UN-SPIDER International expert meeting: Crowdsource mapping for preparedness and emergency response

In recent years, advancements in technologies have made it possible for virtual communities such as OpenStreetMap, Ushahidi, Sahana, CrisisMappers, Virtual Disaster Viewer, Google MapMaker and INSTEDD to provide increasing support to disaster preparedness and emergency response efforts. Important cornerstones of this virtual effort are the possibility to access and take advantage of post-disaster satellite imagery as well as the use of other space-based technologies such as telecommunications satellites and global navigation satellite systems. Taking note of the need to connect these pioneering communities with the space industry as well as the disaster management community, the UN-SPIDER Programme is carrying out a one-year project (“Space-based information for Crowdsource Mapping”) aiming at identifying specific actions that could ensure a closer cooperation among the three communities. The first activity of this project will be an Expert Meeting to be held in Vienna to discuss strategies that will contribute to supporting civil protection and emergency management agencies to make use of products generated by such groups in areas of preparedness and emergency response and provide a better understanding to these groups on the specific needs of the disaster management community.

Discussions will include: Feedback from experts from the disaster management community regarding how information has to be generated and/or tailored to ensure that it can be used effectively; novel potential applications and products which could be elaborated by the crowd-sourcing communities that can support preparedness and emergency response, and; how to build upon existing solutions to facilitate the sharing of information to the emergency management community. Additionally, we will also be discussing strategies on how to adequately address intellectual property and copyright concerns.

The UN-SPIDER Programme was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2006 with the mandate to promote that all countries and international and regional organizations have access to and develop the capacity to use all types of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle. This includes the need to ensure that space-based information supports the Crowdsource mapping efforts for the benefit of the disaster community.

Expected Participants

The first Expert Meeting will bring together 30 leading experts representing crowd-sourcing communities, space agencies, disaster management and civil protection agencies, NGOs, private companies, and regional and international organizations. If you are an expert currently working in any of the relevant areas (disasters, crowd-source mapping, space-based information) and would like to participate in the meeting please do consider applying to this meeting by the 31st May 2011.

Financial Support

A number of selected experts will be offered financial support to attend this expert meeting. The support will defray the cost of travel (round-trip ticket – most economic fare – between the airport of international departure in their country of residence and Vienna) and/or room and board expenses during the duration of the event. Priority will be given to experts from developing countries nominated by their institutions.

Sponsors and partners

If your organisation would like to cooperate in the “Space-based information for Crowdsource Mapping Project” we would be pleased to forward additional information and discuss further how to become involved.

Insurance

"Life/major health insurance for each of the selected participants is necessary and is the responsibility of the candidate or his/her institution or government. UNOOSA will not assume any responsibility for life and major health insurance, nor for expenses related to medical treatment or accidental events."

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This is a final call for all those interested in applying and be considered to be invited to this first expert meeting. Deadline for application is 31st May 2011.

Information can be found at http://www.un-spider.org/crowdsource-mapping

We did want to thank the more than 100 applicants that have already applied. These applications are already being reviewed by the Organizing Committee. We are looking for very specifc profiles to bring together for this first discussion: more specifically we are aiming at bringing together 30 leading experts representing crowd-sourcing communities, space agencies, disaster management and civil protection agencies, NGOs, private companies, and regional and international organizations. If you are an expert currently working in any of the relevant areas (disasters, crowd-source mapping, space-based information) and would like to participate in the meeting please do consider applying. We are looking for experts that either already work with crowdsource mapping or have been considering how their work could leverage on this opportunity (specifically for disaster risk reduction and emergency and humanitarian response).

For this first expert meeting we will be focusing on getting a feedback from experts from the disaster management community regarding how information has to be generated and/or tailored to ensure that it can be used effectively; on novel potential applications and products which could be elaborated by the crowd-sourcing communities that can support preparedness and emergency response, and; how to build upon existing solutions to facilitate the sharing of information to the emergency management community. Additionally, we will also be discussing strategies on how to adequately address intellectual property and copyright concerns.

This programme is still being elaborated and if you would like throw in your thoughts please join us at the following Google Group:

http://groups.google.com/group/space-based-information-for-crowdsource-mapping

Thanks again for the extraordinary interest in this event and we are sure the end result will benefit the work we all carry out together.

And please do forward this e-mail to any expert you personally know and that you think should be involved in this event

Regards

David

David STEVENS
Programme Coordinator
UN-SPIDER
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
Vienna - Beijing - Bonn
Tel.: +43-1-260605631
Skype: tazarkount - Mobile +43 - 699 1459-5631
E-Mail david.stevens@unoosa.org

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