GIS Days at Western University was an absolutely amazing experience this year. It was inspiring to connect with so many industry professionals, researchers, students, and community partners who are shaping the future of geospatial technology. Every conversation, whether about transportation planning, environmental applications, or the latest in spatial analytics, was an opportunity to learn, grow, and see the power of GIS in action.

A huge thank you to Liz Sutherland for planning such a well-organized, thoughtful, and impactful event. Her leadership and dedication truly made GIS Days a meaningful experience for everyone involved. I would also like to thank the other partner universities that poured their time into helping make this year’s event extremely successful.

I’m also incredibly grateful and honoured to be part of the Undergraduate and High School Outreach Team for GIS Days. Being able to help lead outreach and engage with future GIS students was not only rewarding but also a reminder of how strong and supportive the geospatial community is here at Western.

We learned so much throughout this whole process, and it was amazing to contribute to an event that brings people together, sparks curiosity, and supports the next generation of GIS professionals. I’m proud to be part of such a vibrant and welcoming community, one that continually inspires me every day.

Teaching GIS to the Next Generation

One of the highlights of GIS Days at Western University this year was the opportunity to teach a Grade 10–12 workshop alongside Samantha Sharp, with support from Julian Coleman-Hilke and Isabel Spice. Together, we introduced students to the world of spatial queries using Esri ArcGIS Online, we discovered what they are, how they work, and why they are such a powerful tool in real-world GIS analysis.

Helping high school students run their first spatial queries and watching everything “click” for them was an amazing experience. Their enthusiasm made the workshop incredibly fun, and it was inspiring to see how quickly they picked up concepts that are foundational to spatial thinking.

Another huge thank you goes to Liz Sutherland and Western University for helping us plan this workshop and making the entire experience possible. Their leadership and support are a huge part of why GIS Days continues to be such an impactful event.

I also had the privilege of creating the official digital map for GIS Days at Western, which allowed me to apply and showcase my GIS skills in a meaningful way. Contributing both behind the scenes and in hands-on teaching made this year’s event especially memorable.

This was an unforgettable learning experience, and again I’m grateful to be part of such a supportive, enthusiastic, and forward-thinking GIS community.

I have left my LinkedIn and Email in case anyone would like to connect!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholaschenis/

nchen249@uwo.ca