The annual FOSS4G conference is the largest global gathering focused on open source geospatial software. FOSS4G brings together developers, users, decision-makers and observers from a broad spectrum of organizations and fields of operation. Through six days of workshops, presentations, discussions, and cooperation, FOSS4G participants create effective and relevant geospatial products, standards, and protocols.
FOSS4G has been held all over the world and draws attendees from over 40 countries. Bonn, Germany hosted the conference in 2016. In 2017, Boston, Massachusetts, USA will host.
The Open Source Geospatial Foundation was founded to support and build the highest-quality open source geospatial software. The foundation's goal is to encourage the use and collaborative development of community-led projects, data development and education. Many projects live under the OSGeo umbrella. http://osgeo.org
The Boston Local Organizing Committee is made up of key members within the Boston (and beyond!) geo community that represents the academic, business, government, and technology sectors. The BLOC also has strong ties to the FOSS4G community and has experience with prior FOSS4G conferences.
Conference Chair
Applied Geographics Inc.
Conference Co-Chair
Applied Geographics Inc.
Workshop Committee Chair
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Program Committee Chair
Amherst College
Academic Committee Chair
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Academic Committee Co-Chair
Istanbul Technical University
Volunteer Committee Chair
City of Boston
Extracurricular Committee Chair &
Program Committee
MassGIS, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Outreach Committee Chair &
Program Committee
MassGIS, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Organizing Committee
NBT Solutions
Organizing Committee
SiteSpect, Inc.
Program Committee
Boston Planning and Development Agency
Program Committee
Harvard Center for Geographic Analysis
Program & Workshop Committee
Tufts University
Workshop Committee
Harvard Center for Geographic Analysis
Workshop Committee
North River Geographic Systems Inc.
Workshop Committee
Paragon Corporation
Operations Coordinator
FOSS4G Boston 2017
Have a question? Contact us at foss4g2017@gmail.com
Can I register for workshops without registering for the conference?
Yes, as of May 18th there is the option to register for workshops only.
Is there a volunteer program for FOSS4G?
Yes, the volunteer program and application will be released by June 1st with high priority given to students.
I missed the deadline, can I still send in an abstract?
Unfortunately, the Call for Abstracts has closed and we are no longer accepting submissions. That being said, we are pleased to have received over 420 submissions this year
Are there any discounts for students, accepted speakers, etc.?
Our discount is the Early Bird rate, which ends May 16th. For students, we suggest volunteering when we release the volunteer application.
When will the schedule for FOSS4G be released?
We have recently chosen the program for FOSS4G Boston and creating the schedule is our next step. We will release the schedule as soon as we can and thank you for your patience and understanding. We hope to have it online before June 1st.
What is the deal with the Harpoon Welcome Social?
Due to the size of the venue we have a limited number of tickets (only 400) that are being distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis to Early Bird registrants. As of May 16th there are no more tickets available for this event.
What is JS.Geo?
JS.Geo is a co-located conference that takes place on Tuesday, August 15th. There were a limited number of tickets (only 120) and it is now sold out. JS.Geo overlaps with Tuesday workshops, so we suggest coordinating your workshop selections with the JS.Geo schedule (i.e. taking your workshops on Monday).
Will any meals be provided at FOSS4G?
Lunch will be provided on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday during the week of the conference. A continental breakfast will be provided on Wednesday and Thursday. Coffee will be provided during breaks and Friday morning.
Where are the workshops located?
Monday and Tuesday workshops are located at Harvard University’s Center for Geographic Analysis (CGA).
What is the closest T (subway) stop to FOSS4G Boston?
The World Trade Center stop on the Silver Line is across the street from the Seaport Hotel and is the closest T stop to the conference. The South Station stop on the Red Line is also walking distance to the conference venue.
Participants at FOSS4G Boston 2017 are expected to act respectfully toward others in accordance with the OSGEO Code of Conduct.
FOSS4G is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks. Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other attendees. Behave professionally. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not appropriate for FOSS4G. Attendees violating these rules may be asked to leave the conference without a refund at the sole discretion of the conference organizers. Thank you for helping make this a welcoming, friendly event for all.
Please read the FOSS4G 2017 Code of Conduct.
If you see or are involved in an incident, please follow the Attendee Procedure for Handling Harassment. Our staff (both BLOC and Volunteers) are trained to follow the Staff Procedure for Handling Harassment.