Program Reflection

The last two years in NCSU’s MGIST Program were packed full of information!  This program requires the completion of 32 credit hours of GIS courses beginning with a GIS overview focusing on the use of ArcGIS desktop software.  Additional courses were completed in Python programming, database design and management, terrain modeling, and spatial analytics methods.  This program is registered as one of the nationally recognized Professional Masters degrees and has provided the skills and expertise necessary to pursue a career in a GIS field.  GIS experiences have included learning how to acquire GIS data, production of geospatial data, extensive creation and analysis of digital surface (DSM) and digital elevation (DEM) models using LiDAR data, and extensive creation and use of file geodatabases and arcSDE enterprise geodatabases.  In addition, I have created and used a statistical model to identify landslide prone areas in southeast Alaska using a machine learning methodology.

Over the last year and a half, I also had the opportunity to work as a TA for 5 GIS courses.  These were GIS280 – Introduction to GIS, GIS510 – Fundamentals of Geospatial Information Science and Technology, GIS515 – Cartographic Design, GIS530 – Spatial Data Foundations and GIS660 – MGIST Professional Portfolio.  These TA experiences provided the opportunity to learn how to express complex GIS concepts, gain an ‘eye’ for cartographic design and gain a deeper understanding into the fundamentals behind GIS operations.

My capstone project combined previous work experience as a meteorologist with the GIS skills learned in the MGIST program.  The project was done in cooperation with the NWS Juneau office and involved looking at prediction of landslides by linking them to precipitation accumulations.  In addition to the GIS skills utilized, the project required learning and implementing project management techniques.  This was a valuable experience in learning how to manage a several month long project.  One of the biggest lessons learned was the necessity of listening to the needs of the customer.  This resulted in a change to the original project idea, which ended up producing more useful deliverables.

I’m excited about a future career as a GIS analyst and believe that the program has equipped me with the skillset necessary for a successful career.  The breadth of information disseminated in the program is astounding.  I’ve gained experience not only in ArcGIS Desktop software, but ArcGIS online tools, open source software such as GRASS and QGIS, Python programming, SQL queries, creating databases, and learning how to acquire and process UAS data.  The last two years have resulted in providing students with a firm GIS foundation.