Brian Nairn
Sessions auxquelles Brian Nairn assiste
Lundi 12 Mai, 2025
This open forum invites all attendees to engage in discussions on Canada’s path toward greater self-reliance in the geospatial sector, particularly in light of emerging trade conflicts, including the recent U.S. tariffs, and evolving global geopolitical shifts. The forum will explore strategies to strengthen Canada’s technological capabilities and reduce reliance on external sources, with a focus on fostering innovation, security, and growth.
Mardi 13 Mai, 2025
Mini Continental BreakfastGeoIgnite is delighted to offer a selection of chilled fruit juices, freshly baked croissants, muffins, and breakfast pastries, served with butter and preserves. Guests can also enjoy fruit cocktails and yogurt. Available beverages include coffee, tea, and decaffeinated coffee.
For decades, Canada’s geospatial ecosystem has thrived on deep integration with the U.S., benefiting from shared technology, markets, and collaboration. But today, shifting geopolitical and economic realities—trade conflicts, supply chain vulnerabilities, and data sovereignty concerns—are forcing us to rethink this reliance. The question is no longer whether we should adapt, but how.
Dr. Nadine Alameh, the inaugural Executive Director of the Taylor Geospatial Institute, has been leading an ambitious effort to accelerate geospatial research for tackling today’s biggest challenges—climate, disasters, health, and national security. In this session, she will reflect on what it takes to build a truly impactful geospatial ecosystem, challenge assumptions about the roles of national mapping agencies, academia, and nonprofi...
The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) is Canada's agency for charting Canadian waters. Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world, with more than a third of its territory under water. As a maritime nation, global maritime transport traffic is significant. Hydrography supports safe navigation and shipping through the production of nautical charts and other publications including water levels. With opportunities provided by emerging technologies and the move to e-navig...
Artificial Intelligence is transforming how we interpret and act on information—but what does that mean for the geospatial world? As AI models generate synthetic maps, infer locations, and automate analysis, geospatial professionals face a critical moment: will we shape the future, or be shaped by it?In this session, the CEO of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) will explore the complex relationship between AI and geospatial systems—from the risks of black-box models and data halluci...
Enjoy a satisfying lunch inspired by classic Italian flavors. Begin with artisanal garlic focaccia and a classic Caesar salad with creamy dressing, croutons, and bacon bits. A medley of olives and marinated mushrooms adds a savory touch.For the main course, enjoy chicken scallopini glazed with a lemon caper sauce, served alongside potato gnocchi in a tomato and basil sa...
At GeoIgnite 2025, Alexander will explore how Canada's geospatial community is uniquely positioned to lead in developing solutions to environmental challenges in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. Drawing on compelling case studies from around the globe, including successful Dutch-Canadian collaborations, he will demonstrate how geospatial technologies are becoming indispensable tools for environmental monitoring, climate resilience planning, and sustainable...
Keith J. Masback is one of the most respected voices in the field of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), with over three decades of leadership spanning the U.S. government, military, and private sector. His deep expertise in remote sensing, intelligence, and national security has positioned him at the forefront of how geospatial data is used for strategic decision-making.As the former CEO of the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) and a senior leader at the National ...
A seasoned leader in geomatics and Earth Observation with two decades of experience in the federal government, Eric Loubier has vast expertise in developing and implementing national geomatics and Earth observation strategies. In his talk, Eric will explore the integration of AI with Earth observation, and how this powerful combination is transforming Canada’s approach to addressing critical national issues like climate change, natural resource management, urban planning, and disaster response.
Mercredi 14 Mai, 2025
Mini Continental BreakfastGeoIgnite is delighted to offer a selection of chilled fruit juices, freshly baked croissants, muffins, and breakfast pastries, served with butter and preserves. Guests can also enjoy fruit cocktails and yogurt. Available beverages include coffee, tea, and decaffeinated coffee.
The Oceans cover more than 70% of our Planet… with offshore, near shore and coastal waters including rivers and lakes that are navigable or not.This Keynote Address will kick off the Hydrospatial Track on Day TWO of the GeoIgnite 2025 - Ottawa. The presentation will articulate the context and the timing of WHAT is HYDROSPATIAL in the global Geospatial community? SO WHAT is important to Measure, to Monitor an to Model? THEN WHAT is the Strategy, the Challenges, t...
