{"id":584736,"date":"2026-06-22T00:18:25","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T00:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=584736"},"modified":"2026-06-22T17:40:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T17:40:16","slug":"grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose","title":{"rendered":"Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>DMT 2026 | Freeport, Maine | May 10\u201313, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p><em>I flew to Maine on Mother\u2019s Day for the Digital Mapping Techniques (DMT) workshop. And somewhere between the grief of a recent loss, the quiet of early-morning streets, and a room full of geologists and geographic information system (GIS) professionals sharing their project work, I found something I hadn\u2019t expected: stillness.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<p>There is a concept in geology called deep time\u2014the notion that the Earth\u2019s story is written in layers, each stratum a page in a record that stretches back billions of years. The ground beneath our feet holds answers that dwarf any single human concern. There is something profoundly humbling about that. And something, I discovered at DMT, deeply comforting.<\/p>\n\n<p>I had come to Freeport, Maine, for the DMT workshop, an annual gathering of geoscience and GIS professionals from state geological surveys, federal agencies, and the private sector. The theme this year was From Field to Publication and Beyond: Comparing and Improving Our Workflows. On the surface, DMT is a technical gathering. In practice, it\u2019s something more.<\/p>\n\n<p>The workshop itself\u2014first convened by Dave Soller of the US Geological Survey in 1997\u2014marked its 30th gathering this year. Under his continued stewardship, DMT has grown into a trusted forum for advancing digital geological mapping through open exchange, shared standards, and practical collaboration across the mapping community. Hosted this year by the Maine Geological Survey, the meeting reflected both the strength of its foundation and the ongoing evolution of the field\u2014bringing together practitioners to refine workflows, advance standards like Geologic Map Schema (GeMS) and the National Geologic Map Database (NGMDB), and collectively shape how geoscience is practiced and shared.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1-1024x608.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-584737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1-1024x608.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1-768x456.png 768w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1.png 1376w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A room of geoscientists and GIS professionals is fully engaged\u2014listening, learning, and contributing to the shared work of understanding the Earth.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-homecoming-of-sorts\"><strong><em>A Homecoming of Sorts<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>I grew up not far from here\u2014Nova Scotia, Canada\u2014and the pull of this corner of the world is something I carry quietly. As I walked the early-morning streets of Freeport, something loosened in my chest. This landscape, this light, this particular quality of northeastern air\u2014it all has always felt like an anchor. A place where I can simply be.<\/p>\n\n<p>My roots are in geology, physics, and geospatial technology. I did geologic fieldwork in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Colorado, Minnesota, and Indonesia\u2014Borneo and Sulawesi\u2014mapping rock and reading the Earth\u2019s record in the way that only those who\u2019ve knelt in the field with a Bruton compass, a rock hammer, and a hand lens truly understand. That work formed me. It is in my hands and my eyes, even if I no longer spend my days in the field.<\/p>\n\n<p>So, when the DMT presentations began\u2014when geologists pulled up their field photographs, their carefully constructed cross sections, their hard-won GIS workflows\u2014something quietly rekindled in me. A sense of belonging. A calm I hadn\u2019t anticipated needing quite so much.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong><em>The ground beneath our feet is both record and compass\u2014it tells us where we\u2019ve been and, if we pay attention, something of where we\u2019re going.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"474\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT2-1024x474.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-584738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT2-1024x474.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT2-300x139.png 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT2-768x355.png 768w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT2-1536x711.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT2-2048x948.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Dawn lights the streets of Maine, where historic architecture and quiet storefronts frame a landscape that feels deeply rooted and timeless.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-the-dmt-community-brought-to-the-table\"><strong><em>What the DMT Community Brought to the Table<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>Over two-and-a-bit days of technical sessions, more than 60 geoscience professionals from across North America shared their best practices, setbacks, and hard-earned innovations\u2014an exchange notable not only for its breadth but also for the openness and generosity of the community.<\/p>\n\n<p>Among the attendees, 27 presenters representing 15 states delivered applied use cases demonstrating how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/earth-sciences\/disciplines\/geoscience\">ArcGIS supports geoscience<\/a> workflows across disciplines, highlighting a shift toward integrated, data-driven approaches in geologic mapping where connecting field data, legacy information, analytical tools, and publicly accessible outputs is becoming the new standard.