Vexillology: The Study of Flags
Flags started my love for geography. The red, white, and blue rivulets of color on the Netherlands flag confused me. You see, as a kid, I spent hours playing FIFA, a soccer video game, and for those who don’t know, the Netherlands is one of few teams that dons a jersey with colors not found on their flag. The Netherlands, rather, emblazons the beaming color of its royal House of Orange. This revelation led to me questioning other flags (and, likewise, jersey designs). The golden eagle of Mexico, the Arabic inscription and scimitar of Saudi Arabia, the shield and spears of the Maasai of Kenya. There is meaning to be had from flags like these with rich iconography. They act as a reference to the cultures and histories found within their lands. I guess I was once a burgeoning vexillologist.
The strong iconography of the Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya flags.
From an appreciation of flags developed a love of art and the nascent idea of travel. The creative side in me began to draw places and icons; of which I owe to my mother’s creativity. Doodling mountains, lakes, and rivers and trees I created the places that I yearned to go, albeit in graphite. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before I had my first opportunity to see places I had sketched
Travel Feeds Inquisitive Minds
In late high school, I traveled to Spain with a group of peers and chaperones. We toured the whole of the south and east of the country. Parque Güell in Barcelona and the mosque-cathedral of Córdoba were beautiful and unique. Visiting Granada, however, and seeing the fortress of La Alhambra in person was inspiring and rousing. The skillfully etched and carved facades had me browsing through my photos months after the trip to recall the wonder I felt at first-sight. It led me to learn more about the Moorish culture and the intricacies of their architecture. It inspired me to explore other cultures; ones that weren’t taught in school.
Courtyard of La Alhambra. Granada, Spain
I was tired of being taught US History (as interesting as it was). I’d been satiated on my education of here and hungered for the education of there. I simply wanted to study all that was “international”.
A Collegiate Revelation
And so, I entered college as an International Studies major. Undoubtedly, it was a little on the nose. I saw the diction and tunnel-visioned directly into it. In my first International Studies course, we religiously looked at BBC news for the first fifteen minutes and shared intriguing articles. Yes, the drama of Boris Johnson and Brexit was encapsulating and I had never been so aware of current events before. It just wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, I felt something was missing. Little did I know that in my second semester I would take the GEOG 102 course “World Regional Geography” and it would alter the trajectory of my life. Media and cartoons depict lightbulbs going off in people’s heads. Well, that course was MY lightbulb. I cannot thank Dr. Alberts enough and her push for me to take the course. She put something into her lectures that I had never seen up to this point; passion. She held a pure joy for the subject material and for educating. Two weeks after starting that course, I changed my major for the first and last time.
I took my first GIS course on the geography track the following fall in the start of my sophomore year. Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. Just like that, I stepped into a whole new world. I knew data was important. Computers were and are the future. But how little I knew about the vastness of GIS and its applications! I remember distinctly learning about John Snow and his famous cholera map. The application of that map set a precedent for my understanding of GIS. The true power of Geographic Information Systems was exposed to me for the first time and I dove in head first.
A Career in GIS
Fast forward to today. I am a GIS Technician for the city of Oshkosh, WI and part of a small team of GIS professionals ushering in the new age of GIS on a public scale. Whether it is data, design, or support, we aid the city in its spatial needs; of which there are many. Thanks to the persistent evolution of Geospatial systems, a GIS professional’s work is never truly finished.
Water Service Line Inventory Interactive Map.
I entered this position with little over a year of professional experience. And in less than a year in Oshkosh, I can say I have produced maps I never thought possible of myself, my creativity blossoming with my work. This fall, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, requested that all public water systems be made publicly accessible. In conjunction with the city’s engineering department, our GIS team was tasked with the data clean up and creation of a public viewer. We followed through. So, I thought I would share that here.
This map is a quintessential example for the geographical trinity of data, space, and design. The three perfectly blend in a way that allows me to use my strengths, learned or inherited. I have learned that GIS is a unicorn while also being a chameleon. It is unique in its ability to be so powerful in spatial analysis while also being nonchalant in its application. These are the qualities that fuel my adoration for GIS.
Flags, art and travel, and a passionate educator are all things that led me to where I am now. What are some things that led you to where you are today?
