Do you remember a few years ago when you first used mapquest or Google maps to get directions? And do you remember also getting completely lost using those directions? The technology that combines maps and the Internet has come a long way in a short time. In case you didn't know, this technology is known as GIS or geographic information system. According to wikipedia, GIS is any system that captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that are linked to location. It is one of the highest demand tech skills these days and much bigger than getting you directions. We were curious about this interesting technology so we decided to pull some GIS experts to the side and ask some questions...

 

Sarah Longhurst

Sarah Longhurst is currently digital product coordinator at woZZon.  Her background  is in GIS and system integration projects within many market sectors, analyzing, designing and delivering solutions to business and local government to make cash savings and improve efficiency. She is skilled in the use of many GIS software including ESRI ArcGIS, Cadcorp, SmallWorld, DataMap and MapRite. You can follow her on twitter here .

 

Timothy Hales

Timothy Hales is co-founder of The GIS Forum. He just completed a term as chairman of the Charlotte Metropolitan GIS User Group.  In his spare time he contributes technical articles and thoughts to GIS Pathway and GIS Pathway Blog. His specialties include analysis, ArcGIS, ArcObjects, cartography, and database development .You can follow his blog here.

 

Christine Newton Bush

Christine Newton Bush is currently GIS technician at Ohlone College. She is now focused on geospatial applications, geospatial data processing and digital mapping. She has completed the GIS Analyst Certificate program at Foothill College. Her many specialties include ArcGIS, ArcServer, Flash applications using AS 3.0, GeoServer, and Google SketchUp. You can view her linkedin profile here.

 

Damon Weiss

Damon Weiss is project engineer at Pennoni Associates. He has over eleven years of civil engineering experience. His specialties include data mining, databases, computer programming, and decision support. He has a real passion for computer science, artificial intelligence, sensor, robotics and other innovative technologies. Find his blog here .

 

Charles Schoeneberger

Charles Schoeneberger is blogger at Whatever-Weather.  You can find him at whatever-weather, which is a great site about meteorology and weather. Recently, he posted a blog entry on GIS and meteorology, find it here . His specialties include weather forecasting with emphasis in transportation products.

 

 

Harsh
Harsh works as a Senior GIS Consultant in the Washington DC Metro, and serves as the Vice-Chair of the Technology Division of the American Planning Association (APA). Follow his blog here and you can follow him on twitter here.


1. For our readers that don't know, could you define geographic information systems?

Sarah: In a nutshell it's the merging of cartographical and database technologies, but GIS goes beyond the stereotypical Ordnance Survey map, as a lot of people perceive GIS to be. GIS involves aerial photography and 3D modeling, it's not just macro level applications of GIS, it's also micro level, the awareness of how an individual interacts with their immediate surroundings and space, for example navigating a building like a shopping centre or airport and transport networks such as the tube.

Timothy: Geographic information systems is the technological system that manages data that is based on objects or events on the Earth's surface. Within this system, these objects and events can be stored, measured, analyzed, and visualized. This technology is also known as Geospatial Technology.

Christine: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are desktop or web-based applications that combine maps with databases. By relating attribute data to geometry, you can ask a questions that entail a spatial answer or perform data mining on geospatial data.

Damon: You don't have to be an engineer to understand the basics of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Even the least technical person knows where the nearest bus stop is to their place of work. They understand that there may be utility pipes buried directly under the roadway and that these pipes are physically connected to houses and buildings. They know that housing prices depend strongly on the neighborhood and are influenced by proximity to good schools, access to parks and recreation, average regional growth, and social aspects such as crime rates in the area. GIS is essentially a computerized tool to help people better discover, analyze, understand, and visualize these complex spatial relationships.

More importantly, however, GIS can be used to help answer more difficult questions using data that does not appear to be related, other than by proximity or spatial connection. For example, people intuitively know that they can get sick from living too close to an environmental hazard. GIS, however, takes this concept a step further. It can be used to identify specific regions in the U.S. with abnormally high cases of asthma among young children, and then evaluate if the schools in the area are located near any particular sources of air pollution, such as industrial plants or heavily-traveled highways. GIS then allows these complex spatial relationships to be visualized in an easy-to-comprehend map format, so that it can be better understood and shared with others.

Charles: I would define Geographic Information Systems as a virtual representation to reality. Each Point, Line/Polyline, Polygon, Grid Point, etc... all relate to the back end database to relate to reality. This representation is of course only as good as the data that goes into it.

Harsh: In short, GIS is a system of software, hardware, data and people focusing primarily on the spatial dimension. Some GIS applications in say, the microbiology sector, are so far removed from geography, that calling them SIS (Spatial Information System) seems more apt.
 
2 .Could you explain how GIS is important in today's business world?

Sarah: You'll find that very few businesses don't have some form of time and location based data, it's incredibly important to retrieve information with one click. Hard copies of documents and plans are inefficient to store and retrieve when a request is made, not to mention more expensive. From private to public sectors, GIS is becoming a fundamental tool to running an efficient service. Now clients and the public expect to access information online in real time not just by request via phone, email or snail mail.

A council can now store vast amounts of planning information within a GIS system and easily enter new plans and printout only if they need to. Shipping companies can keep track of their fleet be it by road, sea or air. Clever businesses like Nike have got the public involved by producing products that allow the user to map their own movements via GPS with a tag that sits inside the trainer and syncs with their iPhone or iPod while running.


Timothy: Every industry relies upon GIS. GIS is a behind the scenes technology that most people do not realize exists. Some forefront industries that use GIS include: Utilities, Transportation, Meteorology, Retail Businesses, Education, Environmental Management, and Real Estate. Everything that has a location on the Earth can be placed into GIS. In order to efficiently manage this information, a particular industry depends on GIS technology. The workings of a power grid, monitoring of a storm, transportation of food, and placement of a ATM could not be done without GIS.

Christine: GIS enables businesses to make better decisions at all levels, but it often most benefits operations personnel. Examples of GIS applications used by business include network analysis to develop more efficient delivery routes or automated mailing lists generated from geocoded data. Management can see where customers are located with greater precision using GIS. And they can help customers to find them by providing online maps connected to a backend GIS database.

Damon: In just about every sector of business that I can think of, GIS can be leveraged to make businesses more efficient, more intelligent, more profitable and more sustainable. After all, everything we do has some spatial component to it - delivery of goods and services follow specific routes or supply chains; sales territories are based on regional demographics; natural resources are located in hard-to-reach places throughout the earth; and the critical infrastructure needed to sustain our society are located, designed and maintained to serve the areas where people physically reside.

Among other things, GIS technology is used for facilities and asset management, resource management, integrated infrastructure management, archeology, environmental impact assessment, urban planning, cartography, criminology, geographic history, marketing, and logistics.

Charles: GIS can be applied to businesses in many different ways depending with very diverse applications depending on the mission and size of the business. Some company missions or project plans may have a need for more data capture and/or analysis with new or previous databases, others may have a need to make their data more accessible to clients and/or the general public. That is the beauty of GIS, the scalability. The power of data and analysis are both in low end Access Geodatabases and Shapefiles on the low end to large enterprise geodatabases running in Oracle or related enterprise databases.

