The GeoHub project recently organized a two-day conference at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA), bringing together local experts, faculty, and students from AUCA, as well as members of the wider OSUN community. The event highlighted some of the latest developments in geospatial technologies and Earth observation data. The opening speech by AUCA's Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Nurgul Ukueva, set the stage for an engaging and inspiring two days of discussions, workshops, and networking.
The conference started with a captivating speech by Lorant Czaran, Scientific Affairs Officer at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). Mr. Czaran's talk focused on the application of Earth observation data and geospatial technologies for monitoring global agendas, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlighted the importance of utilizing technologies such as satellite imagery, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and remote sensing to collect and analyze data related to global issues like climate change, environmental degradation, land use, and urbanization. This talk was especially relevant in light of the recent disaster caused by the earthquake in Türkiye, and it was broadcasted to all registered participants, drawing a crowd from across the globe.
Day two of the conference was equally thrilling, with a hands-on ArcGIS workshop by CEU Professor Viktor Lagutov. The workshop, titled "Mapping Our World with ArcGIS," was a practical session that allowed participants to explore the full potential of ArcGIS, a powerful mapping tool that is widely used in a variety of fields. The event introduced ArcGIS and its applications, as well as covered the basics of working with spatial data and data management, spatial analysis using ArcGIS tools, and creating maps and visualizing spatial data.
In addition to the public lecture and workshop, a number of meetings between the invited speakers and AUCA faculty members also took place, focusing on the discussions around the potential activities and initiatives within the framework of the OSUN’s GeoHub project. The conference was a huge success, thanks in large part to the dedicated efforts of GeoHub's project co-directors, Dr. Lagutov and Executive Director of the AUCA's Tian Shan Policy Center, Kanat Sultanaliev.
