* Once you sign up with this speaker you will receive an email in the next 48 hours introducing you to them. Please work out a suitable time for them to virtually visit your classroom. Sessions starting at 9 am is for morning visits and sessions starting at 1 pm are for afternoon visits.

He went from loving work that had him sleeping in a tent most nights (...he still loves sleeping in a tent by the way) to enjoying using computers to help solve sustainability problems.

While he "can't draw a straight line with ruler", he enjoys making some cool maps with the help of a computer.

He is researching how machine learning can help in natural resource work -- how the same techniques that do "facial recognition" can be used to identify important ecosystem features from imagery of the world.

He volunteers frequently with the K-12 community, is passionate about the role of GIS has in helping us understand our world, and sees where this technology has a role in nearly all areas of work - from health care, to business, to environmental management.

Activity Options

Volunteering with Tech Week in the past, I've created an online 'map tour' of the school that students create in real-time with me. Given our virtual meeting, I could can run a similar type of activity, but will need to coordinate with teachers beforehand and have the students collect and send the data (photos and descriptions) in advance of the day. Alternatively, I have a one-time only "pandemic special offer" (may never be repeated...get your tickets now!).

1) Create an online 'map tour' of the school and schoolyard. Pictures and descriptions of important school areas will be provided by the students. The students choose the areas they'd like to highlight (i.e. if I was a visitor to the school or if they brought a grandparent for a tour, what areas would they show and where are they located). I'd only need to coordinate on having photos and descriptions sent a bit in advance.

2) "Pandemic special offer" of teacher/class choice. Send me a brief note on the topic the class is currently working on in geography, social science, history, etc., and I will show them how and why GIS has a role there. Covid?...GIS. Anthropology?...GIS. Immigration?...GIS. Citizenship?...GIS. Economics?...GIS. A bold statement, but I'll find a way to demonstrate that GIS and/or remote sensing can play a part in the topic the class is working on.

Organization: Confederation College

Area of Expertise: Keith has a background and research interest in the use of GIS and remote sensing (satellite imagery, drones, etc.) to help support sustainable decision making of our natural resources. His Master's degree focused on the use of GIS to model/map wildlife habitat and he has been hooked ever since. He teaches GIS courses in the natural resource programs at Confederation College.

Technology Requirements: The ability for your class to participate in a 2 way online video conference with the speaker. This includes a microphone, camera, speaker, and smartboard or tv (to see the speaker).