Let me use a Meteorology example. The weather models that represent the atmosphere are gridded and compute thermodynamic equations to come out with solutions for future weather conditions. These solutions with current conditions and the analysis from a operational forecaster's experience and knowledge give the public and/or clients forecasts for the future. What you end up is a forecast for a specific location. With GIS you can choose to integrate other data sources with real world and near real-time representations to add targeted added value to a client or the general public. It can cover public safety, transportation, energy production, and many other industries.

Harsh: Helping businesses make better use of the geography of their customers and markets ("Where are the emerging markets? What grows in their neighborhoods? Where are the prime customers?" etc). Tidbit: The Obama campaign made good use of GIS to target independent/undecided voters. Also, look at Location Based Services (LBS)- an industry jargon often thrown around in the past, that is catching on these days.

3. How did you get started in geographic information systems? How would you recommend others get involved in GIS?

Sarah: I did a BSc Geography degree at The University of Manchester, they had a module on GIS and I thought that it would be important to not only do the "traditional" aspects of Geography but to also embrace the modern. We applied GIS to population movement, the depletion of peat bogs in the Peak District as well as mapping pollution and other human and environmental impacts. It was a well rounded course that opened a lot of doors when I graduated.

When I was at Uni there were very few courses specific to GIS, but now there are dedicated degree and masters programmes that teach you both the theory and application of GIS as well as courses for the developer, for people who actually want to programme and code for GIS systems. To get involved with GIS it is easier to have a qualification that has an element if GIS integrated, but most people will find that GIS systems will be part of a company's IT structure anyway. Look into how GIS is used in different sectors and how it can be used in the future, just think of how many times a week you reference a map!

Timothy: I did not learn about GIS until after I has graduated and started a job as a planning project manager. I knew nothing about GIS, but I got into the software and aggressively taught myself through trial and error. Once the technology grabbed my interest, I wanted to learn as much as I could. I took classes at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC while working full-time. In about two years I had earned a AAS Degree in Geospatial Technology. I made my education an active learning experience. During this time, I created a website to share with other what I was leaning. I sought every opportunity to network with others in this industry whom I could learn from. In less than four years, I feel as though I have made a lot of progress. I feel very confident in this technology. Some of my success includes chairing my local GIS user group and winning the 2009 SkillsUSA Geospatial Technology National Competition.

If you want to get involved in GIS, you should search the internet for what is out there. Also take some time to visit local user groups and GIS day events. Beyond that, it all depends on the individual. You can either learn a little or learn a lot. If all you want to do is dabble in GIS, I would recommend getting a certificate in GIS from a community college. However if you desire to go further, I would tell you to put your heart into it. A passion for this technology will drive you to learn more and more each day.

Christine: I have a background in web design and live in Silicon Valley where those skills are quite saturated throughout the market. I finished a GIS Analyst Certificate program at Foothill College and have been combining my skills as a web developer with my interest in maps to create a new business niche. I recommend anyone interested in GIS take a course or two to get a feel for how the geographic concepts and the technology come together.

Damon: Most of my GIS knowledge and experience was obtained through intensive self-instruction and on-the-job training; although I also used GIS extensively throughout my graduate school studies at Carnegie Mellon University. To anyone who decides to go this self-taught route, instead of obtaining formal GIS training, I strongly recommend that you tap into your passion for life-long learning. You will need it to sustain you through the learning curve.  As a civil engineer, I think it's just natural that I love maps - topographical maps, geological maps, zoning maps, transportation network maps. For me, however, GIS was more than just about making maps - it was about layering these maps in new and interesting ways, relating them to useful external data, and performing computational analyzes that changed the way people perceived their environment.

Many people who get involved in GIS only take their learning experience to the "map-making" level - learning about projections, layer symbology, and layout. These people learn to make stunning maps- a useful skill, in itself. However, GIS is so much more than that. With just a little added knowledge about databases, CAD and 3D modeling, and computer programming, those interested in getting more deeply involved in GIS will be able to unlock the full potential of this powerful tool. These skills can be picked up at any local bookstore, online or at the nearby community college. That was my strategy, and it's paid off nicely.

Charles: I first became aware of GIS back in 1999 at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, after a undergraduate meteorology class. The Atmospheric Sciences and Geography Departments are both part of the same John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. The Geographic Department had just finished up a session in the lobby of one of the aerospace buildings and they had demos of ArcView 3.1 and other GIS literature laying around I picked up and read. The Atmospheric Science department also runs the Regional Weather Information Center, and part of this academic division has a GIS/Meteorology research focus. I listened to the talk and how they were using it for highway transportation Meteorology applications.

It was during my time working at Meridian Environmental Technologies Inc, in Grand Forks, North Dakota I was thinking about what is future of disseminating information to the public and I thought about GIS. I researched different programs and I came across the Resource Analysis/GIS Program at St. Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona, MN. They allowed me to explore using the technology of the time, ArcView 3.x, ArcGIS 8.x, and Arc/Info 7.x, so I learned GIS by using command line applications which make you get extremely up close and personal to the data to get and insight with the data.

I would recommend that others first by first taking their passion in their chosen background and think about how they could apply GIS to it. Then read up on the basics on ESRI's website among others.

Harsh: GIS was the ideal fit. If someone is interested in web development and spatially-oriented, they should look at the GIS industry.  

Click here for Part 2 of the interview. 

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4. What are the best informational resources for learning about GIS?

Sarah: There are so many online resources these days, including forums, blogs, online magazines etc that books are not necessarily the best resource anymore, there has also been a large increase in meet up groups that attracts people from every sector sharing ideas and advice, Geovation and Geomob are quite popular in London.

Timothy: The best informational resources come mainly through networking. There are many GIS professionals on Twitter and you can learn a lot just by reading their tweets. Also, attending conferences and local user group provide great connections for learning. In addition, there are variety of resources on the internet such as thegisforum and gis.com. If you a really interesting in pursuing this industry, I would suggest taking a few GIS courses from your local college to get some hands on experience. You can find a list of colleges here.

Christine: There are a lot of great web sites out there. I maintain a list of the ones I find most useful on my blog at maps@greycat. There are so many different things one can choose to do with GIS that you have to spend some time exploring before you can decide how to make the best use of all that is available. I have a personal interest, for example, in historical mapping so of course I spend my spare time at DavidRumsey.com, the USGS and the Library of Congress who all have tremendous data sets.

Damon: Information and knowledge about GIS is all around us, available in form of training, books, and online resources. Books and training provide an excellent overview of the core concepts, but are obviously costly. The poor-man's approach, therefore, is to learn as much as you can online, and tie it all together with books and training, as needed. The trick is to develop a disciplined strategy that accomplishes your specific GIS goals. Assuming you have access to GIS software, the first step is to find a good source of data, local to your state or region. In Pennsylvania, for example, the Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access website is the official public access clearinghouse for state-wide geospatial information, and contains resources related to terrain, soils, demographics, infrastructure, plants and fauna, and the environment.

