May 2017 GeoMentor Spotlight: Kyle Lockhause

197
0
05-16-2017 12:10 PM
JoleneKeen1
Occasional Contributor II
0 0 197

May 2017 GeoMentor Spotlight:

Kyle Lockhause: Assistant Developer Manager for Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects at Tradewind Energy

What was your favorite class in K-12? English class, even though I was not a self-disciplined reader I would love to let my imagination run wild. Either that or gym class, I was not a great student in high school and would rather be outside.

How did you first learn about and/or use GIS? Unfortunately I did not learn about nor use GIS until my Freshman year of my undergraduate degree. I wish that I would have learned about it at a younger age because I love the idea of being able to apply it to any hobby or interest that I have.

Name one thing you love about GIS and/or geography (I know, just one!): Like I just touched on, I LOVE the fact that you can apply GIS to just about any discipline or interest that you can think of, at least in some sort of fashion. From my love for rock climbing and snowboarding, or something more simple like transportation routes and local resources. Due to GIS, I was able to saing several reputable internships in college that lead to being a GIS Analyst at Tradewind Energy. Since then I have changed departments and found a career path that I can passionately pursue while still being able to have enough free-time to enjoy all of my many hobbies.

Why did you want to volunteer as a GeoMentor? I was motivated from a presentation given by other GeoMentors and even more so their students. I could see that the students, who ranged from 9th-12th grade, were all genuinely inspired by all of the applications that they could use GIS for. It was like the lightbulb went off and they realized that they could use it for almost anything, on top of the fact that it is a quickly growing skillset that could open a lot of opportunities for well-paying jobs.

What kind of GeoMentor volunteer opportunity and experience are you looking for? I am just looking for the opportunity to show people the potential of this program in hopes that it allows them to apply a skillset towards something that they not only enjoy, but something that they are passionate about.

If someone asked you why they should learn about GIS and/or geography, how would you respond in one sentence? GIS is such a broad program that it can be used to benefit you and anything that you are possibly interested in or would like to get involved with.

Email address: KyleLockhause@gmail.com

Websites

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-lockhause-01b55386/

https://www.facebook.com/kyle.lockhause

https://www.instagram.com/klockhause/?hl=en

Questions? Email geomentors@aag.org.