image
in print
Dr. Lawrence W. Fritz
ISPRS President
The Society's interests are in the acquisition and
use of imagery to support applications in the spatial information sciences
and technologies (S&T). These interests include applications in GIS,
cartography, geodesy, surveying, Earth
and engineering sciences, environmental monitoring and protection,
etc. Further close-range imaging applications include visualization, metrology,
machine vision, industrial design, architecture and monument preservation,
medicine and others.
In pursuit of these interests during the 1996-2000
term, the ISPRS is conducting its research activities though its seven
Technical Commissions and 45 domain specific Working Groups (WG). Other
accompanying ISPRS activities include: conducting scientific and technologic
conferences, workshops, etc.; publishing a peer-reviewed bi-monthly "Journal
of P&RS", a quarterly news bulletin "ISPRS Highlights", and the International
Archives of P&RS; facilitating educational opportunities in the imaging
and spatial information sciences; and actively promoting international
S&T cooperation and coordination with relevant organizations of the
UN and with other international science and engineering societies and
organizations. ISPRS is funded by modest dues assessed to Member Organizations.
All of its activities are conducted
and managed by volunteers.
During 1998, El Salvador became the 100th national
representative organization to join ISPRS and seven companies/institutions
have joined which increases Sustaining Membership to 48. New applications
pending
for national representation have been received from Bangladesh and
Benin; for Regional Membership by AGRHYMET (nine Sahel countries); and
for Associate Membership by the Indian Cartographic Association.
The ISPRS Commissions convened their quadrennial
Symposia during 1998 in India, Japan, USA, UK, Hungary and Germany. Special
sessions on CEOS were included in the Bangalore, Cambridge (UK) and Budapest
Symposia.
The seventh Symposium in Bandung, Indonesia will convene 15-17April
1999. Summaries of these and other
activities (including WGISS) are presented in the December 1998 "ISPRS
Highlights." Relations with CEOS Working Groups on Information Systems
and Services (WGISS) and Calibration/Validation (WGCV) began by sharing
terms of reference and by designating official points of contact. Working
relations are underway for joint participation in, and joint sponsorship
of, several activities of mutual interest. Further information may be accessed
via the ISPRS Home Page <www.geod.ethz.ch/isprs>. It is continuously
updated and contains a new international jobs directory, a monthly updated
international events calendar, and pointers to activities relevant to both
CEOS and ISPRS members.
In 1999, ISPRS WGs are convening more than 20 Workshops and Conferences.
In addition, ISPRS will be actively participating in the 1999 UNISPACE
III Conference in Vienna. Current UNISPACE preparations include joint sponsorship
of an "SPRS/NASA Seminar on Environment and Remote Sensing for Sustainable
Development," and an "SPRS/EARSeL Workshop on Remote Sensing for the Detection,
Monitoring and Mitigation on Natural Disasters," plus an "ISPRS Workshop
on Resource Mapping from Space."
These sessions complement three UNISPACE III background
papers prepared in 1998 by ISPRS officers. Also in 1999, ISPRS will be
exploring with CEOS opportunities to create a joint forum to address commercial
EOS issues and activities.