Making a Positive Impact on UC Irvine Students: A Step into the GIS World

Question

Greetings Esri YPN community,

I am a 3rd year Computer Science major at UC Irvine, recently introduced to the boundless possibilities of GIS technology. My latest venture, ZotnFound.com, embodies the real-world application of GIS, offering a tangible solution to the age-old problem of lost and found on our campus. This web and mobile application, developed alongside a small yet dedicated team, won the 2nd place at VenusHack 2023. We spent an enriching summer fine-tuning it, leading to a successful launch two weeks ago. The app utilizes a map interface created with React, ChakraUI, and Leaflet, and has garnered nearly 100 sign-ups from the UCI community, assisting 10 students in recovering their lost items so far. This project, besides enhancing campus life, stands as a testament to the impactful role GIS technology can play in our daily routines.

The endless potential of GIS was further illuminated to me through a recent interaction with @RosemaryBoone at a UCI event. Rosemary's insights into the geospatial industry and the internship opportunities at Esri have piqued my interest significantly. The prospect of diving deeper into GIS, learning from industry veterans, and contributing to real-world projects is exhilarating. I am keen on exploring Esri’s internship programs and connecting with like-minded individuals in this community to further understand the transformative impact GIS can have. I am also open to sharing more about ZotnFound, engaging in mentorship opportunities, and collaborating on projects that sit at the intersection of GIS and community betterment.

RedfordHudson · Answer

Also your project is dope! The fact that you did it for a hackathon and placed makes it 10x cooler.

RedfordHudson · Answer

Hey Dang,

I'm Redford, fellow Anteater. I'm also interested Esri. If you are too, we should connect. For one thing, I'm planning on attending the YPN meetup next month at Esri HQ. If you're down, I could give you a ride.

rfhudson@uci.edu

DangNguyenNguyen · Answer

Hi Rosemary! Thank you very much for your kind words. Even though the application was deployed just two weeks ago, the early engagement has been encouraging. As of now, a total of 23 lost items and 14 found items have been posted on the platform, and the app successfully assisted nearly 10 students in recovering their lost items. It's a modest start, but it's exciting to see the tangible benefits ZotnFound is already bringing to the UCI community.