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"589\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT3-1024x589.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-584739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT3-1024x589.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT3-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT3-768x441.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT3.jpg 1517w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>These geologic maps from US state surveys showcase the depth of field knowledge, data integration, and collaborative innovation driving modern geoscience.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-grief-and-the-ground\"><strong><em>The Grief and the Ground<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>Flying to Maine on Mother\u2019s Day\u2014a day that was already tender, made more so by the recent passing of my mother-in-law. She was a wonderful woman, and her loss is still fresh. I carried that ache with me onto the plane, into the hotel, on my morning walks.<\/p>\n\n<p>There is something strange and right about grieving in Maine, in a room full of people who work reading the deep record of time. Geology teaches a particular relationship with impermanence. Formations rise, erode, compress, transform. What looks like loss, in deep time, is often just matter in transition, a record in formation.<\/p>\n\n<p>I don\u2019t say that to minimize grief. I say it because sitting in those sessions, watching geologists and GIS professionals light up about their work, I felt the grief settle rather than dissolve. It found its place beside something larger.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong><em>The quiet joy of these practitioners\u2014the pride they take in their work, in sharing what they\u2019ve learned, in contributing to something that will outlast them\u2014offered me a calm that arrived exactly when I needed it most.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>I observed field photographs and thought of my own time in the field. I felt the old satisfaction of it\u2014the physicality, the patience, the particular pleasure of a boundary drawn correctly. And I felt gratitude for the role I now occupy: one that lets me witness these successes and setbacks, contribute to this community\u2019s work, and help the science reach more people and places.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-we-do-this-work\"><strong><em>Why We Do This Work<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>There is a line that has been rattling around in my head since I arrived here: Work at a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life. It\u2019s a well-worn sentiment. But well-worn things are often well-worn for a reason.<\/p>\n\n<p>The geologists at DMT 2026 are not here for the recognition. Many work in state surveys with constrained resources, navigating legacy systems and funding pressures and the slow pace of institutional change. And yet the energy in that room\u2014the genuine delight in a new tool, the laughter at a shared struggle, the careful attention paid to a colleague\u2019s presentation\u2014spoke of people who have found their thing and show up because the work matters to them, deeply and personally.<\/p>\n\n<p>That matters to me. The work my company does\u2014supporting Earth sciences by creating software to generate geospatial solutions and helping organizations like geologic surveys manage and communicate the knowledge encoded in the ground\u2014is downstream of exactly this kind of dedication.<\/p>\n\n<p>We are in the service of these practitioners and the knowledge they build. And walking the streets of Freeport at dawn during this gathering, I felt, with unusual clarity, that I am where I am meant to be.<\/p>\n\n<p><em>The connections made at a gathering like this\u2014the conversations over coffee, the exchange of contact information, the shared recognition of a problem you thought only you faced\u2014are the signs of a scientific community. They are how knowledge actually moves.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-i-ve-taken-home\"><strong><em>What I\u2019ve Taken Home<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>I got a reminder\u2014visceral, grounded, arrived at through the convergence of grief and geology and a Maine morning\u2014that this work is not just about maps or data; it\u2019s about contributing to something enduring, meaningful, and far larger than us.<\/p>\n\n<p>The work we do in Earth sciences carries weight and continuity that extends well beyond any individual project or quarterly report. We are custodians of a record. We are building infrastructure for decisions that haven\u2019t been made yet\u2014about resources, hazards, and the shape of the land.<\/p>\n\n<p>That reminder was worth showing up for. That was worth the flight on Mother\u2019s Day. Stay grounded. It can ignite your passion and enable true joy.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1242,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[],"tags":[451,287],"class_list":["post-584736","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-arcgis","tag-gis","industry-sciences"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I flew to Maine on Mother\u2019s Day for the Digital Mapping Techniques (DMT) workshop. And somewhere between the grief of a recent loss, the quiet of early-morning streets, and a room full of geologists and geographic information system (GIS) professionals sharing their project work, I found something I hadn\u2019t expected: stillness.