Geomatics News

Our GANS Social Spotlight continues, showcasing the people shaping Nova Scotia’s geomatics community.

Interested in being featured? Visit: https://gans.ca/GANS-social-spotlight
(Keep in mind, you don’t need to be a GANS member!)

This week’s spotlight features Marie-Ève Côté, Forest Resource Worker (Summer Student) at the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources.

Q: How do you use geomatics within your career?
I have used ArcGIS in a variety of ways, including infield data collection, remote location planning and land assessments.

Q: What is the weirdest or most interesting thing that you have mapped?
The weirdest / most random thing I have mapped was for a GIS class in university. For a various different exercise, we mapped diseased dogs in Brazil, based on different criteria like spatial distribution, dog names and vaccination status. It was very interesting to see the different way the data could be display using these factors. I also mapped the spatial distribution of gas stations in Alberta for a project, that was very cool.

Q: What has been your favourite project to work on?
For my undergraduate honours thesis titled: “Kejimkujik’s Fire Disturbance History and Suggested Management Plan Through the Lens of Dendrochronology”, I used a combination of ArcGIS and Field Maps to map my data collection sites within the National Park. I used satellite imagery, park boundaries and forest inventory layers to determine where I needed to go to collect the data I was looking for. In this case, I was searching for white pine, red spruce and/or eastern hemlock stands in locations that had and hadn’t experienced fires in order to determine the differential growth rates between the species. This data would then be used to identify which species retained fire history the best! It turned out to be red spruce. Feel free to find my thesis on Saint Mary’s website to read more about my research: https://library2.smu.ca/handle/01/33274

Our GANS Social Spotlight continues, showcasing the people shaping Nova Scotia’s geomatics community.

Interested in being featured? Visit: https://gans.ca/GANS-social-spotlight
(Keep in mind, you don’t need to be a GANS member!)

This week’s spotlight featuresIsaac Sampson, recent graduate of the Marine Geomatics program at the Centre of Geographic Sciences, NSCC.

Q: What made you decide to study geomatics?
My passion for geomatics was inspired by maps and nautical charts collected by my father throughout his career as an outdoor guide and expedition leader. The desire to better understand how to interpret and create them is what led to my enrolling in the Geographic Information Systems Technician at COGS in 2023-2024. During my studies, I was introduced to the Cartography and Marine Geomatics programs, both of which I graduated from (24'-25', and 25'-26' respectively) which further reinforced my passion for the geomatics industry. The opportunity to continue my education at COGS allowed me to develop a diverse background in mapping, surveying, and geospatial and marine technologies. Over the course of my three years studying I focused on gaining as much knowledge and practical experience as I was possibly able to.

Q: The people there with you will be one of the best resources you have. The faculty all actively want you to succeed and will work with you to ensure that you do your best, and your fellow students are in the same boat as you, you will all struggle at times and you will all succeed together at the end. Never be afraid to ask for help, chances are you aren't the only person who doesn't understand something at that moment in time. You're all learning together. Some of my closest friendships were born out of helping each other with assignments and working late nights in the classroom.

Q: To work offshore as a hydrographic surveyor and utilize all the skills I've obtained from COGS to make a meaningful impact on the world. To be able to travel around the world and apply my background in geomatics is an amazing privilege.

Our GANS Social Spotlight continues, showcasing the people shaping Nova Scotia’s geomatics community.

Interested in being featured? Visit: https://gans.ca/GANS-social-spotlight
(Keep in mind, you don’t need to be a GANS member!)

This week’s spotlight features Erica Corbett, Account Manager with Esri Canada.

Q: How do you use geomatics within your career?
I work with customers across Atlantic Canada to help them get the most out of GIS. That means connecting them with the right resources, sharing ideas, and showing them what’s possible with the technology alongside my colleagues. A big part of my role is helping organizations see the value of GIS and how it can support better decision-making.


Q: Do you have any advice that you would like to share with a young professional?
Half the time I feel like I’ve just been winging it… but if I take a step back, I’m a huge believer in being intentional. Get really clear about what you want and write it down. I just stepped into my new role as an Account Manager very recently, but it’s something I’ve had written down and been working towards for the past few years.

I think when you have a clear intention, stay positive, and let go of what you can’t control, things start to fall into place in ways you don’t expect.

Also, network as much as you can, even outside of the geomatics space. Just be yourself. People value genuineness, and you never know what opportunities can come from simply connecting with others.


Q: What has been your favourite project to work on?
One of my favourite projects was working with PEI Ground Search and Rescue during my time as a consultant at Esri Canada. We helped configure apps that their team could use in the field when searching for missing persons.

