From NASA to the National Parks Service, Smithsonian to USAID, numerous federal agencies are using ArcGIS StoryMaps and geographic information systems (GIS) to share compelling, digital stories with the world.

Karen Beardsley, director of Global Professional Programs at UC Davis Global Affairs, is a leader in GIS instruction who received a $25,000 grant from the Institute of International Education (IIE) to provide a four-day GIS Enhancement Workshop for Humphrey fellows, which included participation in the annual Esri Federal GIS Conference in Washington, D.C. earlier in the year.

Going Beyond the Data

A joint effort between UC Davis and Esri, the world’s largest GIS software company, from February 7–10, 2023, Beardsley led the Hubert H. Humphrey Enhancement Workshop: GIS Skill-Building and Networking, which brought together a top-notch team to develop and deliver the workshop. Attendees included Humphrey fellows from all over the world, all based at U.S. universities.

“The goal of the Enhancement Workshop was to broaden and strengthen the fellows’ understanding of GIS through networking and professional learning,” said Beardsley. “I provided 30 fellows from around the U.S. with two days of customized, hands-on, practical training with ArcGIS Online and StoryMaps. By participating in both the conference and training components of the workshop, fellows got to connect with professionals confronting similar challenges as they do in their home countries and had the opportunity to become more effective at using GIS tools for research, analysis, implementation and communication, within their professional fields.”

From Coastal Flooding to Sounds of the Wild West, StoryMaps provide a multimedia storytelling experience that integrates maps, videos, pictures and text to create a sharable story about one’s work, life, projects—whatever the creator wants to express—with the advantage of sophisticated, integrated mapping.

Building GIS Knowledge and Opportunities

Since starting her role as director of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, Beardsley has included instruction on GIS with each cohort of fellows at UC Davis. Because of her expertise in GIS, the IIE and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) asked her to develop tools for gathering data on the domestic impact of the fellowship.

“The following year, our IIE and ECA partners requested that we identify potential long-term partners who may want to develop a deeper, enduring connection with the Humphrey Program and its fellows, and the company Esri was an obvious choice,” said Beardsley.

Beardsley helped arrange high-level discussions between IIE and ECA leaders and Esri, with Esri ultimately contributing an ArcGIS Online account for all Humphrey fellows and affiliates.

“We realized it would help to provide a longer, focused training opportunity for the fellows during their 10-month fellowship in the USA,” said Beardsley. “While several fellows may benefit from the analytical capabilities of GIS, nearly every fellow can use the technology to share their story using ArcGIS StoryMaps.”

Broadening the Scope

Drawing on this experience, Beardsley proposed the Enhancement Workshop to allow for specific training in ArcGIS Online and StoryMaps.

“One missing piece in previous years was this longevity of the resource,” said Beardsley. “While at UC Davis and other host campuses, fellows may have access to these tools, but once their fellowship ends, they typically lose that access, along with their data and work. The technology is part of the ArcGIS Online account that the Humphrey fellows all have access to because fellows remain part of the organizational account even after their time at a U.S. university ends. This allows fellows to tell their stories using a multimedia platform that is available to them beyond their Humphrey year, as their membership account does not expire.”

In December 2022, IIE released a competitive request for proposals, totaling close to $25,000, for those interested in hosting an Enhancement Workshop. The grant provided funds to develop the workshop, travel to Washington, D.C., as well as a small amount for support from Global Affairs program coordinator, Sasha Ferreira.

The Future of GIS Trainings

Beardsley says she would love to repeat this Enhancement Workshop training again next year for Humphrey fellows. While she teaches GIS classes through UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education, the classes have not yet included ArcGIS Online or StoryMaps training.

“I will continue to teach our Humphrey fellows about StoryMaps while they are at UC Davis and provide any Humphrey fellow with an account on our Humphrey ArcGIS Online platform,” she said. “Esri is also a strong supporter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and provides data and tools for those interested in accessing them—including in the storytelling space. It’s powerful and yet relatively simple to use.”

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About Global Affairs at UC Davis

Global Affairs brings the world to UC Davis, welcoming more than 10,000 international students, scholars and leaders, and hosting programs that inspire global curiosity, understanding and engagement. Compelled by the valuable outcomes of thinking globally, we make transformative opportunities a reality by supporting the thousands of students and faculty learning and researching globally—and by facilitating collaborations that tackle the world’s most pressing challenges through more than 150 global partnerships.

Putting our vision of a UC Davis community that engages, thrives, and leads in this interconnected world into action, Global Affairs is in pursuit of an ambitious goal: Global Education for All.

About the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program

An initiative of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program was founded in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter to honor the late senator and vice president, Hubert H. Humphrey, an advocate of international connections and understanding.