Xan Fredericks, GISP is National Map Liaison for Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. She works in the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP). You can find out about the NGP User Engagement Office here. Furthermore, Xan has her own profile at the USGS here. Enjoy the impressive list of her publications.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) is '...the science arm of the Department of the Interior, [bringing] an array of earth, water, biological, and mapping data and expertise to bear in support of decision-making on environmental, resource, and public safety issues.' (more here).
Inspired by the caliber of staff at this organisation and impressive outputs such as the National Map, I had a discussion with Xan about culture. I wanted to know how the USGS builds up a workplace where people are prepared to fully commit. Xan delivered with some wonderful messages and I really recommend a listen. What she had to say revolved around the below Guiding Principles from the USGS.
Toward the end I also used the topic of high speed rail mapping as a way to dig into some of the datasets they maintain. This brings us to some resources for obtaining the data, such as:
Environmental designation datasets:
Thanks once again to Xan for a wonderful conversation. In taking the time to talk to us, she shows what it is to fully live the role of a National Map Liaison.
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Culture and the National Map