Expanding my GIS network

Question

Hello GIS friends,

I recently graduated college with degrees in environmental studies and education, and have utilized Esri and GIS for a variety of visualization purposes, but it has never been my entire role- until now.

This summer I will be participating in NASA's EarthRISE Developers Academy. Based out of NASA's Langley Research Center, my team and I will be mapping agricultural change in responses to environmental and anthropogenic variables. I am excited, but nervous, for this chance, as much of my work before was community engagement, conversation, or research focused. For those of you who have undergone a similar transition, I am curious how you made the leap and learned to thrive in a GIS-driven position?

I look forward to hearing from you- feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. And one last thing before you go- make sure to take a peek at my newest blog post!

Sincerely,

Michael Wade

ReaganCzech · Answer

Hey Michael,

Just connected with you on LinkedIn.

The NASA EarthRISE Developers Academy sounds like a great opportunity! When I first started a full time GIS role, it definitely took some time getting used to being at a desk looking at a computer all day, but I have found it to be very rewarding and fun to interact with different team members on a variety of types projects. I rarely am doing the same thing in a given day which makes it more interesting!

PriscillaObenewaaAppiah · Answer

Hi Michael,

Congratulations on your graduation and on joining NASA’s EarthRISE Developers Academy ,such an exciting opportunity. Your work on mapping agricultural change sounds really interesting.

I resonated with your post, especially your transition into a more GIS-driven role. I’m still on that journey as a Development Planning student with growing interests in GIS and sustainable development, and I’m actively building my skills along the way.

It’s understandable to feel a bit nervous, but it sounds like a great learning experience. I’d love to connect, follow your journey, and exchange ideas as we grow in the GIS space. Wishing you all the best in the Academy

VenkataKondepati · Answer

Congrats, Michael — NASA EarthRISE sounds like an amazing opportunity. Honestly, your background in environmental and community engagement is a huge strength in GIS work. A lot of us made the transition by learning through real projects, asking questions, and getting comfortable troubleshooting along the way. Wishing you the best this summer — you’ll learn a ton.