( CNN ) -- As more technology goes mobile , `` where '' has become one of the key pieces of context in daily life . And the answers to `` where '' increasingly are provided through geographic information systems ( GIS ) , a technology that is being explored , debated and celebrated today in public . It 's GIS Day , and events are being held in 45 U.S. states and 59 countries . Find a GIS Day event near you . GIS is an umbrella term to describe tools used to gather , transform , manipulate , analyze and produce information about real-world places . It 's used to create maps and 3-D models , and to provide information to create more accurate reports and make better decisions . It also powers popular interactive services like Google Street View , or GPS features that help apps on your smartphone know what you mean by `` nearby . '' The point of GIS Day is to demonstrate uses of GIS that are making a difference in society , from getting driving directions on your cell phone to geocaching games to the global response to the Haiti earthquake . Presentations , demonstrations and discussions will cover such far-ranging topics as transportation , defense , education , agriculture and more . Every event is unique . I 'll be attending the GIS Day event at the University of California , Berkeley , where I 'm hoping to try out the free app GeoBeagle on my Android phone in a geocaching exercise . Some GIS Day events ( like the UC Berkeley one ) are conference-style and geared toward adults . But many are specifically kid- and family-friendly . For instance , Myford Elementary School in Irvine , California , is hosting a GIS Day event that includes first-graders making `` map hats '' and fourth- and fifth-graders playing geo- '' Jeopardy . '' Most events are free and open to the public . GIS Day grew out of Geography Awareness Week , an annual campaign launched in 1987 by the National Geographic Society to promote geo-literacy and draw attention to `` the importance of geographic understanding in ensuring our nation 's economic competitiveness , national security , environmental sustainability , and the livability of our communities in the 21st century . '' Of course , GIS technology is n't all roses and sunshine . When GIS-enabled devices or systems know where you are and where you 've been , it opens substantial concerns about privacy , safety , security and equity . GIS technology can pave the way for the more effective or equitable delivery of products and services , or it can empower communities to better look after their own local interests . But it can also enable new types of discriminatory `` redlining , '' or encourage overeager law enforcement agencies to snoop . How much locative information is OK to share , and who should have access to it ? Where to draw that line will probably be one of the most important `` where '' questions discussed at today 's GIS Day events .
GIS Day aims to show how geographic information systems can aid society . Amy Gahran will be attending the GIS Day event at the University of California , Berkeley . The conference is being held in conjunction with a new book by MIT professor and geographer David Harvey called " Mapping Our World : How Geospatial Information Systems are Changing our Understanding ".