On a national level, Data.gov is a good resource in the United States. Use this data to create some maps that interest you and perform analyses on the data - don't be afraid to experiment! The next step is to do keyword searches on those specific GIS-related questions that you would like to answer. If your interest is emergency management, for example, you might search online for "GIS emergency management" or "GIS disaster response". This search will give you ideas of how others are using GIS within your domain, and you will often find detailed online tutorials that you can emulate using your own data. As you continue to build your skills, the big picture will become clearer. Last, but not least, subscribing to blogs are an excellent way to get up-to-date information about GIS and to continue your learning process. For starters, I recommend the James Fee GIS blog and the GIS Lounge. The ArcGIS Desktop Help website is also an extensive and very useful knowledge base with video tutorials, examples and other information that will help you learn the analytic capability of ArcGIS, if that is your tool of choice.

Charles: There are many diverse sources to learn about GIS. One is basic sales material like on ESRI's website. ESRI also has many high quality basic and advanced webcasts to learn more about the software. It also has a large library for developers to learn specific APIs for software development in and beyond GIS-specific programs.

Harsh: Internet.

5. As far as jobs are concerned, what are the best opportunities in GIS?

Sarah: There are the more traditional areas and early adopters of GIS that have always used mapping, for example in mining, environmental reporting, property development, planning, surveying, BGS etc but opportunities have flourished with the rise of Google maps, Bing maps and now mapping and sat nav on mobiles etc

Think of how many times a person will use mapping in a day to day situation. For example, mapping their own movements be it for fitness via the GPS on their mobile while running, using mobile apps to find restaurants or finding events near them on Google maps. Everyone is embracing GIS, it's not just for the scientists and developers anymore. If you have an interest in it and know how it can be used to improve a company and its services, employers will listen!

Timothy: There are a lot of opportunities in GIS.I believe that it is important to point out that GIS is moving more towards being a tool than a career.Sure you can be a GIS technician or analyst, but you will go further if you know how to apply GIS to a specific industry. Software and web development are a big contributor to GIS jobs; however, they require an extensive amount of programming knowledge. Other job areas that are promising are planning, cartography, healthcare, transportation, marketing, and research.

Christine: The economy is struggling, but GIS jobs are still out there because the technology and the demand for it continue to grow. But of course you need to get some experience first. Internships play an important role in the GIS field. There are also many non-profit, environmental and crisis related organizations that welcome volunteers who are interested in GIS.

If you're a programmer, there are even more opportunities using GIS since most applications have an API you can use to develop custom projects. Javascript, Python, C#, XML and SQL are all in demand for GIS application development. Database development is at the heart of GIS work. Leading geodatabase platforms are PostgreSQL/PostGIS, Oracle and SQL Server 2008.

Damon: Opportunity in GIS are literally everywhere. For those of you who are job-seekers, I did a quick scan of some online job boards. The organizations that appear to be hiring right now include local, state and federal governments, universities, private-sector companies in surveying, public health and utilities, and non-profit organizations. If you are already a GIS professional and your company is looking to market GIS services, the ERSI website has a comprehensive list of potential markets for GIS, which would be a good starting point for defining your service offerings. Personally, I see a huge market for facilities and infrastructure management, in the coming decade. Our civil infrastructure is the fabric of our society; however, maintaining and expanding it continues to be a challenge - both in terms of costs and data management. GIS is quickly becoming an essential tool for managing infrastructure, and our ability to better track and manage our scarce resources will undoubtedly be a key factor in achieving long-term sustainability.

Charles: The overall economy is down, GIS included, so jobs are not directly related to potential of the technology. Programming and scripting are becoming more of a focus with GIS and the two will continue to combine in the future. GIS will also continue to integrate with IT hardware infrastructure. Otherwise economic downturns are times to start fresh with new ideas and a entrepreneur spirit. Your next GIS job opportunity may be your next idea in your head.

Harsh: Startups mostly on the west coast, federal government mostly on the east coast etc. The mobile market is also heating up, just like the mashup market.

6. What role does Google play in the GIS world? Are there any other major players?

Sarah: Google is GIS in its simplest form and they are responsible for making GIS more accessible and mainstream, they stripped back the traditional Ordnance Survey map and allowed people to see only what was useful to them. Joe public on the streets of a big city doesn't care about contours, lat longs etc they just want to see some landmarks, transport networks like bus stops and the ability to see a way from point A to point B. But of course Google maps cannot compete with high level providers such as ESRI and Cadcorp.

Google made mapping open source, businesses and the public alike were allowed to use Google maps freely without worrying about license fees and know that other people were using the exact same maps and so this reduced confusion. They also took the concept of photo overlays to the next level, Street view opened the Pandora?s box of mapping, taking a line on a map that represents the street and then showing the street visually was inspired, until the privacy issues came along of course.

There are now other major players, open source mapping is a good idea! Now there is Bing Maps, Nokia Maps, Open Street Map to mention but a few and I can guarantee there will be more very soon.

Timothy: Google's technology is in the area of maps rely on the GIS technology. The directions Google Maps provides comes from routing software that uses GIS. Other features include finding a location when you enter a search, placing pinpoints a map, showing map related business information, and so much more.Google Street View also helps bring maps to life. Even the standalone program Google Earth sits on this same technology platform.All of the data that you see within the Google mapping software functions on GIS.

I personally believe that the major player in the GIS world is Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). ESRI is one of the top GIS software companies in the world. The company is always pushing forward with better, more advance technology. It is hard to find someone in the GIS industry not familiar with ESRI.

Christine: Google Earth and Google Maps have really brought geospatial awareness to a lot of people and this has been a good thing for GIS across the board. This is because in the last five years the popularity of Google mapping products has simultaneously created demand for geospatial data while at the same time making it really easy and fun for people to create and interact with it.

There are certainly other major players, not the least of which are the USGS, US Census, NOAA, ESRI, Microsoft, Trimble, Garmin and a growing community of open source GIS users and products like PostGIS and the Open Street Map project. There is also an emerging class of consumer-priced desktop GIS which include Manifold.net, TatukGIS and MapDotNet. Amazon.com's cloud hosting recently announced that their customers can mount US Census and Tiger Data. And there are companies like SpatialKey offering online GIS solutions.

Damon: With some of their recent initiatives in location-based services (LBS) and their generally data-centric approach to business, Google is certainly poised to have a sustaining effect on the GIS world. Google Earth has already had a significant impact. While Google certainly did not invent GIS and Google Earth does not have the analytic capabilities of mature GIS programs, such as ArcGIS, Google did succeed where the GIS industry had arguably failed for decades. They helped make the "geospatial revolution" fashionable and created tools that made geospatial data both easily accessible and inexpensive to the general public.

Also, street view changed the game entirely and in ways that have not played out yet, to their entirety. Purists in the GIS industry may argue that Google has effectively "dumbed down" GIS, turning into a social media fad instead of a scientific tool. I think they've help fuel demand, actually, both in the short- and long-term. I imagine that, over time, Google Earth will become increasingly more powerful as an analytic tool and will eventually converge with mature GIS programs. Simultaneously, I can see that the mature GIS programs are evolving to become more like Google Earth and Google Maps. ArcGIS Online, for example, is a new and intriguing initiative by ERSI to make GIS mapping a publicly available web-based service, complete with a programming API and an map interface that can be embedded in custom web sites, very similar to Google Maps. With respect to other players in the GIS community, the open source solutions, such as GRASS, will always have a following. Other newcomers to the scene also have exciting potential - New York-based GeoWeb3D Inc, website. for example, mashes up ArcGIS, the web and a fast 3D rendering engine to create some pretty compelling and photo-realistic examples on their web site.

