NEWS
International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) is deeply saddened to announce the sudden passing of our Founding Councilor, and Former Executive Committee Member, Prof. David Rhind, on January 7, 2025. Prof. David Rhind, former Vice Chancellor at City University in London, was a geographer and earth scientist who pioneered the computer handling and analysis of the United Kingdom's cartographic and other geographical data. As the first scientific Director General of the Ordnance Survey, he completed the construction of the world's first entirely digital national topographic database. He was a well recognized a great scientist, great leader and great person internationally.
Prof. David Rhind served the first ISDE Executive Committee and attended the Executive Committee meeting and launching ceremony of ISDE in May 2006. He gave a presentation to the audiences on "Digital Earth, GIS and the Safety of Society". He also introduced ISDE in the 3rd Edition of "Geographic Information Systems and Science" authored by Paul A. Longley, Mike Goodchild, David J. Maguire and David W. Rhind in 2010. These remarkable contributions to ISDE will be never forgettable by the Digital Earth community. On behalf of ISDE, we would like to express our deep condolences to his family and friends.
The presentation on 
Digital Earth, GIS and the Safety of Society_David Rhind.pdf by Prof. David Rhind in Beijing on May 22, 2006 will be with us when we miss him to recall.
