In 2022, 18 devastating weather events like tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires in the U.S. incurred losses that exceeded $1 billion each, NOAA reported. The U.S. Census Bureau reported more than 3 million people were displaced from their homes. Natural disaster preparedness utilizing advanced geospatial and AI technologies for forecasting and emergency response is becoming critical for government agencies, civic organizations, and enterprise businesses.
“As climate change accelerates, the threat from larger and more severe natural disasters is only increasing,” said Andrew Montgomery, vice president of strategy for Object Computing, a technology firm based in St. Louis, MO. “By harnessing the power of geospatial data and AI-powered analytics, leaders can more effectively ensure public safety, protect physical assets, and maintain communications and infrastructure.”
Object Computing, in partnership with Planet and other technology leaders, is hosting two conferences to help leaders prepare for and respond to severe weather. The GEO SWRM: Severe Weather Resilience and Mitigation Conferences will be held in St. Louis on September 19 and in Houston on September 28.
The goal of the conferences is two-fold:
- To gather civic and business leaders, policymakers, and technology experts to share best practices for managing weather incidents and educate each other on the capabilities new technologies can have in pre- and post-disasters.
- To provide awareness and hands-on training using cutting-edge tools for geospatial technology professionals.
Each conference will highlight geospatial technology solutions required to mitigate specific weather-related impacts of their region. The St. Louis conference will focus on flooding models and assessment, while the Houston conference will focus on hurricane surge models. Both conferences will feature keynote speakers, roundtable discussions, and hands-on training sessions to better support potential severe weather events.
“We have an exciting line-up of guest speakers and roundtable participants who bring experience from the communities they serve,” Montgomery said. “Col. Kevin Golinghorst, former US Army Corps of Engineers of St. Louis District, is our keynote speaker for the St. Louis event.
St. Louis GEO SWRM (geoswrm.eventbrite.com) takes place Tuesday, Sept. 19, at Cortex. Registration for St. Louis GEO SWRM is available online through September 11. This event is presented by Object Computing, Greater St. Louis Inc., Planet, New Light Technologies, Taylor Geospatial Institute, Cortex, Saint Louis University, and University of Missouri’s Data Science & Analytics Program.
Houston GEO SWRM (geo-ai-prepared.eventbrite.com) will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28, and The Westin Houston Downtown. Registration for Houston GEO SWRM is available online through September 21, and is presented by Object Computing, Planet, and the Colorado School of Mines.
Object Computing, Inc. is a modern consulting company that takes businesses from insights to outcomes using breakthrough technology. Our team has unmatched expertise in building solutions using today's leading-edge technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cloud, Security, Internet of Things (IoT), and Blockchain. As pioneers of enterprise open source solutions, we strategically integrate best-in-class technologies into enterprise solutions to deliver impactful digital capabilities that enable scalability, reusability, security, and quality.