Charles: Google currently is a major player on the last stage of the data pipeline between the database to the user. They compete with Microsoft's Virtual Earth/Bing Maps and are ahead of Microsoft with their Google Earth Enterprise (host your own Google Earth on corporate servers without going through Google hardware and networks. Google's (and Microsoft's) technologies currently do not truly compete with ESRI applications (even though they do have competing products). ESRI is one of the largest GIS software and consulting companies which has its strength in the data capture and analysis software beyond what Google and Microsoft currently offer. These services would then be outputted to a ESRI, Google Earth/Maps, or Microsoft Virtual Earth/Bing Maps display either on the computer or your internet connected mobile device (e.g. Smartphones)..

Harsh: A disruptive role starting from 2004-05. Other bigshots include Microsoft, Yahoo and ESRI. On organizations, take a look at OGC.

7. Ten years from now, where do you see the state of GIS?

Sarah: For a start I think the term GIS will be a defunct, say GIS to most people they wouldn't have a clue, it's being absorbed into the ever expanding term "Digital". I think GIS will also be a heck of a lot more integrated, a network where data can be easily imported and exported into different systems to make business more efficient.

Not to sound too sci-fi but I feel that GIS will not be confined to a handheld device or PC, requesting a map on the move from thin air will be a reality, the development of AR (Augmented Reality) technology will make this possible, be it via hologram, AR eye wear or built into car wind screens etc Why not be part of the map rather than just staring at it?

Timothy: Ten years is a large time span, and it is hard to say where GIS will be then. It is definitely a progressive technology and will probably be beyond anyone's current imagination. Because GIS is so rapidly advancing, in order to stay at the top of this technology you must always be learning. Those who chose not to learn new things in GIS will be left behind in the outdated technology.

Christine: I have no doubt that GIS will be just as vital and practical a decade from now as it is today. However, there is a real concern regarding geo-literacy in the United States. We need to make geographic education a priority so that advances in GIS technologies will have meaning for the next generation. Right now, we're playing catch up.

Damon: As technology advances and becomes more ubiquitous in our lives, I am very excited about the future of GIS. First and foremost, I would love to eventually see the adoption of a "National GIS" PDF, where GIS resources for the entire country (perhaps even the world) are standardized, verified to be accurate, and compiled into a central geospatial repository. This National GIS would be easily accessed by the general public and used for the good of society, helping us to create long-term, technical jobs and better manage our resources. We are already working in this direction in some industries, but the overall efforts are patchwork, at best. Eventually, I also envision that GIS will someday converge with two other emerging technologies that I have been tracking for some time - the Semantic Web and smart dust, or motes. A full description of these technologies is beyond the scope of this Q&A; however, I will try to summarize them briefly. The Semantic Web is essentially a concept where real-world objects are represented on the web as machine-readable data, and can be accessed through web services for consumption by both humans and computer programs.

The semantic data structure defines the various attributes of these objects, as well as the relationships between these and other Semantic Web objects. Imagine now if we could also include geospatial data in the Semantic Web. Doing so would allow us to perform extremely complex semantic / geospatial queries on data that is distributed both throughout the web and the physical world. Smart dust, or motes, (Smart dust@Wiki) also has some interesting future implications for GIS. Imagine a sensor the size of a grain of sand, or a dust particle, but which has on-board sensing, computations, communications and power-harvesting capabilities.When networked together, these motes can form highly flexible, low-power sensor networks with applications that include energy consumption and environmental monitoring, hazardous material or germ detection, movement tracking, etc. - all in real-time over a distributed area. If the smart dust vision becomes reality in the future, tight integration with GIS will become an absolute necessity.The GIS of the future will be an ideal tool for consuming, analyzing and visualizing the complex data streams from hundreds or thousands of distributed, real-time sensors. It is a scary concept, in some ways, but the overall benefit to our society would be immeasurable.

Charles: GIS right now is in a broad, steady transition from a quick way to produce paper maps with desktop infrastructure into a near-real time web services enterprise infrastructure. It has been on the outside looking in most IT departments, the trend has been to integrate it more and more with IT departments in both the software/solutions and hardware infrastructure. Some of it is also integrating with the emerging Software as a Service (SaaS) (Google Maps iPhone/Android) and flexible data demand types of Cloud Computing (e.g. Microsoft Azure). The gap between virtual reality represented by GIS in a computing device and the real world itself will continue to narrow. These will expand with the future evolution of portable technology (e.g. smartphones, netbooks, iPad, etc...) and other technology products that have not been thought of yet.

Harsh: Better-looking maps, fancier mashups, more mobile apps, more sophisticated geoprocessing/geoanalysis.

Special thanks to our participates for their time as they have given us a great lesson in GIS. Perhaps some of you reading will find your way to a great career in this hot technology.


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Smart-phones, iPhones. Blackberry, Droids, PALM. Our lives in 2010 has been truly been saturated by mobile technology. Think about it. Do you know anyone that does not have a cell phone? Can you watch your favorite TV program and not see blue and red maps or Luke Wilson or Charles Barkley? We can do almost anything on a mobile device that we can do on our personal computer. Mobile technology is a rapidly growing sector and the iphones and the new droid have changed the game, especially for developers. We are curious what these guys do, how they got started, and what opportunities are available to a mobile applications developer. So we decide to ask a few of them...

Anders Borg
Anders Borg is the co-founder and technical adviser for Trivendia Sweden as well as co-founder and chairman of Mobile Labs Sweden. He has extensive experience in the fields of start-up management, technology strategy, software and hardware design and development, product management, technical writing, and internet/cloud service design. His primary goal for the future is to participate in constructing a number of companies that have the potential of a good growth and ROI, with primary focus on mobile/wireless-related services and products. Follow his blog here.

 

Bronwyn Johnson
Bronwyn Johnson is a mobile champion at MIH. She is based in South Africa and has been in mobile and IT for many years. Bronwyn has an extensive background in sales, marketing and product development. As a true "geek" she is completely fascinated with technology, but is passionate about mobile. You will usually find her with at least two phones at any time. She loves nothing better than creating visions of where mobile can take business and individuals in the future - and then making them happen! Follow her Blog here.

 

Robert Stone
Robert Stone is enterprise architect at Teradata and CTO at Bostone Consulting. He believes in having fun while making a living is about the greatest achievement man can claim. His specialties include Android. Robert currently resides in San Diego and he enjoys playing the guitar and singing the blues. Find his blog.

 

 

Nazmul Idris

Nazmul Idris is founder and president at ScreamingToaster, LLC. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech.  He is fluent in Blackberry, Android, and web services. In his past he has been a senior software engineer and architect. Nazmul lives in the DC metro area. You can keep up with him here.

 

 

Raj Singh

Raj Singh is vice president of business development at Skyfire and principal of Raj Singh Mobile Computing. He has worked in mobile for over 11 years in a variety of areas & roles and he loves making disruptive and kick-butt mobile products. His specialties include wireless / mobile technical planning, strategy, definition, product management, and business development. Raj lives in the San Francisco area and his blog is available here .

