About

Vincent Tao, PhD, PEng

Is Spatial Special ?

This has been a question to me and, I believe, to many of geospatial professionals in the pursuit of their professional development. I have been in this profession in over 20 years, being from student to professor, researcher to engineer, entrepreneur to corporate executive. I have yet been able to find an answer that makes me satisfied. This is perhaps the reason why ‘Spatial’ becomes such an intriguing subject to our communities, businesses and lives.

So, this Blog is ALL about Where, Location and Spatial.

Who is Vincent Tao ?

• Technology visionary and business entrepreneur. Nominated as ‘Canada Top 40 Under 40 Award’ (National award for the most accomplished 40 individuals who are under 40 years old).
• Exceptional track record in research development and product innovation. World renowned pioneer in 3D GeoWeb, Sensor Web, and location based services. Authored over 200 technical papers. Inventor and co-inventors of dozens of technology licenses and patents.
• Hands-on executive management experience in both start-up and large corporate organizations, corporate strategy, product engineering, business development and operations.
• Knowledge in building a successful organization and led GeoTango from a start-up to one of top innovators in on-line mapping (GeoTango was rated as one of the fastest growing Internet companies in 2005) and eventually to the Microsoft acquisition.
• Respected visionary and frequently invited keynote speakers at major conferences. Numerous mentions in media including TV interviews: CNN, Discovery Channel, CTV, BBC, ABC news, Space Channel; Radio interviews: CBC, Radio Canada, CFTB etc; magazines like Economist, GeoWorld, GIM; Newspaper: National Post, Globe and Mail, Northern Silicon Valley, etc; and blog posts, O’Reilly radar, blogspot, eWeek, etc.
• Career record honored with 26 awards or distinctions for achievements and innovations in technology, business and professional development.

Professional Experiences

• Director, Microsoft Virtual Earth and Local/Mobile Search, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, USA
• Executive Committee Member, International Society for Digital Earth
• Founder and CEO, GeoTango Corporation (acquired by Microsoft), Toronto, Canada
• Canada Research Chair Professor (Full Professor), York University, Toronto, Canada
• Founding Director, Geospatial Information and Communication Technology (GeoICT) Lab, York University, Toronto, Canada
• U.N. Advisor and Consultant at United Nations
• Board Director at Leador Spatial Information Technology, China
• Associate Professor at The University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
• Venture Technology Officer at Government of Alberta, Calgary, Canada

Email me using vincent at drtao.net
Connect me via LinkedIn
Visit me at www.drtao.net

My full biography is avaiable on the next page.