A small space to say “Hello”

I’ve always had an interest in maps, as a child. In fact, one of my favourite books to sign out at my local library were World Atlases, though it didn’t go beyond me being fascinated by a topographical depiction of the world. Even my decision to pursue a Bachelors of Environment in Global Environmental Systems from Simon Fraser University (SFU) wasn’t built upon my love for maps, but my interest in environmentalism. It was during my undergraduate studies that I first learned about GIS

In my introductory GIS course, I remember learning about the First Law of Geography with this iconic quote:

Nothing illustrated this better than the 1800s cholera map in London. Anyone in GIS is familiar with John Snow and how he mapped cholera cases. He found the cases were concentrated in one area and identified a contaminated water pump as the outbreak cause. Until this point, maps were just maps to me. I hadn’t put too much thought into the geographic interconnections in the world, nor the potentials maps have in graphically representing these connections. That’s when my childhood fascination with maps evolved into a fascination for spatial models.

During my undergraduate studies, I completed an eight month co-operative education term with the BC Rapid Transit Company. As their GIS student, I assisted with asset data clean up and field collection on spatial data. This was my first exposure to asset management and it was fascinating to learn how all different levels of a company work together to achieve a goal. I had assumed that the data was only going to be used for tracking purposes, but then I learned about digital twins and how they can be leveraged to improve maintenance systems. If a section of track historically had a recurring issue with a known fix, then that data can be used to monitor for similar failures in other parts of the track. This helps predict and fix failures before they can happen.

I highly enjoyed my work there and decided to continue working for them after graduating from SFU. As a full-time employee, I was given a slightly different role than what I had as a student. I ended up working less with spatial data as time went on, becoming more involved in project work to transition the company to a new enterprise system. All of this was valuable experience for me and I developed a love and appreciation for transportation and asset management. However, I’ve always wanted to work in GIS, which is why I decided to leave and pursue the BCIT GIS Advanced Diploma program.

Outside of work and school, I enjoy hiking, travelling, video games, reading, creative writing, and more recently, range shooting and cross-stitching. After getting exposed to GIS, I found hiking and travelling has deepened my appreciation for geography and the world around me.

Looking ahead, I hope to build a career with GIS as my central focus; whether in transportation, asset management, or another field where spatial data can be using for meaningful pursuits. One thing I’m particularly looking forward to is the App Challenge later in March where I’ll have the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned hands-on. Stay tuned for more!