 

 

Marc Solsona-Palomar
Marc Solsona-Palomar is currently the Technical Strategy Director at DiVitas Networks. He formerly worked as a lead software specialist at Nokia. During the day, he manages software development, with special focus on mobile real-time communications on last generation smartphone platforms such as Nokia, Windows Mobile, Apple iPhone, Google Android as well as desktop web browsers. He lives in San Francisco as well. Follow her at Linkedin. (Note: Marc's answers are his personal and they do not in any way reflect the opinion of DiVitas networks.)

1. How did you get started in the mobile apps world? How would you recommend others get involved in developing apps?

Anders: My own decision, after leaving my steady job to focus more on my own company, and after having determined that developing MIDlets might be a good idea. I focused on productivity applications, which in hindsight was a rather bad decision. The right answer was games. Not that I've totally given up MIDlets yet.

It's nowadays very easy to get started, and often without any substantial cost. I would though recommend others to focus on iPhone and/or Android, as the will to pay for applications is much higher there, and bottom line is all that matters. "Development is fun" wears off pretty quickly. You need to get food on the table.

Also, don't get language or platform religious. If you are good at e.g. Java you can quickly learn any other language and any platform.

Bronwyn: It helps if you have a fresh perspective and a clear idea in mind of what application you wish to create. Do not simply follow the herd because there are so many applications available. You need to stand out from the crowd. Your application must add value to the user and be so exciting that they will tell all their friends about it. If users suspect that your sole purpose for the application is to make money, they will reject it. However if they feel that the application was created to make their lives better (and that making money is just a side effect to doing something good), then they will promote it.

Robert: Back at 2008 I was consulting at Qualcomm and was asked to develop widget using Plusmo browser. It was so painful that I decided to look for the alternative and "stumbled" into Android and fell in love. Prior to that I did some occasional J2ME development, never really liked it.

Nazmul: I got started developing mobile application servers about 12 years ago, and have been working on web-mobile-desktop-cloud ever since.

Raj: I always had a passion for mobile and so my career started in college when I tried developing little apps for my Palm III. If you wanted to get involved today, I would suggest attending the many local meetups that are available in your city. In the Bay Area, we have the month Android, iPhone, Symbian etc meetups which are all great avenues for meeting other developers and trading ideas/notes.

Marc: I started developing on Windows Mobile because it was the easiest entry point for a more advance application. In my case VoIP. I would highly recomend picking a platform that you personally enjoy, no matter what the economic outlook shows. Nowadays the cost of entry for development is very low to 0, so the cost of development is no longer an issue.

2. In your opinion, what is the best way to enhance your mobile apps development skills?

Anders: Developing real applications from day one. See to that you build re-usable classes and iterate them from application to application, so you don't spend a lot of time on plumbing (which will bore you), but instead focus on the higher-level functionality, usability and design.

Bronwyn: Download APIs from different handset manufacturers and start playing with them. Talk to other developers. Find out what programming languages are most common then practice those.

Robert: Code, review, optimize. Then code some more.

Nazmul: The best way to enhance your mobile dev skills is to take training courses from here.

Raj: I joke that the modern day resume is no longer a Word document but rather a list of apps that you have built and can show in the App Store. The best way to enhance your dev skills is to start building - in that process, you will need help and use online resources to speak to others which will enhance your dev skills.

Marc: Work on it. That simple. There are some basic online curses for java or javascript, Objective-C. But at the end of the day it is how your way of thinking adapts to the platforms.

3. What are the best online resources for mobile applications?

Anders: Apple Developer, Android Developer, J2ME Forum, manufacturer developer sites.

Bronwyn: Most handset manufacturers offer forums where developers can communicate, share knowledge and transfer skills. These are the best resources. They also offer access to their own laboratory environments where you can "look under the hood" to see what they are planning next (for example Nokia labs). A simple Google search will bring up abundant online resources for any interested developer.

Robert: I don't really go past Android official dev sites and Stackoverflow.com. Search helps too. Subscription to Commonsware.com was a good starting point.

Nazmul: The best online resources for Android and BlackBerry are here. Great free tutorials. Great training.

Raj: There are numerous from a development perspective. I would start by joining the developer programs for each of the platforms you wish to develop for. They often provide broad tools, even loaning you devices which can save a few bucks.

Marc: For basic data apps, the SDK iteself. Both Android and iPhone SDK have tons of information an examples. For a more deep advance information, I personally like XDA forums, unless you are into Nokia.

4. Which device do you prefer iphone, droid, or another? Why?

Anders: iPhone and Android for commercial reasons. I still mostly develop MIDlets due to inertia. For the near term (coming months) it will probably be Android.

Bronwyn: Thats a difficult question because it depends on the purpose for which I intend to use the phone (see my blog post about BlackBerry or iPhone). At present I'm using a BlackBerry for business and iPhone for media. I'm in the process of procuring an Android device so that I can test the platform. Mobile phones are an extension of YOU and what YOU want to do with it. I believe they are simply enablers that allow us to do what we want to do - only more efficiently. So preference is exactly that - a personal choice. I am a total gadget geek and love most devices. I tend to have a preference for Sony Ericsson (Symbian platform) because they give you great feature packed devices at excellent value for money. I'm not crazy about Motorola at all but wouldn't mind trying the Droid. I put off using BlackBerry for many years but have to admit that I've grown very fond of my Curve. The email client is awesome and I love the form factor. I also love the fact that I am constantly available on Skype, MSN and BlackBerry messanger even while I'm using the phone for other things. Nothing beats my iPhone for podcasts, music and video but I don't like the fact that I can't run my instant messaging services in the background because iPhone only lets you use one application at a time. I'm hoping their next major OS upgrade fixes this problem.

Robert: Android, device really doesn't matter. It's geek heaven.

Nazmul: I like all mobile devices - WinMo, BlackBerry, Android, and iPhone. They each have different strengths and weaknesses, and serve a different market.

Raj: Like I do with my PC, I choose the best tools for what I want to build. If I was focused on generating revenue via micro-transactions, then iPhone would certainly be my first target (today). If I was focused on building a free app that needs to run in the background, then Android would be my first target. If I was focused on an enterprise messaging app, then maybe Windows Mobile or Blackberry. It really depends on what you are building and what the business model is.

Marc: I currently own 1 iPhone 3G and 1 Nexus One. I love the attention to detail on the iPhone and I love the brute force approach of the Nexus. I hate the limited customization capability of the iphone and the obvious clunkiness of the Nexus.

5. What are the most popular mobile apps in 2010?

Anders: Social networking, single-user and multi-player gaming. Multi-player I'm sure will soar.

Bronwyn: That's also debatable but I'd have to say it will be applications that allow users to receive and add value - such as Foursquare where you can engage in social networking, comment on services and see what other people are doing in your area. Mobile commerce applications that allow you to buy and sell products using only your mobile phone should become a big part of mobile web usage in 2010.

Robert: Almost anything Android-Google such as Map, Navigation, Sky, etc.

Nazmul: In 2010, simple apps are popular. Apps that do not do too much... More like widgets. As time passes, consumer apps will have to deliver a LOT more than what they do now in order to stay relevant. These are still very early days for mobile apps.

