Introduction | B.S. GIS Student

Question

Hi all! My name is Erin Lepsch, and I'm currently a first-year undergrad studying GIS and Computer Science. I'm also working part-time as a student assistant who performs various remote sensing and GIS related tasks, including photogrammetry and UAV point cloud cleaning.

I'm looking to expand my network and get advice on navigating the GIS field, so please feel free to reach out! My LinkedIn is www.linkedin.com/in/erin-lepsch. I'm excited to be part of the YPN community!

ChrisDFox · Answer

So cool you’re already working with UAVs and photogrammetry! GIS + CS is a great combo

PratapPagare · Answer

Welcome to the community

VenkataKondepati · Answer

That’s fantastic, Erin — welcome to the community! 👏

It’s great to see a first-year already combining GIS + Computer Science and getting hands-on experience with remote sensing, photogrammetry, and UAV point cloud processing. That combination is incredibly powerful — especially as spatial analytics, AI, and automation continue to converge.

You’re building the right foundation early:

Strong geospatial fundamentals

Technical depth through CS

Practical exposure to real-world spatial data

My advice as someone who has worked across GIS, cloud platforms, and enterprise data engineering:

:keycap_1: Keep strengthening your programming skills (Python + spatial libraries like GeoPandas, Rasterio, etc.).
:keycap_2: Learn cloud-native geospatial workflows — that’s where the industry is heading.
:keycap_3: Build small portfolio projects and publish them (GitHub + short writeups).
:keycap_4: Stay curious about how GIS integrates with AI and data engineering — that intersection is growing fast.

The YPN community is a great place to learn and collaborate. Keep sharing your journey — you’re starting strong!

Wishing you continued success 🚀

Venkat Kondepati | LinkedIn