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Role

The GIScience Steering Committee’s (GSC) role is:

• To give long term strategic direction to the GIScience conference series, paying attention to the scientific quality, diversity and health of the conference series
• To manage the process of soliciting conference bids, assessing and selecting a winning bid
• To support the organisers of individual conferences, providing feedback and suggestions related to the conference

Membership

The GSC aspires to represent the diversity of those undertaking research relevant to the conference aims, and seeks to include those active in research in GIScience independent of their backgrounds. We strive for a membership representing a wide range of subject areas, career stages, geographic locales and diverse individual backgrounds.

Members of the GSC are expected to be champions for the conference:

• actively promoting it as a venue to present research in GIScience;
• encouraging colleagues to consider bidding for the conference;
• discussing conference bids;
• reflecting on previous conferences; and
• discuss the long term strategy for the conference.

Membership is for a maximum of eight years. In the selection of membership, special consideration will be given to underrepresented groups. Candidates can be nominated for membership in various ways:

• Members of the GSC can suggest new members (for example, when they are stepping down);
• After each GIScience conference, the organisers are invited to nominate up to three new members from the organising team;
• Members of the community, especially early career researchers, can apply to open calls for membership;
• By the chairs, who report regularly on GSC membership, identify gaps and propose new members at GSC meetings

The GSC discusses and approves proposals for new members.

The GSC appoints a small executive committee (4 members), which is available to support the chairs in preparing and reviewing documents, and discussing urgent issues.

The GSC is chaired by two members, appointed by the GSC. The chairs are appointed for a period covering two GIScience conferences.

Role of the chairs

The chairs are responsible for the management of the GSC and in particular:

• Prepare and publish a call for bids to host the conference
• Organise bi-annual meetings of the steering committee
• Prepare and communicate an agenda for steering committee meetings, such that all members can communicate views and concerns
• Chair steering committee meetings, and prepare votes on conference bids
• Act as the primary contact for conference organisers, regularly liaising to discuss progress, questions and any potential problems
• Give a short report to the conference on the activities of the GSC
• Propose and report on membership of the GSC

Transparency

The following are published on the GSC website:

• This document, summarising the role of the GSC
• Criteria and the process for bidding for the conference, along with dates and a brief description of the selection process
• Names of members of the GSC, and their periods of membership
• Calls for early career members of the GSC
• The chairs’ reports to previous conferences on GSC activities