Up to 1,000 scientists and technologists from around the world are coming to Halifax in 2015 for the symposium of the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE).

John Allan Richards, president of the society, announced today, Sept. 3, that Halifax was the successful bidder to host the conference, which will be held at the World Trade and Convention Centre.

The bid was led by Saint Mary's University and the World Trade and Convention Centre, in collaboration with a local host committee of academic, government and industry representatives.

"This is an exciting opportunity to showcase Nova Scotia's expertise in geomatics, digital technologies and the environment," said conference chair and Saint Mary's University professor Hugh Millward. "By hosting ISDE, we hope to enhance interaction among our scientists, develop new markets for local products and services, and foster excitement about a holistic approach to managing the planet's environments."

The conference will highlight Canada's growing relevance in the fields of geomatics, geospatial research and environmental monitoring, and will feature a series of workshops, specialist meetings and field excursions.

"We were very pleased to collaborate with our local experts to attract this significant international event to Halifax," said Scott Ferguson, president and CEO of Trade Centre Limited, the Crown corporation that manages the convention centre. "This is a great opportunity to connect our local businesses and educational institutions with global partners. We're proud to play a role in bringing these groups together."

Digital Earth is a global initiative with a vision to construct a comprehensive virtual representation of the planet. The vision, first introduced by former United States vice-president Al Gore, is a collaborative effort between earth, space, and information sciences to monitor and forecast national and human phenomena. The digital earth sector is responsible for many significant technological advances, including Google Earth.