The Bronx Community College Geospatial Center of the CUNY CREST Institute Celebrates a Decade of Impact and Innovation

The CUNY CREST Institute participated in the Geospatial Technologies for the Earth: Commemoration & Showcase Day hosted by the CUNY Bronx Community College in partnership with Hunter College on August 21, 2025.

CREST’s Executive Director, Dr. Reza Khanbilvardi, Deputy Director, Dr. Shakila Merchant, and Research Scientist, Dr. Vartika Chandra Saman and CREST Faculty Affiliate, Dr. Smita Dewan joined colleagues from across CUNY and beyond, including experts from Geography, Environmental Sciences, and Computer Science.

The Bronx Community College Geospatial Center of the CUNY CREST Institute (BGCCCI), directed by Dr. Sunil Bhaskaran, was established a decade ago as a center under the flagship of CREST Institute. This conference celebrated ten years of innovation and impact, showcasing BGCCCI’s achievements through a one-day symposium filled with engaging talks, research highlights, and interactive activities. 

Sessions explored critical topics such as Climate Change, Geospatial & AI Applications, Urban Planning, GISP Initiatives, Capacity Building in Emerging Technologies, etc. It was an inspiring day of knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and networking. Dr. Reza Khanbilvardi said, “The one-day conference marked ten years of pioneering research harnessing geospatial innovation to address climate impacts on communities across New York City with a focus on communities being impacted.” 

Read more here.