About 300 people celebrated Geographic Information Systems Day, an annual event observed by about 80 other countries, at Library East on Wednesday.
The international day of geography appreciation is intended to educate people about how GIS, which is software that allows for the management and analyzing of data, is used, said Carol McAuliffe, co-chairwoman of the UF planning committee and Map & Imagery librarian.
Although it was the second year UF sponsored the event, the National Geographic Society has celebrated it since 1987 as part of Geography Awareness Week, according to the event's Web site.
GIS is used by professionals in various fields to better understand data when studying the environment, animals, people, traffic and land use, McAuliffe said.
Professors from UF departments encompassing geography, anthropology, biological sciences, and urban and regional planning were brought together to speak at the event, as well as representatives from the St. Johns River Water Management District and the Alachua County Department of Growth Management.
McAuliffe said tutorials about GIS were tailored to those who wanted to learn the basics, but people already familiar with the system found it interesting as well.
The event wrapped up with a geocaching hunt across campus. The four participants who took part in the hunt navigated with Global Positioning Systems, which led them to the stadium, a parking garage, a retention pond and a wooden path.
UF graduate students Kristen Blanton and Cory Catts took part in the geocaching hunt, though neither had geocached before.
"We like maps and navigation," Blanton said before the search. "So this should be fun."
McAuliffe said she was disappointed by the small turnout of participants, but she said she hopes the geography celebration will continue to grow.