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I flew to Maine on Mother\u2019s Day for the Digital Mapping Techniques (DMT) workshop. And somewhere between the grief of a recent loss, the quiet of early-morning streets, and a room full of geologists and geographic information system (GIS) professionals sharing their project work, I found something I hadn\u2019t expected: stillness.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Industry Blogs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-22T17:40:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1-1024x608.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"608\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose\",\"name\":\"Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1-1024x608.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-22T00:18:25+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-22T17:40:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"I flew to Maine on Mother\u2019s Day for the Digital Mapping Techniques (DMT) workshop. And somewhere between the grief of a recent loss, the quiet of early-morning streets, and a room full of geologists and geographic information system (GIS) professionals sharing their project work, I found something I hadn\u2019t expected: stillness.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1.png\",\"width\":1376,\"height\":817},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Industry Blogs\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9e67473232604767ace176fda2373f75\",\"name\":\"Adrian Zepeda\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f241d7c79b434acd2eb95fe6e5fb7c451719fb651b5e0c18b68e439b62aba05?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f241d7c79b434acd2eb95fe6e5fb7c451719fb651b5e0c18b68e439b62aba05?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Adrian Zepeda\"},\"url\":\"\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose","description":"I flew to Maine on Mother\u2019s Day for the Digital Mapping Techniques (DMT) workshop. And somewhere between the grief of a recent loss, the quiet of early-morning streets, and a room full of geologists and geographic information system (GIS) professionals sharing their project work, I found something I hadn\u2019t expected: stillness.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose","og_description":"I flew to Maine on Mother\u2019s Day for the Digital Mapping Techniques (DMT) workshop. And somewhere between the grief of a recent loss, the quiet of early-morning streets, and a room full of geologists and geographic information system (GIS) professionals sharing their project work, I found something I hadn\u2019t expected: stillness.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose","og_site_name":"Industry Blogs","article_modified_time":"2026-06-22T17:40:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":608,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1-1024x608.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose","name":"Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1-1024x608.png","datePublished":"2026-06-22T00:18:25+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-22T17:40:16+00:00","description":"I flew to Maine on Mother\u2019s Day for the Digital Mapping Techniques (DMT) workshop. And somewhere between the grief of a recent loss, the quiet of early-morning streets, and a room full of geologists and geographic information system (GIS) professionals sharing their project work, I found something I hadn\u2019t expected: stillness.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DMT1.png","width":1376,"height":817},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/grounded-in-maine-what-a-geologic-mapping-gathering-reminded-me-about-purpose#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Grounded in Maine: What a Geologic Mapping Gathering Reminded Me About Purpose"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/","name":"Industry Blogs","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9e67473232604767ace176fda2373f75","name":"Adrian Zepeda","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f241d7c79b434acd2eb95fe6e5fb7c451719fb651b5e0c18b68e439b62aba05?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7f241d7c79b434acd2eb95fe6e5fb7c451719fb651b5e0c18b68e439b62aba05?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Adrian Zepeda"},"url":""}]}},"text_date":"June 22, 2026","author_name":"Lorraine Tighe","author_page":false,"custom_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/earth-from-space.jpg","primary_product":"Sciences","tag_data":[{"term_id":451,"name":"ArcGIS","slug":"arcgis","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":451,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":88,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":287,"name":"GIS","slug":"gis","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":287,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":190,"filter":"raw"}],"category_data":[],"product_data":{"errors":{"invalid_taxonomy":["Invalid taxonomy."]},"error_data":[]},"primary_product_link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/industry\/sciences","short_description":"Dr. Lorraine Tighe, Director of Earth Sciences solutions at Esri reflects on her time at the Digital Mapping Techniques 2026 gathering.\r\n","image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Newsroom-Keyart-Wide-1920-x-1080.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/584736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1242"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/584736\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=584736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=584736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=584736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}