2025-11-04 –, Lake Thoreau
Discover how modern spatial data infrastructure leverages open standards and collaboration between open-source and proprietary platforms. Learn practical approaches to building connected geospatial ecosystems using OGC standards, mixed technology stacks, and community-driven solutions.
The geospatial community has long dreamed of a connected world where spatial data flows freely between systems and organizations. Today, that vision is becoming reality through the adoption of open standards and the collaboration between open-source and proprietary platforms. This session explores how the modern spatial data infrastructure (SDI) leverages OGC standards like WFS 3.0/OGC API Features, GeoRSS, DCAT, and others to create a truly interoperable ecosystem.
We'll examine real-world examples of organizations using mixed technology stacks - from PostGIS and GeoServer to ArcGIS Hub and OpenStreetMap - to share and consume standardized geospatial data. Learn how the community contributes to this global network and how you can participate using your preferred tools and workflows.
Key topics:
- Evolution of spatial data infrastructure from siloed systems to open networks
- Deep dive into modern OGC standards and their practical implementation
- Case studies of organizations successfully mixing open-source and commercial solutions
- Best practices for contributing to and consuming from the global SDI
This presentation will include practical code examples and architectural patterns that attendees can apply in their own organizations. Whether you're using FOSS4G tools, commercial software, or both, you'll learn how to be part of the growing open spatial data ecosystem.
Andrew Turner is the Chief Technology Officer of ArcGIS Hub and Director of Esri's R&D Center in Washington, DC, where he leads development of technologies for open data sharing and geospatial web collaboration. He previously served as CTO of GeoIQ (acquired by Esri in 2012) and co-founded CrisisCommons.
Andrew is an elected charter member of the OSGeo Foundation and has served on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Geographic Sciences Committee. His work enables organizations worldwide to provide public digital infrastructure for citizen and community engagement, spanning global organizations like World Resources Institute and World Bank to federal agencies and local governments.
Andrew holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Virginia and a Masters in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech. He is a longtime advocate of open standards and open data, actively involved in organizations like OpenStreetMap, Open Geospatial Consortium, and OSGeo.