To start conference days, keynotes speakers will give specific talks proposing other points of view on geomatics.

Denise PUMAIN is a geographer, specialized in urbanization and in the social sciences patterns establishment. She is professor at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and member of the Institut universitaire de France. She founded and still manages the European geographic magazine, Cybergeo. She won the Vautrin-Lud awards. She will adrress a speech as a keynote about « Urban Systems dynamics, urban growth and scaling laws », on Tuesday, 5th July at 10:30,  room 241.

Jean-Christophe VICTOR is a trained ethnologist and sinologist. After working as a diplomat in Afghanistan, he joined the « Centre d’analyse et de prévision du Quai d’Orsay ». He created LEPAC (Laboratoire d’Etudes Prospectives et Cartographiques), an applied research laboratory in international relationships. Then, in association with the European television channel Arte, he founded the geopolitic magazine « Le dessous des cartes ». He will address a lecture on Cartography, as a teaching tool and a decision-making support, on Monday, 4th July at 10:00, during the Opening ceremony

Dominique BOULLIER is sociologist and Professor at Sciences-Po. He is specialized in the digital use and in cognitive technology. He will talk about « From GIS to folkmapping ans datascapes », on Thursday, 7th July at 8:30, room 251.

Gilles PALSKY is a professor of geography at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. He is a member of the research team, Epistemology and History of Geography. From 1999 to 2007, he chaired the Commitee on « History of Cartography» at the Comité Français de Cartographie. He obtained his PhD with a dissertation on « The spirit of Cartography. Historical, semiological and sociological approaches in Cartography. He will address a tribute to Jacques Bertin on Monday, 4th July at 13:30, room 251.

Athina TRAKAS is OGC’s Director for European Services. In her position she is the contact person for OGC in Europe, responsible for the OGC’s activities and networking in Europe. This includes connecting with European stakeholder organisations, the European Commission and members, supporting regional and national forum activities (like the France OGC Forum) and planning and managing of OGC outreach and recruitment. She has a diploma in Geography and started working in the field of GIS in 1998. In 2006, she joined OGC as Director for Business Development on a part time basis. Since 2008 she is charter member of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo).  In 2009 she was appointed OGC’s Director for European Services. She will address a lecture on The critical role of open standards in SDI’s and INSPIRE, on Wednesday at 8:30 in the room 251