Young and Emerging Professionals (YEP)


Tuesday 24 November 2026 | 10am - 5pm

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre

Included in full conference registrations


OPPORTUNITIES AT THE DIGITAL EARTH

SUMMIT + LOCATE26

The forum is dedicated towards young and emerging professionals of the industry. It’s a chance for them to develop as professionals that will benefit their career as well as meet and build relationships between other junior professionals in different fields and geographies. Its place to see what the next generation are doing and see the untapped potential they will have for the geospatial industry. The forum is split into two components: an interactive session where new skills will be taught that can be applied in the workplace and career, followed by a symposium, where the future of the industry will showcase their ideas and projects to the industry.


CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

Are you an Honours, Masters, early career professional or PhD student with a research project, case study, innovative idea, or emerging insight to share?

The YEP (Young and Emerging Professionals) Symposium provides a supportive and welcoming platform to showcase your work alongside fellow research students at a similar stage of their academic journey. This session offers an encouraging environment to gain presentation experience, receive constructive feedback, and connect with peers from across the geospatial community.


Whether this is your first conference presentation or you are looking to further develop your research profile, we encourage you to submit an abstract and share your work with a community of emerging researchers helping to shape the future of the geospatial sector. Presentations will be delivered in a concise 4–5 minute format, followed by a group Q&A discussion, providing an ideal opportunity to present your work in a friendly, collegiate, and low-pressure setting.


Abstracts will be reviewed and considered for the Special Issue of Journal of Spatial Science.


DEADLINE: MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2026


SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT HERE     

YEP GRANT APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

The Digital Earth Summit + Locate26 will once again offer support for young and emerging professionals, students and early career researchers to attend the event. A number of grants are being secured from sponsoring companies, meaning there are even more opportunities available to the YEPs of the geospatial industry. Recipients will receive full registration to the conference, including a ticket to the Welcome Reception, and attendance to the dedicated networking session. YEPs will also receive up to $500 in funding for travel/accommodation support. All recipients will have the opportunity to meet with the company/representative who provided the support at the conference and attend a dedicated networking and mentoring event as part of the YEP Symposium.


GRANT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

You will be asked to include the following with your grant submission via the online portal:

  • A brief CV (pdf)
  • An introductory paragraph or two (max 200 words) describing what you hope to get out of attending the conference (pdf)
  •  A letter of recommendation from your manager, academic supervisor or lecturer (pdf)
  • Answer the question: What is the most exciting innovation or change for the geospatial industry in the coming years and what benefits might it bring?
  • Your entry can be in any format – e.g. written, visual or video – it could be a poster, a report or essay or even a story. Feel free to include pictures, diagrams or graphics to help demonstrate your point and make it interesting – use your imagination! (any uploaded document is accepted)
  • Written or visual: max 500 words, fits on one (1) A3 sheet or two (2) A4 pages (or less)
  • Video response: no more than 2 minutes long. If you are submitting a video, you will need to upload a file (i.e. word of pdf) that has a short introduction and then include the hyperlink to the video submission (e.g. Dropbox/g-drive).

Entries will be judged on originality and insight, presentation, and relevance to the industry. Entries may be published or displayed as party of the conference.

DEADLINE: FRIDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER 2026

MORE INFORMATION & SUBMIT YOUR GRANT APPLICATION HERE     

NEED A RECOMMENDATION LETTER?

To help make the registration and/or process easier, we've provided a YEP Support Letter Template that can be shared with your manager, academic supervisor or lecturer to support your attendance to the conference.

DOWNLOAD THE YEP SUPPORT LETTER TEMPLATE HERE     

TESTIMONIALS

PAST GRANT RECIPIENTS

“Thanks to the support of The Surveyors Trust, I was able to attend Locate2024 and connect with surveying and spatial professionals from across Australia. The event provided valuable opportunities to discuss the future of the industry, particularly the role of AI and emerging technologies, while gaining insight into the latest developments in surveying, remote sensing and GIS. The combination of networking, industry knowledge and professional inspiration made Locate2024 an invaluable experience and reinforced my commitment to contributing to the future of the profession.”

Remote Sensing Specialist, Climate Friendly

“ Receiving a YEP grant sponsored by The Surveyors’ Trust enabled me to attend Locate24 and engage with Australia’s geospatial community. The conference provided valuable opportunities to network with industry experts, explore emerging technologies and trends, and deepen my understanding of AI, digital twins and spatial data analysis. The experience broadened my professional horizons, strengthened my industry connections, and equipped me with knowledge and skills that I can apply throughout my career.”

Surveyor Grade A, Surex Surveyors

“Receiving a YEP Grant to attend Locate24 was an incredibly rewarding experience. The grant helped offset travel costs, allowing me to attend my first Locate conference, connect with industry professionals and sponsors, and feel part of the broader geospatial community. As a Master of Geospatial Information Systems student, I gained valuable insights from the presentations, seminars and networking opportunities, which will help inform my future research and career. I would highly encourage other students and emerging professionals to apply for the program and take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.”

Spatial Data Technician, Airbornelogic

“Thanks to the grant provided by The Surveyors Trust, I was able to attend Locate 24 and connect with both emerging professionals and senior industry leaders. The event exposed me to a broad range of geospatial disciplines, expanded my professional network, and strengthened my confidence in advocating for our profession. The grant helped make this valuable opportunity possible, and I would strongly encourage other young and emerging professionals to apply, as events like Locate provide invaluable industry exposure and professional development opportunities.”

Gis/bim

Lead, Monteath & Powys

“The grant opportunity allowed me to meet and network with

numerous high-quality companies and industry professionals. I had the chance to discuss and explore new technologies in surveying and GIS, which provided fresh insights and innovative ideas that I could integrate into my work. The

interactions and knowledge gained have significantly broadened my perspective and will undoubtedly benefit my future projects.”

Phd Candidate, University of Melbourne

“Locate24 provided a valuable opportunity to learn about innovations, challenges and emerging trends across the spatial industry while connecting with professionals from a wide range of disciplines. The plenary sessions were particularly inspiring, offering insights from industry leaders on the future of the profession. The YEP Symposium was another highlight, showcasing the diverse achievements of young professionals and reinforcing the strength of the emerging workforce. I am grateful to The Surveyors’ Trust for making this experience possible.”

Geospatial Specialist, Australian Bureau Of

Statistics

“Attending Locate23 sparked my passion for the geospatial industry and opened my eyes to the diverse career pathways available, from environmental management to humanitarian applications. Thanks to the YEP Grant sponsored by Mercury Project Solutions, I was able to attend Locate24, where I expanded my professional network, gained valuable industry insights, and explored emerging innovations in spatial science. The experience strengthened my enthusiasm for the profession, created lasting connections, and reinforced the exciting opportunities to contribute to the future of geospatial technology.”

Student, The University of Adelaide

“Attending Locate24 was an invaluable opportunity to connect with the geospatial community, gain insights from industry leaders, and explore emerging topics such as ethical AI and the evolving geospatial ecosystem. The grant enabled me to fully participate in the conference, where the presentations, exhibition and networking opportunities contributed significantly to my professional development. As I complete my PhD and prepare for the next stage of my career, the connections and knowledge gained at Locate24 have been incredibly valuable, and I would encourage other young professionals to apply for this opportunity.”

PHD Student, University of Technology Sydney

Sign inGET STARTED 

CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT

PO Box 44, Gosford NSW 2250 Australia

Tel: +61 2 4319 8519

Email: info@locateconference.com.au

CONTACT US