What made it especially meaningful was attending a mock search with my colleague and mentor, Heather Noakes, and seeing the technology in action. Watching a group of dedicated volunteers learn new tools, work in harsh conditions, and give their time to help save lives was incredibly powerful. It really showed the real-world impact of the work we do.

You can learn more about the project here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwwXP3DnnFM

GANS is looking to add two student directors to our board! This is a one year position. Student directors are responsible for attending monthly board meetings. This is a great opportunity to meet other professionals in the geospatial community, and help provide input on how we can grow the industry. Email [email protected] for questions, or to submit your name for consideration.

On GIS Day, Esri Canada President Alex Miller presented Dr. Bob Maher with the Roger F. Tomlinson Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of his many achievements in expanding the use of geographic information system (GIS) technology. Dr. Maher established a world-class training program for GIS programmers at the College of Geographic Sciences (COGS) in Nova Scotia, where he was Senior Research Scientist responsible for the Applied Geomatics program. 

The award recognizes individuals for their outstanding achievement and contribution to the GIS community during their career and was created as a tribute to Dr. Roger F. Tomlinson O.C., a visionary Canadian geographer who conceived and developed GIS and became known as the ‘father of GIS’.

“Bob has always known that geography is central to understanding our world and he trained hundreds of people to use the lens of geography to understand problems. The intensive training program he created at COGS has helped the college become recognized as the gold standard for teaching of GIS. The program has significantly contributed to Canada’s rich pool of highly qualified GIS professionals,” says Alex Miller, president, Esri Canada.

“GIS is central to addressing the significant environmental degradation that the world faces today and I am proud to have trained people who are all around the world, using GIS to help address it,” says Dr. Bob Maher.

Dr. Maher has also taught far beyond Canada’s borders. He has conducted intensive GIS training courses in China, Indonesia and Zimbabwe, all for international aid agencies. At various universities, he also taught Applied Mathematics, Quantitative Methods and Computer Mapping, Biogeography, Scientific Computer Programming and Computer Graphics, in addition to GIS.

He is also an innovator who has worked as an applied research scientist for over 25 years. In Nova Scotia, Dr. Maher led a team who developed one of the first PC-based GIS digitizing systems. In Alberta, his team developed a PC-based integration of image processing and GIS.

When Dr. Maher worked as a senior manager in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), he was responsible for all aspects of GIS education and technical and management training at over 60 locations. In consultation with MNR technical staff, he produced a framework for corporate GIS training. He established partnerships with colleges, universities and the private sector. His work at MNR represented one of the most extensive and complex implementations of GIS technology in Canadian government.

Continue reading .... 

Multivariate Mapping with ArcGIS, this 2 hour hands on workshop is included with 2021 Canadian Cartographic Association (CCA), Conference registration. Event registration is only $20 ($10 for students). http://candiangeo.info/2021CCA_register 

The 3 day conference will be a gathering of geospatial practitioners, educators, and researchers from both public and private sectors and the community at large. It is open to anyone with an interest in maps.

This year registration has been kept low to encourage participation, to help bring together more people, and CCA members can attend for free as part of their membership benefits. 

Some of the presentations topics include an update on the national Elevation Strategy, mapping the pandemic, creating shaded relief models, flood modeling with LiDAR data, the growth of Fantasy Maps, the challenge of meaningfully putting Indigenous People back onto maps, and the increased use of remote sensing technology in Canada.

Abstracts for all presentations is provided on the conference website http://candiangeo.info/2021CCA_abstracts

There will be an online map gallery that will include entries from this year’s student mapping contests, a workshop on multivariate mapping with ArcGIS, the annual general meeting, and much more.

We hope that you can join us, and we participate in this year’s online conference where we explore LiDAR and other mapping techniques.

http://candiangeo.info/2021CCA_register

Meet Samantha Lewis, a graduate student at Saint Mary's University.

My education and background: 

I’m currently a graduate student at Saint Mary’s University in the Master of Science in Applied Science program under the supervision of Dr. Danika van Proosdij. My research involves the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) to measure and monitor the geomorphic evolution of a salt marsh restoration site on the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia. My past education includes a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Earth and Environmental Science, minoring in Biology) from the University of British Columbia Okanagan, and an Advanced Diploma in Geographic Sciences (remote sensing specialization) from the NSCC Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) in Lawrencetown, NS. After graduating from COGS I started working as a research assistant at the Applied Geomatics Research Group, and was able to broaden my geomatics and remote sensing skillset, including gaining experience with RPAS operations. This directly led me to Dr. van Proosdij’s research lab at Saint Mary’s University and their graduate program, where I could merge my two interests, environmental sciences and geomatics. 