Raj: Apps are very transient. We have seen a lot of apps get huge early up-ticks but then quickly fall in terms of daily active users. I don't know what the hot apps will be but definitely apps that can leverage your social graph, use clever business models maybe with micro-transactions and create daily value for the user will certainly lead.

Marc: Facebook in my mind is #1. No doubt there. I expect things like Orbit will start to raise fairly quickly as they enable better use of information.

6. What do you think of the iPad?

Anders: Not a mass market product like the iPhone, but will find its niche for e-book reading and casual browsing etc. Due to its form factor and without cell radio (by default) it's cumbersome as a portable tool, so it will be used at home, in the office, in the school etc, but not really on the go.

Bronwyn: I think it is just a big iPod touch but that doesn't mean I don't want one. It would have been great if it could run multiple applications simultaneously, if it had phone and camera for video calling or video over IP (such as Skype). I think it will be a great device for reading books and newspapers or magazines. To be honest, I had hoped for something spectacular with the iPad but I have a suspicion that by the time they launch, Steve Jobs may still surprise us.

Robert: I like to get one (as a present).

Nazmul: iPad is silly.

Raj: It's still to early to tell; I'm not sure if this is to replace my netbook or my laptop etc.

Marc: Unfinished. Has potential, needs at least multitasking. But I see the app store model in a controlled/secured environment to be the future of computing period.

7. What do you like most about mobile apps development and what do you like least?

Anders: The initial idea creation (I have tons of those, that I haven't done anything with) and the end result are my real drivers. It's fun to see that people actually use my stuff.

The least favored is the continuous fragmentation, and it continues also on smartphones with MacOS, WebOS, Android, LiMo, Bada, Symbian, Java, Blackberry etc, so you have to focus on a few and my bet is iPhone and Android. Still, if you can develop MIDlets and you want minimal impact you can develop for Blackberry too.

Bronwyn: What I like most is that the sky is the limit! You are only limited by your imagination. What I like least is that too many people have released terrible applications and due to the abundance of these, users have become frustrated. This means that they will be hesitant to try your application - so you need to put in a little extra effort to encourage them to do so. But back to what I like - if you succeed, you can really do well and make quite a lot of money.

Robert: I don't think about it in terms of liking or not liking. It's here, it's the future, that's where money's flowing so follow the current.

Nazmul: Mobile app development is difficult. Each platform and vendor has their own hoops you have to jump through. You need a guide to help you. This is why http://developerlife.com is awesome.

Raj: Mobile apps can be built very quickly and thus it's quite rewarding. You can usually start and be done within 3 months as compared to larger enterprise or desktop apps. Most painful though is the realization that devices are different and there is much porting required to support different devices - it is a fragmented world.

Marc: Probably the answer to both is, the fast pace of evolution. It is great and exciting, but so hard to keep up.

Carl from OdinJobs: My thanks to Anders, Bronwyn, Robert, Nazmul, Raj and Marc for their time and contribution. I feel that we are in the beginning of, if not, in the midst of a mobile app revolution. Mobile apps are already changing the way we interact and connect and this is just the start.

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I have lately been asking myself, both professionally and personally, how green am I? The truth is that I don't really know. The "Green Industry" or "Green Topics" has been a hot item since the 2008 Presidential campaign. Being environment-friendly can not only be considered the responsible thing to do, it can also lead to long term and short term savings for consumers and businesses alike. The movement for alternative energy responses and the goal to reduce emissions that could change our climate lead us to ask some green experts their opinion on the development in their industry. So try to avoid printing this out and wasting paper, OK?

I reached out to leading thinkers, proponents and practitioners to get their perspective on Going Green and its effect on industry, economy and us individuals.  

 

Claudia Girrbach

Claudia Girrbach considers herself a green intreprenuer. Claudia's credentials are quite impressive. Her goal is to make green a viable business model that fits a particular organization's market position, culture and competencies. Claudia is currently a senior director at GAP, Inc. She is a lecturer at Stanford University. She is a graduate of Stanford and Cal-Berkeley. She is heavily involved in groups on linkedin.com. You can catch her on twitter and her blog is Going Green.

 

Will Johnston

Will Johnston, a graduate of the University of California- San Cruz and a current native of of Portland, Oregon, Will's past work experience include positions as a product manager as well as software development for IBM and Apple. In 2008, he co-found growandmake.com, which is guide to sustainable living. You can follow his blog.

 

Katarzyna Janowicz-Jimenez

Green Engineer, Katarzyna Janowicz-Jimenez of Orange County, California. Kat is also an independent contractor who holds a MBA. She has extensive international experience in multiple, large-scale projects for large companies. Her specialties include engineering, alternative energy, and sustainability. Follow her on blog and twitter.

 

Carol McClelland   

Carol McClelland, PhD- author of  Green Careers for Dummies, is one of the nation's leading green career experts. Throughout her career, Carol has helped thousands of people find work that matches their values and interests. In addition to writing Green Careers for Dummies, Carol is the Founder and Executive Director of Green Career Central. This online resource center dedicated to providing career guidance, coaching, and resources to clarify the ever-evolving world of green career possibilities for professionals, students, and career counselors. You can follow her on facebook.  

Jonathan Davis

Jonathan Davis is a graduate of San Diego State University and founder of greenposting.org. According to Jonathan, GreenPosting is more than a just another green directory. People are able to learn about what makes a business green-leaning and review them on your experience regarding their sustainable attributes. You can follow Jonathan on twitter.

 

 

What career opportunities are available to technology professionals in the green related fields?

Claudia: Greening IT and using IT to help business become more sustainable. 

Will: Clearly energy creation, infrastructure and management is a high-demand growth areas which people in technology might wish to explore. Another big one is technologies for minimizing packaging and supply chain impact as well as enabling re-use and impact free disposal.

Kat: There are ample opportunities in the green related fields. Many of them would be for professionals such engineers, designers, contractors, technicians, etc. Higher demand is for LEED professionals, green buildings specialists and energy consultants. Since renewable energy, such as solar, wind, or geothermal energy are the rapidly growing industry there will be jobs in manufacturing, sales and marketing.

Other ample opportunities are in sales - green energy, products and services, as well as in environmental education, program and projects managers and coordinators.

Nowadays a great deal of companies are trying to make themselves greener and people become more environmentally aware, therefore there is countless green opportunities in nearly any industry.

Find the list of 10 Great Green Opportunities from emagazine.

We could also add organic cosmetics, green fashion design, energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances, recycling, green marketing, and many more...

Where are the 'green' jobs? said Marie Kerpan, founder of Green Careers, There area bazillion companies where you can take your skills and put it to work in a 'green' company.

Carol: Technology professionals have quite a few options. The opportunity with the most potential has to do with the Smart Grid sector - from energy generation and distribution to energy storage and real time management of energy use. Another broad category of jobs comes under the heading of cleantech jobs. Some of these overlap with the Smart Grid sector, but others could be in manufacturing systems, water management, and materials.

Jonathan: I see career opportunities for technology professionals in ways to reduce/eliminate everyday random paper use and increase efficiency. What paper do we use on a regular basis that could be text-ed, emailed, etc. creating digital solutions? Local hosting powered by renewable energy is also a growing trend. With a lot of outsourcing to different countries, it's difficult to stay competitive in price, but those in sustainability regularly support local.

