Dr. Di Zhu selected as the Academic Director of AAG Geographic Information Science & Systems Specialty Group (GISS-SG)

On September 18, 2026, AAG Geographic Information Science and Systems Specialty Group (GISS-SG) announced its newly elected Board of Directors (BOD). Professor Di Zhu was selected as the Academic Director, and will be serving the GISS community for the next year. Di's responsibilities include organizing the AAG GISS Student Honors Paper Competition at the Annual Meeting, developing schedules for submissions and reviews, coordinating oral sessions at AAG, and presenting award certificates at the Award Ceremony at the Annual Meeting.

The GISS-SG BOD members:

- Vice Chair: Somayeh Dodge, University of California Santa Barbara
- Academic Director: Di Zhu, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- Communications Director: Yue Lin, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Commercial Director: Nan Ding, District First
- Government Director: Patrick Kerwin, NASA
- Student Director: Yifan Yang, Texas A&M University

- Past Chair: Gengchen Mai, University of Texas at Austin
- Chair: Yingjie (Jason) Hu, University at Buffalo

The mission of the AAG GISS Specialty Group is as follows:

• Promote the exchange of ideas and information relating to GIS.
• Promote GIS research.
• Improve the understanding of the proper application of GIS procedures. Develop materials and promote activities needed to improve the teaching of GIS concepts.
• Promote and coordinate activities and directions with other professional organizations involved with GIS.
• Pursue charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

See the GISS-SG website for details.