Google Earth and Google Maps – Going to Work for Public Good

Today, GIS enables the mapping of locations and objects, the placement of intelligence into the objects and the use of tools and applications to derive knowledge from this converged data, often for the public good. Take AIDS.gov, for example. AIDS.gov is an internet portal for all Federal domestic HIV and AIDS resources and information, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services. This online portal uses the Google Maps API to map the locations of HIV/AIDS prevention and service providers. Put to work, residents in cities such as Washington D.C., for example, a city with a notoriously high HIV/AIDS population, can locate testing centers, health centers, family planning centers and view results in a popular map format. HSS is just one example of ways in which the federal government is making use of geospatial technology to benefit constituents, and was showcased by Google Earth Federal Engineer, Mike Evanoff, during the April 6th Google Fed-Civil Technology Seminar at the Grand Hyatt in D.C. Hosted by Google and [acronym] sponsor, DLT Solutions, the seminar explored other ways and benefits of Google Earth and Google Maps, and provided examples to those in attendance of how they can take advantage of mapping technologies for the public good. Events like DLT’s Google Fed-Civil Technology Seminar provide Federal agency representatives a great opportunity to get in front of Google product engineers like Mike Evanoff and ask questions and get expert insights. For information on upcoming Google live events, please visit the Google Live Events page on DLT.com