Presenters: Edem Yevoo, University of Maryland and Travis Belote, The Wilderness Society

Abstract: As the global population continues to increase, more people are moving from rural to urban areas. In the next decades, most of the world's population will be living in urban areas. Utilizing geospatial data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a predictive visual model was created using geographic information systems (GIS) software. The model was used to predict the change in the District of Columbia's (DC) urban landscape over time. The use of GIS and data analysis systems hold the key to tackling current and future environmental issues. I will discuss the use of spatial data and how it can be used to impact policy, climate change, and socioeconomic conditions in our urban environments.