The U.S. Census Bureau launched GeoForum today, a free, two-day virtual conference dedicated to exploring the science, technology, and innovation underpinning its geography and geospatial data. The event features diverse sessions covering partnership programs, mapping, metadata, and the Bureau's geographic initiatives.
Geographers, data users, and geospatial practitioners are invited to participate and learn about the creation, maintenance, and dissemination of modern geospatial data and products. Presentations from Census Bureau subject matter experts include topics like TIGER Products and Applications, Geographic Update Projects, and Metadata and AI. Partner organizations such as IPUMS USA, National Historical GIS, and the Missouri Census Data Center GeoCorr will also share their insights.
Geography is fundamental to the Census Bureau's operations, forming the framework for survey design, data collection, and dissemination, while providing essential context to statistical data. The Bureau emphasizes that utilizing the latest geographic methodologies is crucial to its mission as a leading provider of statistical and geospatial data, ensuring its concepts evolve with the needs of researchers and analysts.