How can IT pros be more environmental friendly in the current jobs?

Claudia: If developing new apps remember that once deployed less than 50% of functionality is used according to National Science Foundation study. So keep it simple.
Whenever possible provide the function virtually, on-line data compared to paper based.
Make sure that applications are virtualized --- less than 10% of data center resources are used according to recent McKinsey study. Retire unused or little used functionality.

Will: If possible utilize renewable energy suppliers for powering their IT centers. Also, put into place technologies which eliminate passive power use for devices which are not in use.

Kat: Green IT is related to products, applications, services, and practices, including design, manufacturing, use, and disposal of computers, servers and parts, such as monitors, printers, storage devices, networking and communications systems, with minimal or no impact on the environment, like lead-free electronics, halogen-free electronics and applications for green computing, green mobile phones

Katarzyna Janowicz-Jimenez

Green design - designing energy-efficient and environmentally friendly components, computers, servers, cooling equipment, and data centers.

Green manufacturing and development - making electronic components, computers, and other associated subsystems with minimal impact on the environment. Technology Benefits are nicely described at blog of David Dornfeld, who is Professor in Engineering in Mechanical Engineering at California Berkeley

Some of the global technology developments are:

 

• Thermally Self-Healing Polymeric Materials
  
• Replacing Chrome Coatings with Safer Metal Alloys
  
• New Kind of Reconfigurable Chip That Consumes Less Energy
• Energy-Efficient PCB Production Process
  
• Eco-friendly Light Emitting Diodes
  
• Polarization Matched LED's Offer Pronounced Environmental Benefits
  
• Photo-conductors Incline toward a Greener Future
  
• Recyclable Green Power Cables
  
• Eco-friendly Printed Circuit Board Production
  
• Novel Lithium Battery Technology
  
• Eco-friendly Laser for the Production of AMOLED Screens
  
• Environmentally Friendly Coatings That Prevent Silver Tarnishing
  
•  Eco-friendly Television - Sharps Optical Picture Control (OPC) automatically adjusts the TVs luminance to suit the rooms brightness. The new models are energy efficient and compliant with ENERGY STAR.
  
• Eco-friendly Battery - Sony has developed an environmentally-friendly prototype battery that runs on sugars and that can generate enough electricity to power a music player and a pair of speaker
• Green use - reducing the energy consumption of computers and other information systems as well as using them in an environmentally sound manner. Take a look at alternate energy news.
  
• Green disposal - refurbishing and reusing old computers and properly recycling unwanted computers and other electronic equipment. Best Buy helping customers to buy the greenest products possible, but has also quietly and steadily become the country's largest re-cycler of discarded electronics.

 

Increasing number of IT vendors and users are moving toward green IT by:

 

• reducing the use of hazardous materials
  
• maximizing energy efficiency during the product's lifetime
  
• designing for environmental sustainability
  
• energy-efficient computing and using of energy-efficient equipment
  
• server visualization for more efficient server utilization
  
• responsible disposal and recycling
  
• promoting recyclable or biodegradability of disused products or factory waste
  
• regulatory compliance
  
• green metrics, assessment tools, and methodology
  
• environment-related risk mitigation
  
• using of renewable energy sources
  
• Eco-labeling of IT products.

 

Green IT Best Practices and facts from environmentalleader.

Carol: In their current jobs, IT professionals have the potential to reduce energy use through data center management decisions as well as hardware and network choices. Decisions about materials and cooling mechanisms can also influence how much impact their work has on the environment. From a personal standpoint, IT professionals can look at their own work habits and commute choices to determine their personal impact.

Jonathan: Start by looking at yourself and the changes in you will reflect in your job. What can you do as an easy first step, then a second, then a third. Like a snowball, these changes will slowly grow. As you become more conscientious, your professional life will change with you. Maybe you're taking public transportation to the park on the weekend, and then it becomes once a week to work. And so it grows...

What type of education is needed for the new green jobs?

Claudia: Process engineering is helpful --- being able to review a function holistically rather than sub-optimize to find innovative methods to do a function more efficiently.

Will: There are a range of traditional educational paths which could lead to green jobs. Engineering, design, architecture, biology, business, economics to name a few. Personally, I think one of the more exciting is journalism, since the way that we report on change in the world is undergoing an incredible revolution and there will be tremendous opportunities.

Kat: There is more than one type of education needed for green jobs. Since opportunities are available in many different industries and there is increasing number of either students or employers seeking courses and degrees in sustainability available are numerous options.

Carl from OdinJobs: We have compiled a Green Resources page with useful links, thanks to the panel's suggestions

Carol: The training requirements for green jobs vary considerably. In the technical world, must of the same training will be required, with some added knowledge about green/sustainable/clean/energy efficient principles. Understanding the basic principles and how to apply them in their specific field is key.

Jonathan: If you're new to sustainability, start educating yourself on what's happening in areas of your interest. There are numerous ways to educate yourself from classes your city puts on to more specific training.

Why is it so crucial that all business consider their effects on the environment?

Claudia: It will help the bottom-line (if a business is wasting natural resources it is wasting money). It provides opportunities for top line to provide new products such as energy management system. At a macro level, scarcity of energy, water and other resources will put business' supply chain at risk.

Will: Because consumers will demand it and those businesses that adopt green principals will be rewarded with business from their customers. This is a growth area which is nascent and full of opportunities for those who are creative, disciplined and opportunistic.

Kat: Sustainable practices are already a fact. It's essential to look out for opportunities to useless and improve customer service or productivity. Businesses should think about the environment due to the larger issues, such as global warming, energy independence, and social impact. However we observe also other essential values:

·       Energy reduction - an average 40% of the total energy use reduction by Energy Star Building would bring net savings of $1 a day per employee.

·       Space selection and efficient design can decrease energy costs, increase work productivity, and employee retention according to new real estate strategies.

·       Businesses with sustainable practices are better positioned to recruit and retain employees. 58% of people working in office environment are 44 and younger, as per bureau of labor statistics, and sustainability practices are increasingly crucial to this group.

·       Telecommuting - An option for a better work/life balance that improves productivity.

·       LEED (Green Building Rating System) provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction. There is a long list of benefits of implementing LEED strategy from improvement in energy efficiency, IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) and water quality to reducing solid waste, benefiting owners, occupiers, and society. LEED certified buildings are healthier. Collectively LEED certificates by giving the points and rank by the level of certification boost prestige of the properties. How we live and occupy the space determines the buildings performance, but also defines and demonstrates our commitment to the environment and the health of our organizations.

·       For increasing number of computers that use a lot of power and cause disposal problems the solution may be server consolidation or cloud computing that will reduce a company's carbon footprint and save money.

·       Incentive programs and tax credits, rebate programs, info here. All kind of local programs and regulations regarding the climate change and sustainability are supported by federal funding and resources, EPA.

·       The green building legislation will become more strict, mandated and regulated. Developers and building owners who are considering green construction practices or retrofit projects will be the industry leaders.

·       Prestige - many companies are very proud contributing to sustainability and saving our planet, and so the clients.

·       Promoting a healthy lifestyle, trying to be less wasteful, recycling and reusing supplies, using organic materials and new green technologies, etc. are all wonderful ideas.

