Looking forward to 2011

by Ilse Genovese

Many of us take a few moments at this time of year to reflect on our accomplishments and start planning for the New Year. Looking back at 2010, one can only conclude that it was a difficult year for ACSM and its member organizations. A less than successful annual convention, dropping membership, drastic cuts from an already “fat-free” 2010 ACSM budget, sooner-than-expected transition to online publishing of our flagship magazine, and a looming proposition of yet another member organization contemplating leaving the “mother ship” were some of the reasons which color our perception of 2010. No doubt we absorbed a hefty dose of reality with each tighten-your-belt measure, but, and here is a wager from a non-gambling person, we’ll pull through this “shellacking”. We’ll not only pull through, we’ll emerge stronger and better. Already, there are signs that many of us see 2010 as a beginning of the debunking of some myths. Myth #1: The geospatial community has found its national voice. Wrong. It’s trying to do so, but it needs to take further steps to get there and be successful [see Bill Hazelton’s article “Steps towards a national geospatial voice” on p. 12]. Myth #2: Continue doing business as usual and things will be O.K. Wrong. We need to re-examine where we are vis-a-vis the wider geospatial community, identify areas we have successfully led in, and find new leadership roles which will increase the standing of ACSM both within its own community of geospatial professionals and the world beyond [see Bill Glassey’s column on “Why we need a national organization” on p. 31]. Myth #3: “The global geospatial community is moving toward authoritative data in mapping.” Really? Try casually mentioning the term “authoritative data” in conversation and you’ll get an earful about “precision” and “accuracy” and "legal principles." The jury is still out on the “precise and accurately measured location of the divisive line between precision and accuracy,” but surveyors can [and should] position themselves in the forefront of erasing that line with truly authoritative data—i.e., accurate property boundaries and precise geographic attributes of that property on Earth, both of which will then contribute to accurate GIS maps. That’s one of the leadership roles I have on my wish list for ACSM in 2011. It would be most satisfying to be able to write in my 2011 end-of-year letter, mission accomplished!