My long-term goals can be summed up by three phrases: “Ph.D., Professor, and Geospatial Analyst.”
Nature and science have been my passion ever since I realized having clean air, drinkable water, and a clear lake to swim and fish in is such a privilege for human beings. I am intrigued by the intimate interaction with nature. I aspire to be an Environmental Scientist: it is the perfect job for someone who enjoys rocks, plants, and the forest. Although I appreciate the breadth of the natural science courses at Cal Poly, after assisting with two research projects, I found making substantial changes to the environment requires a collaborator, and the collaborator is computer science. As a least tech-savvy folk, I am captivated by the sophistication of GIS and Python class I took during this past year. I have utilized my newly acquired skills to analyze fire hazards in San Luis Obispo, map social resources for Chinese residents in Philadelphia, and digitize maps on OpenStreetMap. The complexity of geographic information systems motivates me to explore different ways to visualize data and web scraping. Those opportunities to confirm my goal to become a geospatial analyst in the future.
My rigorous undergraduate study has provided me with the foundation to achieve my professional goal. Although I will take more computer science and GIS related classes, I thirst for more. I want to deepen my skills and knowledge in geospatial analysis as I continue my education at the Ph.D. level. Then I can convey my passion for geospatial analysis to more people by teaching the next generation of learners.