The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Saint Louis University partnered to host the Geo-Resolution conference on the university campus here Tuesday to discuss advancing the geospatial environment that has developed in the region.

“I couldn’t be more excited about what we’re doing in St. Louis - and it starts with people and partnerships,” said NGA Director U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Robert Sharp during an onstage conversation with SLU President Fred Pestello, Ph.D. “We have been here for decades and have deep roots in St. Louis.”

The inaugural conference brought together undergraduate and graduate students, professionals and scholars from government, industry and academia to reflect on the challenges and opportunities in the 21st-century geospatial ecosystem.

On the pace of change and evolution, Sharp said the ever-growing amount of data will force the agency to change how it does business, which includes NGA’s commitment to growing the geospatial community in the Midwest.

Mark Munsell, NGA’s chief technology officer, echoed Sharp.

“More and more, we’re harnessing big data and big compute to use data in ways that no one ever dreamed of,” said Munsell. "Everything we do here, the reason that we’re building a new facility, the reason we exist, is to give an advantage to our country, to give an advantage to our warfighter. Everything we do is wrapped into that context."

A theme echoed by many panelists and keynotes at the conference was that the City of St. Louis is experiencing a unique moment in geospatial relevance. 

“It is really special to see what’s happening right now,” said Munsell. “There is so much energy behind the [geospatial] community.”

View #NGAatSLU  on Twitter for full coverage of the event.