Introduction!

Hi everyone!

My name is Polina Afanasyeva, and I am a third year Biology student at Dalhousie University. In addition to my major, I am also pursuing a certificate in GIS. After I had completed my first year of university at McGill, my interest in the interdisciplinary nature of science led me to complete the Foundation Year Program at the University of King’s College in 2024–25. Having spent two years exploring various pathways in the arts and sciences, I am eager to apply my knowledge in the Departments of Biology and of Earth and Environmental Science at Dalhousie.

My interest in GIS began when I learned to read nautical maps through the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets program. As a first-year university student at McGill University in 2023, I happened upon the GICenter in the Burnside Building, where I studied for countless hours. As I read and observed the intricacies of dozens of maps at the GICenter, my initial interest in geospatial information flourished. From urban planning to geological formations, anything could be represented using GIS. I found this field to be extremely compatible with the ecology and field work aspects of biology, which are the parts of my major that interest me the most. Many components of research get lost in the transition from the academic world to that of everyday society, and I hope to use GIS as a tool to make highly technical scientific findings more intuitive and comprehensible.

This year, my GIS courses revolve around becoming familiar with GIS technologies and their applications. One of my key aspects of GIS that interests me is its application to oceans and water ecosystems, so I am eager to put my skills to use in my Seafloor Mapping class in the winter semester. I am really looking forward to being an ECCE associate and joining a community of GIS enthusiasts that get to apply our passion!