The Esri User Conference (Esri UC) is where the global GIS community comes together to learn, connect, and inspire. Each year, health and human services professionals share powerful stories of how geography helps them make better decisions, improve lives, and create more equitable communities.
Now it’s your turn. The Call for Presentations is open through October 24, 2025 — just 11 days away! Don’t miss your chance to highlight how you’re using GIS to drive impact in health and human services.
- Learn about the Esri User Conference
- Submit your abstract here
- Explore Health and Human Services focus areas
Tips for Crafting a Winning Abstract
The abstract you submit determines whether your paper will be accepted — so make it clear, compelling, and relevant. I’d love to see scads of high quality HHS submission!
Here are some key things our reviewers look for:
1. Define the challenge you solved.
What problem or need drove your GIS project? Framing the challenge helps the audience connect with your purpose.
2. Show its relevance.
Does your topic align with an emerging theme such as geospatial AI or health equity? Or does it address a universal challenge such as managing opioid settlement funds or improving disease surveillance?
3. Demonstrate repeatability.
Can others learn from and apply your approach? Submissions with transferable lessons attract high interest and attendance.
4. Quantify the return on investment (ROI).
Describe the value your work achieved — cost or time savings, improved accuracy, better services, or outcomes such as saving lives or improving well-being.
5. Share lessons learned.
Your experiences — successes and challenges alike — help others advance their own programs.
6. Highlight innovation.
Are you stretching the software or using GIS in a creative new way? Reviewers love fresh perspectives and technical ingenuity.
Focus Areas for Health and Human Services
Abstracts that connect to Esri’s key HHS focus areas are especially encouraged:
- Environmental Health
- Preparedness and Response
- Accessibility
- Strategic Planning
- Humans in Crisis
- Health Equity
If your work supports any of these areas — from climate and community resilience to improving access to care — the Esri UC is the perfect platform to share it.
Submission Quality Matters
A few reminders as you polish your abstract:
- Pay attention to spelling, grammar, and readability — clear writing counts.
- Focus on quality, not quantity. Submitting several abstracts won’t improve your odds; strong, well-crafted ones will.
- Keep your content focused on how you’ve applied Esri’s GIS technology and related workflows. This helps reviewers understand how your work connects to the broader ArcGIS community.
- If you’re a student or researcher, we welcome your participation! Keep in mind that Esri UC sessions tend to focus on applied work — so frame your abstract around practical implementations, repeatable workflows, reusable models and analytics, or measurable outcomes. Adjust your writing toward a storytelling format rather than a purely academic format.
Your Abstract is Just the Beginning
Did you know your abstract is already two-thirds of the way to becoming a case study? If your project tells a story of measurable impact, consider submitting it separately for inclusion on Esri’s industry site. Share your story here.
Act Now – Deadline October 24, 2025
Health and human services professionals are doing incredible, life-changing work with GIS every day. Whether you’re mapping health equity, streamlining services, or improving emergency preparedness, your experience can inspire others.
So take this moment to share your story — and join us at the Esri User Conference 2026 to help shape the future of Health GIS. Submit your abstract here.
