Sparking a Passion: How GIS and Remote Sensing Shaped My Career Path
Welcome to my first blog post! In this inaugural post I will share my journey and experiences as a young professional in the GIS and Remote Sensing field. I will walk through my academic career, how I got started in GIS, my summer with NASA’s DEVELOP program, and my gap year. I am excited for my future and to grow in this field and hope you can gain inspiration as well in your own career pathway!
Academic Career
My academic career began in 2018, when I started university the fall after graduating high school. I attended a small Division III school in Seguin, Texas, called Texas Lutheran University (TLU). This small university provided me with so many opportunities that shaped my unique college experience. Some of the most amazing experiences occurred in 2019 when I became a softball National Champion, conducted summer research with the Biology Department, and studied abroad in Argentina, Spain, and Italy!
I graduated from TLU in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology (concentration in environmental biology) and a B.A. in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (concentration in non-profits). I continued my academic and softball career at Texas Tech University (TTU), where I earned my M.S. in Wildlife, Aquatic, Wildlands Science and Management. During my two years at TTU, I was under the leadership of my advisor, Dr. Gad Perry, who introduced me to Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Finding GIS
When meeting with Dr. Perry, he often asked me the daunting question: “What do you want to do with your life?”. At the time, I wasn’t sure of my career path, but always knew I wanted to help others in some way. Dr. Perry recommended I explore GIS, a growing field with applications in many sectors.
After taking my first GIS course, I looked more into the GIS certificate that TTU offered. I calculated that I could complete the GIS certificate while staying on track to graduate! I began to enjoy my GIS and Remote Sensing courses and felt excited about pursuing a career in this field. As graduation approached, I could finally answer Dr. Perry’s question: I want to use GIS and Remote Sensing to help solve real-world problems. This passion led me to apply for NASA’s DEVELOP program that was being hosted at Texas Tech’s campus!
NASA DEVELOP
The NASA DEVELOP program consists of a 10-week feasibility study that offers hands-on experience in GIS and Remote Sensing for early-career professionals and students. I received an email from my school about the job opportunity that would be a hybrid opportunity hosted at Texas Tech. I applied and after the interview process I was thrilled to be hired and selected as the project lead!
Our project partnered with the Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) to research wildfires in Córdoba, Argentina. Our project used GIS tools to create study areas within the province by implementing the global wildland urban interface (WUI) layer. Using NASA’s Earth observations, we created a 10 year baseline of various climatic variables in the province and compared them to 2020, the year of severe wildfires in Córdoba. Our analysis revealed that precipitation and NDVI were the two variables most conducive to wildfire activity.
We used machine learning to develop a wildfire prediction map based on these findings. This December, I had the honor of representing our team at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference in Washington, D.C., where I presented our research!
Gap Year
Upon the completion of my summer with the NASA DEVELOP program, I started my gap year. I packed my bags and embarked on a 3.5 month solo backpacking trip across Europe! My love for travel, sparked during my study-abroad experiences, inspired me to explore the world and immerse myself in new cultures before starting my career.
During this journey, I’ve honed valuable skills like communication, problem-solving, and time management. I’ve learned to navigate language barriers, stay calm in challenging situations, and organize my time efficiently to make the most of each destination.
Now home for the holidays, I’m planning my next adventure: traveling across Latin America. I’ll begin in Argentina to reconnect with my host family and hopefully meet our INTA partner in person! From there, I’ll head north to explore new countries and cultures. A personal goal for this trip is to become fluent in Spanish, enhancing my conversational skills to build deeper connections with the people I meet and my family in Mexico.
Future Plans for GIS and Remote Sensing
My summer with NASA DEVELOP confirmed my passion for GIS and Remote Sensing, and I’m excited to build a career in this field. Growing up, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be, but I always knew I wanted to help others. Through GIS and Remote Sensing, I believe I can make a meaningful difference, and I’m looking forward to contributing to solutions for pressing global challenges.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my post! Feel free to comment any questions or thoughts that you have. You can connect with me on LinkedIn or my email: chassetyraines@outlook.com.