![Babs Buttenfield](/geography/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/article-image/barbara_buttenfield_0_0.jpg?itok=78HSxxNy)
Babs Buttenfield presented the opening keynote address this morning at the USGS Center for Excellence in Geospatial Science (CEGIS) Annual Research Conference in Rolla Missouri.ÌýThe title of her talk was "The Trouble with Geospatial Science: Unsolved Problems, Unresolved Obstacles".
The CEGIS vision is to conduct, lead, and influence the research and innovative solutions required by the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and the emerging GeoSpatial and GeoSemantic Web. CEGIS is a virtual organization with Federal and academic affiliate scientists conducting research in support ofÌýThe National MapÌýand theÌýThree-Dimensional Elevation Program (3DEP).
The U.S. Geological Survey Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS) was created in 2006 and since that time has provided research primarily in support ofÌýThe National Map. The presentations and publications of the CEGIS researchers document the research accomplishments that include advances in electronic topographic map design, generalization, data integration, map projections, sea level rise modeling, geospatial semantics, ontology, user-centered design, volunteer geographicÌýinformation, and parallel and grid computing for geospatial data fromÌýThe National Map. A research plan spanning 2013–18 has been developed extending the accomplishments of the CEGIS researchers and documenting new research areas that are anticipated to supportÌýThe National MapÌýof the future. In addition to extending the 2006–12 research areas, the CEGIS research plan for 2013–18 includes new research areas in data models, geospatial semantics, high-performance computing, volunteered geographic information, crowdsourcing, social media, data integration, and multiscale representations to support the Three-Dimensional Elevation Program (3DEP) andÌýThe National MapÌýof the future of the U.S. Geological Survey.