As the geopolitical landscape shifts and a new global space economy emerges, Canada must navigate complex international dynamics and seize opportunities in all facets of the space ecosystem. In this talk, we will explore how space can be part of the solution to geopolitical and national challenges—and what Canada must do to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
As the built asset industry embraces digital transformation, the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Digital Twin technologies is redefining how we manage the built environment. While BIM facilitates data-rich 3D modeling during design and construction, Digital Twins extend this functionality into operations, enabling real-time insights and lifecycle optimization.Attendees will gain insights into buildingSMART Canada’s initiatives supporting this integration, its ali...
Each season the Earth Observation Team of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) maps crop types of individual fields across Canada. They developed an operational in-house software system to decipher crop types using satellite observations and trustworthy ground information. Multi-temporal optical & SAR data are collected over the agricultural growing regions of Canada. These images are combined with provincial crop insurance data (the most accurate, detailed and complet...
Presenting the CHN and highlighting how its new features leverage advancements in hydrography to improve both water-related models and their applications to support decision making. The Canadian Hydrospatial Network (CHN) was officially launched this past May, marking a significant milestone in the development of hydrospatial networks in Canada. Over the past year, the network has expanded and grown in importance, positioning itself as a key resource for the future of its field. CHN continues...
Under the FHIMP, Natural Resources Canada, supported by Public Safety and Environment and Climate Change Canada, collaborates with provinces and territories to create, and disseminate engineering-level flood hazard maps and information. In this presentation, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) will provide an update on the ongoing work under FHIMP with results of the first stage of the FHIMP (2021-24) and the kickoff of the FHIMP expansion (2023-2028) which will see investments in every jurisdic...
This talk will highlight method innovations in water research using satellite earth observations (SEO) in the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation (CCMEO) of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). They include dynamic surface water mapping and modelling for water areas and water volume changes, terrestrial water storage variations, groundwater recharge evolution and storage changes, water extreme events (drought and flood) characterization, and environmental and climate impacts on the w...
In 1976 the Canadian Hydrographic Service was the first hydrographic agency to recognize and display a satellite-discovered feature on a nautical chart. This was the discovery of Landsat island off the coast of Labrador.In the time since the capabilities of satellites to survey coastal waters have grown exponentially yet the use of satellite based depth information on nautical charts has not. Satellite based surveying offers a multitude of benefits to the safety of operations, empowering ...
Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Emergency Geomatics Service (EGS), under the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation (CCMEO), supports the national and international emergency response efforts by providing rapid disaster mapping services. This presentation will give an overview of the service and highlight examples of how it uses satellite imagery and advanced remote sensing technologies to assess the impact of natural disasters like floods, geohazards, and wildfires, enhancing sit...
Unlocking the Power of EO and AI through Collaboration and PartnershipsThis panel will explore the transformative power of Earth Observations (EO) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), emphasizing the critical role of collaboration and partnerships in unlocking the full potential of these technologies. As global challenges continue to evolve, th...
The convergence of generative artificial intelligence and geospatial technology is transforming how we validate and ensure the quality of location-based data. This talk explores how AWS is enabling new approaches to geospatial data validation through the power of generative AI, which helps public and private sector organizations achieve their sustainability missions.As we operate in a world with more earth observation data being generated everyday, the planet is imaged daily and, with ...
Enjoy a fresh and satisfying lunch featuring a house blend of baby spinach, kale, and mesclun greens with feta cheese, pumpkin, chia, and poppy seeds, dried cranberries, and golden raisins. A tomato and cucumber salad with lime and avocado dressing adds a refreshing touch, alongside a medley of mixed greens with assorted dressings.For the main course, savor freshly roas...
Digital Twins hold enormous potential for the buildings and infrastructure sectors, but their implementation faces key challenges. What is a Digital Twin? The industry lacks a clear consensus, leading to misinformation and confusion. While Digital Twins can scale, not every project requires every possible capability—so how do we manage this effectively? More importantly, the industry is not ready—foundational work in data standards, interoperability, and governance is still needed.In r...
Join us as we wrap up another incredible edition of GeoIgnite with a celebration on the tradeshow floor. We’ll come together for a group photo of all our amazing participants, partners, and friends.This final moment is our way of saying thank you to everyone who helped make GeoIgnite a success — from speakers and sponsors to delegates and volunteers. Let’s end on a high note and capture the spirit of Canada’s national geospatial leadership event, together.