How a Navy Internship Inspired the Creation of the GIS@UCR Club
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. My name is Kavin Phabiani, I am currently nearing the completion of my Bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of California, Riverside. I discovered the power of GIS during an internship at the US Navy and since then have been on a journey to grow and share my interest.
The first time I heard about Geographic Information Systems (GIS), I was in my second year of college sitting in a meeting room in the Naval Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) as my manager showed me two massive drones with sensors attached. She explained to me that these can fly over an area and using the attached multispectral sensors we can extract information about the world around us. We can then perform analysis on this information to draw actionable conclusions that make an impact.
Working with tools like this excited me and throughout my time here I learned how powerful GIS can be. I was interning with the Navy, working on drone data analysis to locate mosquito habitats. At the time, it felt like every new dataset brought its own set of challenges—geotagging, mosaicking, data organization, and analysis. But every challenge was accompanied by a realization: the spatial aspect of our work was key to solving real-world problems.
Discovering the Versatility of GIS
It wasn’t just the drone data that caught my attention—it was the potential of GIS to tell a story. Using ArcGIS Pro, I could transform raw data into actionable insights. Suddenly, the fight against mosquito-borne diseases became a collaborative effort between technology and environmental health. The ability to visualize breeding grounds and optimize pesticide distribution was impactful.
As the summer progressed, I learned how versatile GIS could be. I learned that this technology could be applied to create things like digital twins and predictive wildfire models. From mapping environmental risks to supporting logistics in disaster response, GIS wasn’t just about maps—it was about solving problems spatially. That planted the seed for a passion that would continue to grow.
My mentors and I at NAVFAC EXWC
Founding the GIS@UCR Club
When I returned to school, I wanted to share this passion. At the University of California, Riverside, I realized there wasn’t yet a dedicated space for students interested in geospatial technologies. So, I founded GIS@UCR, a club aimed at introducing students to the power of spatial analysis and mapping.
Starting a club was daunting, but I was determined to build something impactful. I recruited like-minded peers, secured funding, and organized workshops. My goal was to explore GIS software, host guest speakers, and even tackle real-world projects.
There were a lot of road bumps at the start. In my first meeting I had only two members show up. This made me realize how niche this field is and the work I would have cut out for me to bring interest to this field. I started by hosting workshops. Using the ArcGIS knowledge I learned from interning at the Navy I hosted workshops teaching my members the basics of ArcGIS Pro.
Raising Awareness of GIS@UCR
To further create interest, I partnered with the school’s campus map coordinator. Our goal was to create a layer on the campus map to show areas that have outdoor seating. Using ArcGIS Survey123, my members and I walked around the school mapping outdoor seating. We also took note of metadata such as if there were any outlets, shade, and seating size. This not only helped the school but also showed the power of location data.
GIS@UCR measuring how many people would fit on this bench
To show the real-world application of these tools I asked one of my professors to come and speak about his experience. He created custom GIS applications and was doing research in the field of agriculture to perform crop yield mapping to assist farmers. This was an exciting application that led to one of my members participating in this research.
To further demonstrate the real-world applications of GIS, I organized trips to conferences and meetups. We attended events such as the Los Angeles Geospatial Summit at USC, the Esri Open House, and the YPN Redlands Chapter Meetup. These experiences not only reinforced the practical value of GIS but also exposed my club members to the cutting-edge work being done in the field, inspiring them to explore new opportunities and deepen their interest in geospatial technology.
GIS@UCR at the USC Geospatial summit
Partnering with the National Park Service
I was still struggling with student participation. So, I decided to start a real-world project with the National Parks Service. This is still an ongoing project that I am excited to see where it leads. Our current project is partnering with the Anza Trail to digitize archive maps. Many of the older maps that exist are in PDF format and that is not useful for analysis with modern technology. Our goal is to find a way to convert these pdfs to shapefiles in order to be useful to the parks department.
The project isn’t just about the technical skills—it was about teamwork, problem-solving, and contributing to something bigger than ourselves. Seeing our work directly support the National Park Service’s decision-making is incredibly rewarding.
In the future I am hoping to partner with more parks. I am currently working on partnerships with Joshua Tree, the city of Moreno Valley, and the Pacific Crest Trail.
Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Nature
Looking back, my journey into GIS feels like a natural progression. From using geospatial tools in the Navy to founding a club that brought students together, each experience deepened my understanding of how spatial data can change the world. Whether it’s environmental protection, urban planning, or public health, GIS continues to be a tool with limitless potential.
Through GIS, I’ve learned to bridge the gap between technology and nature, and I’m excited to see where this journey takes me next. I hope my experiences encourage others to explore the transformative power of spatial data in their own journeys.
You can connect with me at kavinphab@gmail.com or on LinkedIn. Feel free to comment with your questions and overall thoughts.