·       Things like banks offering "paper free" options, emails that say "don't print if you don't have to," are small things, but when quantity is considered, are certainly worth it. In fact, in many cases today, when given offers with similar price points and service, many consumers will opt for the "green" choice.

·       As observed a boom in all things "green" and organic, trendsetters, celebrities, and politicians all over the world popularize "being green" by choosing such products (e.g. hybrid cars, organic food, all natural cosmetics, etc.) and services or providing new and innovative ideas.

 

Carol: The industrialized world has used unsustainable business practices from decades, if not centuries. Current business practices are no longer sustainable for a number of reasons including the impact they have on the environment and the people in communities that are impacted by the business. Rethinking business practices can have a more positive impact on the environment while also helping the business's bottom line. Some companies that have already been working toward sustainable business practices find these changes also have a positive impact on employee morale and engagement, which also have a positive impact on the business as a whole.

Jonathan: There are cost savings by going green, it's good PR, and there are grants and rebates to make it more affordable. Analyzing the ways businesses can reduce their impact on the environment will open doors to new opportunities.

What are some of the top informational resources online for green jobs?

Will: Not sure about this. I don't think I would focus on 'green job's', but instead bringing green thinking to traditional jobs. Communicate to employers why your thinking/skills makes sense for their business.

Kat: Green jobs can be found on many websites and the number grows considerably, Find the resources here.

Carol: We find the following blogs helpful in following technological advances in the new economy, Find the resources here.

In your opinion, what are the most promising type of green jobs in the next five years?

Claudia: Providing data to manage resources. Innovative algorithms to manage resources better. For example: In cars, turning off motor when idling. For trucking fleet, finding best routes. For electrical grid, better management of demand.

Will: Renewable Energy, Smart Infrastructure/Grid, New Product Development, Design/Architecture for Buildings and Homes, Alternative Agriculture

 Kat: Renevables, including the most dynamic growing solar industry (expected jobs in manufacturing, construction, installations, and sales) - In January, President Obama awareded $2.3 billion in tax credits for clean energy manufacturing projects, including investments in manufacturing facilities that solar, wind, energy efficiency and energy management technologies. U.S. Interior Department simplified the permitting process to speed up the construction of transmission projects. The Interior Department fixed $41 million from the economic stimulus package to advance production of clean energy on public lands. Chairman of the Green Jobs and New Economy Subcommittee, Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to reintroduce legislation that will provide incentives for buying solar panels and for solar companies to produce 10 million solar rooftops in the United States in 10 years.Training and education for ?green? jobs. IT jobs, including Hardware Quality Assurance Engineers, Software Test and Development Engineers, Simulation Engineers.How to find green jobs? The series of articles from http://www.greencollarblog.org/2009/07/future-green-jobs-finding-green-jobs-part-3.html will help to identify current opportunities.

Carol: Jobs in all Smart Grid industries are expected to grow. This includes renewable energy generation, such as solar and wind, as well as all the other industries associated with energy management and smart appliances. If cap and trade or a carbon tax is implemented, then other industries are likely to open up, including carbon accounting.

Jonathan: I think that job growth in green will be in renewable energy and everything associated with it. Where is the federal money being spent? It's being allocated out for a lot of R&D on conservation, renewables as well as creating better infrastructure with high speed rail roads, wireless internet, urban planning and livable streets coupled with bicycling and human powered transportation.

 

Carl from Odinjobs: I would like to thank Claudia, Will, Kat, Carol, Jonathan for taking the time to share with us their "Green" insights. This has been an eye opening experience that will surely propel me and others to be more green both personally and professionally. Thanks once again for sharing

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Green Resources - A helpful List of Green Resources provided by Our Green Experts

Government

http://www.dol.gov/dol/green/

Training Classes and Certifications

Renewable Energy Training Catalog (Interstate Renewable Energy Council)

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners

Beyond Grey Pinstripes (Aspen Institute)

Business Schools

Bainbridge Graduate Institute

Green MBA - Presidio School of Management

SF State University - MBA with Emphasis in Sustainable Business

NCEES - Advancing professional licensure for engineers and surveyors.

Heatspring Learning Institute

Wind and Solar Training at Boots On the Roof

Solar Energy International

Everblue Training Institute

Becoming a LEED - Accredited Professional, Information here.

Green-Building Technology and Innovation.

Green Designation for NAR - National Association of Realtors.

Online -  Distance or e-learning Programs

Online - Environmental education & Environmental Service Cerificate Program - Cal State

Free Online Education in Wind Energy Technology from Vestas

Free Online Course in Life Cycle Assesment from Harvard University

Online - Conservation/Environmental - Stratford University

Online - Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business - City University

Online - Course in Solar Energy -Eco Achievers

Online - Master Degree in Sustainability & Env Compliance - Southern New Hampshire University

Online - Green MBA in Sustainable Business - Marylhurst University

Online - Solar Courses from Solar Energy International

Online - Graduate and Professional Certificates in Sustainable Energy- Stanford University

Online - Green Consultant Certification - Eco-Institution

Online - Green MBA from Green Mountain College

Study Online and become certified Green Home Inspector.

 Green Undergraduate Degree Programs

Associate Degree in Energy Systems Wind Energy Technician

Associate degree in Sustainable Green Chemistry at UC Berkeley

Associate and B.Sc., Degree Programs in Electric Drive Vehicles, Elect Transportation and EV Maintenance - Wayne State University

Degrees in Sustainable living - MBA and Undergraduate programs -Iowa

Training in Solar or Wind for Installation or Sales Careers

Transitioning to a GREEN Sales Career

MyGreen interview with the CEO of Solar Staffing Inc

Laid off workers get retrained in Solar Energy with Stimulus dollars

Wind Turbine Technician Academy - Kalamazoo Michigan

Wind Energy & Turbine Technology Program at Iowa Lakes Community College

Wind Technician Associates Degree - Northern Maine Community College

Certificates, Associates Degrees and PhD's available from the Texas Wind Energy Institute

 

Green MBA Programs in the US

Presidio Graduate School degree programs in Sustainable Management

Anaheim University Green MBA in Sustainable Managment - 18 months

Bainbridge Graduate Institute-Washington State

Green Mountain College Vermont

Green MBA in Sustainability,Community & Social Responsibility-Meridian University

Degrees in Sustainable living - MBA programs - Iowa

Green Certifications

Green Certification for Real Estate and Mortgage Professionals

 

Career Resources

http://www.greengamma.com/

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/greendreamjobs.main

http://jobs.greenbiz.com/

https://www.greencareercentral.com/

http://www.alternativeenergy.com/

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/careers/jobseekers

http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/environmental_jobs.htm

http://www.sustainableindustries.com/jobs

http://www.cleantech.org/pg/TechOpps/ViewTechOpps.aspx

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/jobs/

http://www.sustainlane.com/green-jobs

http://www.greenjobs.com/public/index.aspx

http://jobs.treehugger.com/

http://www.greenjobsearch.org

http://www.environmentalcareer.com/

http://www.careervoyages.gov/green-main.cfm

http://www.goinggreenjobs.com/

http://www.greatgreencareers.com/

http://www.5milliongreenjobs.org/

http://www.environmentalcareer.info/










































 

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