Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security has partnered with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to establish a regional Geographic Information Systems Hub.
The hub, announced in late August, will focus on educating the next generation of the geospatial workforce. It will also provide support for local governments that use GIS mapping data to make better decisions for resilient communities, plant and animal species, watershed health, business concerns, and public health.
The partnership will assist local, state and regional government organizations with mapping projects by involving UMass Amherst students and faculty with geospatial mapping, data analysis and transformation, as well as acquisition of data, software and consulting services.
The hub will work in coordination with regional planning organizations, private businesses, and other higher education institutions to assist in meeting its mission.
The hub has the following objectives:
• Strengthen UMass Amherst’s engagement with and support for western Massachusetts communities
• Establish new workforce development pathways for both undergraduate and graduate students
• Build upon the strong GIS research program at UMass Amherst
• Strengthen links between the Massachusetts Office of the State Geologist/Geological Survey and MassGIS
• Further the MassGIS mission to support the public and private sectors in using geospatial data and technology for decision-making
• Support statewide efforts for more comprehensive and higher quality geospatial data
Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder said the partnership with UMass Amherst will advance “critical state goals around regional equity, workforce development and decision-making informed by current, high-quality data.”
The Hub will be operational in the fall semester. Any data created will be available to the public under a broadly permissive license structure and will be served by MassGIS.
Visit the MassGIS website for more information on MassGIS.