More than 100 computer and geography buffs gathered together Wednesday to celebrate Geographic Information Systems Day.

Robin McNeely, systems analyst for academic information technologies, said GIS Day grows each year.

Patrick Brown, systems analyst in animal ecology, said the goal of GIS Day was to bring interested people together to learn more about the emerging technology.

“We want to make people aware of GIS and to find out who’s using it and how, and to network with those people,” he said.

GIS is a broad area of study, Brown said.

“It is basically creating maps, at its most simplistic level,” he said.

Brown said examining road networks and looking at aerial photos are methods for using GIS.

James Jarvis, sophomore in computer engineering, described GPS as “completely cutting-edge computer technology.”

He said he thought the most interesting seminar of the day was “The IEM-KCCI-NWS Partnership: Working Together to Save Lives and Increase Weather Data Distribution” with the National Weather Service, KCCI TV Des Moines and Iowa State.

“I found it interesting because it showed how emergency managers can work together to follow the paths storms are taking,” he said.

Jarvis said he watched 100 people drive in Los Angeles and made a map of their movements and how fast they traveled on certain roads. Using Global Positioning System technology, Jarvis can look in on the traffic. If the vehicles are traveling only 30 miles an hour on a road with a speed limit of 70, Jarvis can predict an accident or traffic jam, he said.

Brown said GIS skills are taught in classes like agronomy, business and landscape architecture, but no major is offered in GIS for students.

“There is so much data out there with spatial components,” he said. “Every profession could find a use for GIS.”

Jarvis said ISU students would benefit from more GIS training. “It shows future employers you’ve had experience in it,” he said.

Brown said he is currently talking with university officials to create a GIS minor for undergraduates.