The GAM terms of reference (2015-2019) include the following objectives:
1. foster a research community in ICA on spatial analysis, modeling, and data mining, with close research links to geovisualization and visual analytics;
2. develop connections and make joint efforts with other ICA commissions as well as other geographic academic organizations;
– organize special sessions and workshops at ICC as well as other GIScience or geography conferences,
– collaborate with commissions within ICA or other academic associations to organize joint workshops on topics of shared interest
3. encourage concerted efforts on new research topics related to the analysis and modeling of emerging location-based social media data and other big data;
4. edit and publish research findings through various academic publication outlets, such as journal special issues or books.