What interests me about geomatics:  

My favorite aspect of geomatics is that it requires a lot of problem solving. Every problem is like a puzzle, and there are many different ways to solve every puzzle. I spend a lot of time trying to figure out which solution is the most efficient for each task I’m working on. I also love that the possibilities for using geomatics to solve problems are endless. Geomatics can be applied to so many different situations, and new uses for technologies like RPAS are being developed every day. It’s a very quickly advancing field, and it’s exciting to be involved in that advancement. 

How I decided on a career in geomatics: 

My introduction to geomatics was not deliberate. I had a friend who suggested taking the “Intro to GIS” course at UBCO during my undergraduate degree, and I signed up for the class without knowing what GIS was. The class sparked an interest for me that sent me to COGS in Nova Scotia, where I ended up learning about remote sensing, and deciding it was the right path for me. While I’m not sure exactly what I’ll be doing after graduating, I’m positive it will involve remote sensing and GIS. 

My career goals: 

Since starting my graduate studies (co-op stream), I’ve been managing the RPAS operations for CB Wetlands and Environmental Specialists, an environmental consultant company that often partners with SMU on costal restoration projects. An ideal career for me would involve this sort of work, as well as the managing of field operations and GIS analyses. 

My ideal employer: 

My ideal employer would be a company thatsupports a strong learning environment and encourages employees to pursue their interests and incorporate new techniques into their work. I also want to work for a company that does a lot of fieldwork, as I thrive in an outdoor environment. 

Advice for other students: 

Broaden your skillset as much as possible while you are in school. You never know what skills will end up being helpful once you’re in the workforce. Having knowledge of varying subjects will also allow you to approach problems from many different directions and give you new ways to problem solve. 

Connect with Jaclyn on LinkedIn here.

In this Q&A, Jaclyn Chezenko discusses where her work in the geomatics field.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Jaclyn Chezenko and I’m a GIS Systems Administrator at Halifax Water. I graduated with a degree in Geography from Saint Mary’s University in 2004, and an Advanced Diploma in GIS from the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) in 2006.

After graduating from COGS, I travelled with friends to Calgary, Alberta to work for a company that provided oil and gas field services called Wolf Survey & Mapping. There I started out as a GPS Rover collecting data in the mountains of Alberta and BC, and the plains of Saskatchewan, travelling by helicopter almost daily. After a few months I began working within the company as a GIS Mapper and performed data processing tasks and provided mapping products to the different groups on the job site such as surveyors, drillers, line crew, and project managers. After one year of gaining valuable work and life experience in Alberta, I decided to move back home to Nova Scotia. A month later I was offered an Engineering Information Technician position at Halifax Water.

I have currently been with Halifax Water for almost 14 years. After working as an EIT for 7 years in the GIS Updating Group doing spatial and forms-based entry and updates on our assets in GIS and AutoCAD, I moved into the GIS Technical Group as a GIS Analyst. As a GIS Analyst I got more involved with database work, scripting, and analysis. Once our GIS moved fully in-house, I became the GIS Systems Administrator and for the past 2 years have been responsible for administering Halifax Water’s GIS environments which includes GIS servers, software, databases, and applications. 

Q: What made you choose a career in the geomatics sector? 

I always loved Geography, so I was excited to first take some geography courses at SMU as electives, and then I switched my major to Geography in my second year. I was not familiar with GIS, but some courses were being offered through the Geography program which I took and really enjoyed. In one of those GIS classes, an instructor from COGS came to speak to us about the GIS course being offered at NSCC-COGS, and it sounded very interesting to me. I was excited to live and attend college in the beautiful valley where I enjoyed visiting while growing up in Nova Scotia. I loved the idea that GIS could be used in almost any workplace, and I was excited to start my career to see all of the different ways.

Q: As a woman, did you recognize the barriers you faced in getting your career started? How would you describe them?

I’ve been fortunate and have not had to face any barriers as a woman in the GIS industry. In my GIS program at COGS, about half of my classmates were women and at Halifax Water we have more women than men in the GIS group. There are actually 4 women out of 6 people in my smaller GIS Technical Group. The work I did in the seismic industry in Alberta was definitely more male dominated, but I always felt valued and well respected.

Q: How did you manage to overcome the major challenges in your career and end up where you are today?

Being able to secure a job right out of COGS gave me the ability to gain GIS work experience, which helped me in securing my job at Halifax Water. Now in my present role, staying current with GIS technology has been the major challenge. We are unable to always upgrade to the latest platforms and with so many projects on the go in our numerous environments, it’s difficult to schedule major changes that won’t affect a lot of users. As we wait, newer versions are released. While waiting to upgrade software and application versions, it has been helpful and important to stay up to date on what is new and changing within the latest technologies, and to continue planning how our future GIS will look. It can be challenging but also rewarding.

Q: Do you think the geomatics sector needs to change to be more inclusive? How?

