When emergency responders enter a school, every second matters. Knowing exactly where a classroom, stairwell, or exit is located can make the difference between confusion and a coordinated response. Today, I help build those maps. They’re called Indoor maps. My journey to this work started thousands of miles away in Ghana, as a Geomatics Engineer.
At Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, I studied BS Geomatic Engineering with a core course structure that included land surveying, photogrammetry, remote sensing, and GIS. After graduating, I spent about five years working as a Geomatic Engineer and a certified UAV pilot, supporting infrastructure, hydrographic, and topographic survey projects across Ghana.
Land surveys data collection
Topographic Survey and mapping using sUAS technology
Hydrographic survey
It was during this time that my perspective began to shift. Surveying captures reality, but GIS turns that reality into something that can guide decisions. I realized that if I wanted to make a broader impact, I needed to deepen my knowledge of GIS at a higher level.
While exploring schools in the U.S for graduate studies, I came across Western Illinois University and its GIS Center within the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Geographic Information Sciences. What stood out was not just the work they were doing for McDonough County, but the fact that students were actively involved in real-world projects while still in school.
The flood disaster that changed everything
As I looked more closely into the program, I learned about the GIS Center’s involvement in responding to flooding along the Mississippi River (the Great Flood of 2019). Students contributed to real-time mapping and supported emergency operations with situational awareness tools.
This was not just academic work. It was GIS being used in real situations where timing and accuracy mattered. That connection to real-world impact immediately stood out to me because it reflected my experience working on infrastructure and survey projects in Ghana. It was also exactly what I was looking for in a graduate program, where academic study connects directly with professional experience. That was the moment I realized this was the kind of work I wanted to be part of.
Stepping into real-world GIS
By my third semester at Western Illinois University, I had the opportunity to gain an appointment as a student worker at the GIS Center, where I worked under the supervision of Director Chad Sperry, who is a recognized leader in applied geospatial analysis, public safety mapping, and statewide Next Generation 911 initiatives, as well as a former President of the Illinois GIS Association (ILGISA).
Since January 1, 2025, I have been working on Next Generation 911 (NG911) projects, focusing on indoor mapping for schools across Illinois counties, including Knox, McDonough, Peoria, McLean, Madison, Lake, and Logan counties. At first, indoor mapping can feel like any other technical task. It involves digitizing floor plans, organizing spatial data, and building structured geospatial layers. But it does not take long to understand what is really at stake. These maps help emergency responders understand a building before they even arrive. Classrooms, stairwells, and entrances all play a role in how quickly and effectively a response can happen.
Processes involved in the project
Our workflow often begins with architectural drawings provided by schools. When those drawings are unavailable or need verification, we conduct field visits and sometimes scan the interior of school buildings to ensure accuracy. I have walked through school corridors with a map in hand, checking every hallway and every room to confirm that what is on the map reflects reality. Most of the time, the updates are minor. However, occasionally, the maps require more detailed corrections.
What stood out to me was realizing that this work could directly influence how quickly help reaches someone in an emergency. That is when it stopped feeling like just another project and started to feel like a responsibility to save lives with maps.
Making an indoor map for a school
Scanning the interior of a school
Sample map created
Connecting experience in Ghana to NG911
Working on NG911 has shown me how GIS operates at a broader scale. Even though my work in Ghana focused on surveys and infrastructure, the underlying principle remains the same. Accurate spatial data reduces uncertainty, saves time, and supports better decisions.
My background in Geomatics, including field measurements, UAV data collection, and precision surveying, has carried over naturally into this work. Surveying captures the world as it is, while GIS transforms that information into something actionable, especially in time-sensitive situations.
A message to prospective GIS students
For students considering a path in GIS, one lesson stands out to me. Look for opportunities that go beyond the classroom. The most valuable experiences come from working on real problems where your work has a direct impact.
The GIS Center at Western Illinois University showed me that GIS professionals are more than analysts. We contribute to public safety systems, support emergency response, and help communities prepare for unexpected situations.
For me, every indoor map I create reflects a journey that started in Ghana and continues in the United States. It is a reminder that GIS is not just about mapping places. It is also about helping people respond when it matters most.
