Loading…
We are a home for Earth science data and computing professionals. Our sessions bring together the community for hands-on, interdisciplinary deep dives as we explore "Bridging Divides: Data, Technology, Community" this year. Learn more about this theme on the ESIP Meetings page.

Session and plenary recordings will be published on the ESIP YouTube Channel.
← Back to schedule
The National Spatial Data Infrastructure: Progress and the Path to a NextGeneration SDI Specification
Tuesday July 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Location TBA
Sign-in & Notes
Accessing spatial data shouldn’t be this hard. Scientists routinely struggle to find
current, authoritative, and validated datasets across agencies and platforms. This
session directly addresses those pain points by bringing together policy, technology,
and community voices to focus on practical solutions that make data easier to find,
access, and use.

We will connect federal SDI governance, nextgeneration OGC standards, and
AIassisted data discovery to show how the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)
is evolving to better support Earth science. The session will provide an update on
progress to date, outline the current status of the NSDI, and—most importantly—invite
direct input from the Earth science community through an open Request for
Information (RFI). Participants will see concrete examples of how modern SDI
approaches can reduce datawrangling time, improve metadata quality, and streamline
crossagency discovery workflows.

The NSDI is a foundational framework for linking Earth science data producers and
consumers across organizational and jurisdictional boundaries. Modernizing the NSDI
directly supports ESIP’s “Bridging Divides” theme by connecting data, technology, and
community in ways that reduce friction, improve interoperability, and accelerate
scientific insight.
Speakers
FP
RF

Rich Frazier

Senior Advisor Geospatial Technology, United States Geological Survey, Federal Geographic Data Committee
Rich serves as the Technical Advisor for the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Secretariat. The FGDC leads and supports the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Strategy and spatial data policy development in the United States. The FGDC also coordinates with international organizations... Read More →
avatar for Megan Compton

Megan Compton

Senior NSDI Advisor, Federal Geographic Data Committee
As a leader in geospatial and tech, I’m driving the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)—basically, I’m mapping the future (literally). I manage the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC), guiding our brilliant members to tackle complex geospatial challenges, while... Read More →
JP
IS
Tuesday July 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm CDT
Location TBA
  Cloud-Native & Data Infrastructure

Attendees (1)


Sign up or log in to save this to your schedule, view media, leave feedback and see who's attending!

Tweet Share

Get help with the event

Contact event planner Event login
View support guides Find upcoming events
Create an event you'd love to attend!
Explore why organizers choose Sched • Success stories
Event App • Event scheduling • Event registration • Event ticketing • Sched forms • Call for papers • Badges • Conferences
© 2026. SCHED LLC - All rights reserved - Helping events since 2008
Meeting Planning Software • Privacy • Terms
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link