Shaowen Wang issues this straightforward invitation: Your perspective is needed now more than ever.
He’s encouraging you to attend the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress (SRI2025) June 16-19 in Chicago. The cyberGIS and geospatial science expert also welcomes students, researchers, community leaders, and more to I-GUIDE Forum 2025: Geospatial AI and Innovation for Sustainability Solutions, co-located at SRI2025 June 17-19.
The pairing offers a comprehensive, inspiring, and unique experience spotlighting the essential connection between sustainability and geospatial research and innovation.
Why is SRI important?
SRI provides a global stage to showcase how geospatial approaches and understanding connect local and global scales for more effective solutions.
And why is SRI important now?
SRI is especially important now because we are at a critical juncture where geospatial data and technologies are essential for guiding urgent action on sustainability challenges. Here’s why the timing matters:
1. Crises Are Escalating — and Geospatial Tools Are Key to Responding
From biodiversity loss to food security, today’s crises are intensifying. Geospatial science enables real-time monitoring, risk mapping, and predictive modeling — tools that are vital for timely, place-based responses.
2. Explosion of Geospatial Data Requires Rigorous Integration
We are seeing an unprecedented surge in satellite, sensor, and location-based data. I-GUIDE Forum 2025, co-located with SRI, provides a critical forum for integrating this data with sustainability science in ways that are actionable and responsible.
3. Rise of Spatial AI and CyberGIS
Emerging technologies — like cyberGIS, digital twins, and spatial artificial intelligence (AI) — are rapidly transforming sustainability research. SRI fosters the interdisciplinary collaboration needed to ensure these innovations serve society and the planet.
4. The Moment for Global Collaboration Is Urgent
The window to meet global sustainability goals is narrowing. SRI brings together global voices — including geospatial experts — to accelerate convergent research and innovative solutions grounded in critical geospatial understanding.
What is cyberGIS and why is it essential for research focused on sustainability and environmental challenges?
CyberGIS is defined as cyber-based geographic information science and systems (GIS), which combines GIS with high-performance computing and data-intensive systems to harness complex, massive geospatial data. CyberGIS is essential for sustainability and environmental research because it:
- Enables analysis of large, complex geospatial datasets
- Supports scalable simulations of environmental systems
- Integrates data and tools across disciplines
- Facilitates data-driven decision-making
- Promotes open, reproducible science
CyberGIS empowers researchers and policymakers to better understand and respond to challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, land use, and disaster resilience.
What message would you share with students, researchers, and innovators who might be attending SRI for the first time?
Whether you’re a student just beginning your career journey, a researcher pushing disciplinary boundaries, or an innovator working to drive real-world impact, SRI offers a unique space to connect, collaborate, and be inspired.
Here, your ideas matter.
Expect to engage with a global community committed to tackling the world’s most urgent sustainability challenges through collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches. Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself, ask questions, and explore unfamiliar topics — SRI is about breaking down silos and building solutions together.
What do you hope leaders and attendees walk away with from this congress?
Attendees and leaders at SRI and the I-GUIDE Forum should leave with a renewed sense of purpose and urgency, equipped with actionable insights on translating research and innovation into real-world sustainability solutions.
They will gain exposure to cutting-edge tools in geospatial AI, cyberGIS, and open science; forge new interdisciplinary collaborations across science, policy, and practice; and deepen their understanding of how complex sustainability challenges intersect across domains like climate, water, health, and geospatial innovation. The programs aim to inspire novel ideas, foster broad partnerships, and empower participants to drive meaningful impact at local and global scales.
How do you respond when someone asks you what they can start doing today to help our environment?
Start with what’s within your reach. Small, consistent actions — like reducing waste, conserving energy, supporting local and sustainable products, or rethinking your transportation choices — can add up. But just as important is staying informed, engaging in conversations about geospatial choices and sustainability, and supporting policies and initiatives that drive systemic change.
Everyone has a role to play, and your choices can influence others and contribute to broader momentum for positive environmental action.
Please finish this sentence: “SRI isn’t just about the planet, it’s also about ________.”
SRI isn’t just about the planet — it’s also about people and place. It recognizes that sustainability must center human well-being in the context of local communities. By grounding innovation in local contexts and lived experiences, SRI connects global goals with real-world impact.
