I had absolutely no idea that the Environmental Studies program required a GIS course, and to be honest had very little idea what it involved. I often heard it compared to computer science courses, and my class mates seemed to either love or hate the subject. I was able to sign up for the course with one of my favorite professors, and have always been excited about any course that involves a computer lab. The first assignment, a map showing solar potential for our "home" state and labeled appropriately as "Project One," was not too bad and I started to understand the reality of what is involved with creating a simple map.
Just like a graph, the result may appear simple... but the data needs gathered, organized, and analyzed in order to form the graph. I would head up to the lab, coffee in hand and Christmas music at the ready, to complete assignments. Projected to take a hour or two, I was often there 3+ hours. At first this worried me, but instead of rushing through the assignment to meet the criteria, I was working toward deep understanding. This showed during practical exams, when I would doubt myself and worry just to receive a high mark.
Nowadays, I have completed two GIS internships and recently started as a paid intern at the South Florida Water Management District. Additionally, I have enrolled at the University of West Florida as a graduate student for continued coursework in GIS. This blog will follow some of the interesting and/or challenging elements as I continue my journey as an evolving GIS specialist.
To view my professional CV Website and Portfolio, please visit: https://imbuedem.wixsite.com/ejmcd
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