GIS pioneer explores "The Power of Where" in new interactive book

Esri co-founder Jack Dangermond introduced his new book "The Power of Where: A Geographic Approach to the World's Greatest Challenges" at a recent Redlands Forum, highlighting the company's 50-year history and the importance of geographic thinking in addressing global challenges.

Dangermond sat down with his friend and historian Larry Burgess to kick off the 2024-25 Redlands Forum season on Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Esri Auditorium.

The book, which combines traditional print with interactive digital elements, explores how Geographic Information System (GIS) technology can be applied to solve complex problems across various fields.

"This book has my name on the front, but it was actually authored by about 50 people," Dangermond said. "It's really a body of knowledge that brings together 50 years or so of what we've been doing here in this organization."

The book focuses on the geographic approach to solving problems and the potential of modern GIS to address humanity's great challenges.

The book, which was years in the making, contains more than 500 maps, many created by Esri users. It also provides a unique look at the early days of Esri, which Dangermond co-founded with his wife Laura Dangermond in 1969. 

During the Redlands Forum presentation, Dangermond briefly overviewed how geography, cartography and technology work together. He highlighted the widespread application of GIS technology across various sectors, including urban planning, environmental conservation, national security and disaster response.

"Today, its mission, as we describe it, is to create useful technology that other people can use," Dangermond explained. "Not just technology, but useful technology that helps people do their work better."

After Dangermond introduced the book, he and Burgess sat down together and chatted as old friends a bit more about how Esri started, the future of GIS and the value of finding purpose and meaning in life.