Hello everyone! My name is Mo Li, and I am entering my final semester of the Master of Planning program at Dalhousie University. I am also a graduate of the GIS Technician Certificate program at COGS.
My journey with GIS began in 2008, following the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. Seeing how GIS played a critical role in disaster management—from emergency response to susceptibility modeling—sparked a deep curiosity in me. That experience inspired me to pursue GIS for my undergraduate studies.


During my undergrad, I focused on using remote sensing data and high-resolution imagery to analyze urban expansion and land-use changes. Today, I view GIS as more than just a tool; it is a way to contribute to better city building. Whether I’m creating mobile apps with ArcGIS Field Maps for efficient data collection or overlaying layers to identify sustainable development sites, my goal is always to improve communities.


Attending the Esri User Conference in Toronto this year was an incredible experience that allowed me to connect with GIS professionals across Canada and meet the Esri staff who design these fantastic tools. I was particularly inspired by Esri’s partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation to protect and rescue wildlife. Learning how GIS is used to map wildlife corridors and track migration patterns showed me how urban planning and conservation can go hand-in-hand. As a future planner, I want to ensure that as our cities grow, we use these spatial tools to protect the natural habitats surrounding them. I am very excited to become an ECCE associate and to connect with peers who are as passionate about using GIS for the greater good as I am.