Reprinted with permission from Esri. https://www.esri.com/about/newsroom/arcnews/the-importance-of-institutions/ By Tim Trainor Institutions are important. While there may be a tendency to think of institutions as physical things, such as buildings on a university campus, institutions are also people. Universities and government agencies are examples of crucial institutions that advance the fields of cartography and geospatial science. Professional associations are also institutions and serve different purposes. For instance, national and international cartographic associations—like the International Cartographic Association (ICA), which celebrated its 60th year in 2019—bring together people who have various levels of interest in maps, mapping, and other related topics in geospatial science. These institutions can include formally trained cartographers, professionals who practice cartography in their work, researchers in a diverse range of geospatial science topics, and people who have a general interest in cartography and maps. Lots of people love maps, so it’s easy to see why those who share this interest come together through the various programs put on by cartographic organizations. Institutions like national and international professional societies are well positioned to address areas of interest in cartography and GIScience for those who are beginning to explore or are already immersed in the profession. These societies often have a better […]