwo.ca if you have any questions
📅February2026
🧠GeoAI Workshop: Develop an App without Coding - ArcGIS Experience Builder and ArcGIS Dashboard
📍SSC 1059
Use ArcGIS Experience Builder and Dashboards to build interactive web apps, without writing code! Learn layout design, widget configuration, and UI best practices.
📅February 2026
🏆Western ECCE App Challenge
📍SSC 1059
An Esri Canada competition for ECCE students to develop innovative GIS apps using open data.