In my personal experience, the geomatics sector has been very inclusive. I’ve had female GIS professors, classmates, coworkers, and I also work with a lot of external female GIS colleagues and consultants from different companies. I feel fortunate that the geomatics sector is inclusive, because I know that a lot of other sectors are not.

Q: What advice would you give to women and girls who are facing gender barriers in their careers?

Just to speak up and enjoy working in your field of education. With continuous learning and experience comes more confidence. Every job and role is different, and it can take time to feel comfortable which is okay. Never stop asking questions.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone facing challenges in their geospatial occupation, or entering the geospatial sector?

The GIS community is always growing, and more people are moving around. Just because you meet all of the requirements for a position, does not mean that a lot of others won’t as well. It can be discouraging, but my advice would be to continue applying for everything you can while always expanding your learning opportunities. Take courses through Esri, watch webinars, read articles, network within the GIS community, and always keep your resume up to date.

Q: In your experience, what can you say about the progress that has been made in the geomatics sector, and where it will go in the future?

In my experience, every time I attend a GIS conference or training, I meet new people from companies that I did not even know had GIS departments. It really seems to be expanding across different industries and is becoming a central part of organizations. When I worked in Alberta, most employers had heard of COGS and recognized it as a strong school that produced a lot of skilled graduates who were ready and willing to learn and work. The future continues to look promising for geomatics and for women in GIS.

The GANS “Student Highlight” article series recognizes budding geomatics professionals and allows them the opportunity to showcase their work, their skills and their career aspirations to the greater geospatial community of Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada. In this newsletter we are sharing the journeys of our two new Student Representatives on the GANS Board of Directors.

Meet Wenjie Xu, a Masters of Science student at Dalhousie University.

My education and background:

Currently I am enrolled in the Master of Science at Dalhousie University (Dal). The beautiful main campus is located in the heart of Halifax, a city with extraordinary landscape and rich history. Its agricultural campus is located in the valley of Salmon River in the Truro, once a critical station town for Trans-Canada Via railway.

I am studying and working under the supervision of the director of Organic Agricultural Centre of Canada (OACC). At the same time, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Kentville) provided technical supports and critical database to support our research on assessing the landscape heterogeneity between organic and conventional quarter sections in Saskatchewan. Pairwise comparison between organic and conventional management was set up to better quantify the differences. Mapping landscape structures, geoprocessing and data conversion are important steps to digitize landscape structures and landscape into a computable format. More than 20 landscape metrics were calculated in this study to fully explain the level of landscape heterogeneity.

What interests me about geomatics:

The powerful geographic information systems is the part of geomatics that allures me the most. It integrates many types of data. It analyzes spatial location and organizes layers of information into visualizations using maps and 3D scenes. ​With this unique capability, GIS reveals deeper insights into data, such as patterns, relationships, and situations—helping users make smarter decisions.  

With its extensive functions, GIS can be used to create maps to better display the spatial relationship; it can evaluate the suitability and capability, estimate and predict, interpret and understand, lend new perspective into decision-making, etc. Hundreds of thousands of organizations in virtually every field are using GIS to make maps that communicate, perform analysis, share information, and solve complex problems around the world. This is changing the way the world works.

How I decided on a career in Geomatics:

While I was working as a research assistant during my undergraduate studies, my team and I focused on investigating the spatial distribution of soil heavy metal elements. By using spatial interpolation, we predicted and created maps of spatial distribution of those soil heavy metal elements. It was the powerful GIS and the thematic maps that got me thinking about the application of spatial analysis in environmental studies. As I further studied landscape ecology, spatial factors are one major factor that one cannot avoid in all ecological and environmental studies. Combining them into studies can address the real world problems.

My career goals:

I will pursue my career as a GIS spatial analyst, providing solid geoprocessing skills to solve real world problems. In addition, I would like to work as a volunteer to spread the importance of spatial analysis in all different studies and research directions.

My ideal employer:

I want to work for a company that considers not only the profits but also the benefits of the environment and sustainable development in society and is always open for new ideas.

Advice for other students:

Geomatics is a broad subject, but also a very practical tool for other studies’ directions. As a student not originally from a geomatics major but from other subjects, I recommend that other students who see geomatics as a tool is to take it seriously and try to understand the rationale behind each geoprocessing skill. That will help you comprehend each step and pick up the new skills very quickly.

Benefits of volunteering with GANS Board of Directors:

By attending or even organizing events in GANS, students can meet many professionals during all these processes. GANS would also be an ideal place for students to get to know industries, understand what happened outside campus is sometimes more important, and get themselves better prepared for their career.

The GANS “Student Highlight” article series recognizes budding geomatics professionals and allows them the opportunity to showcase their work, their skills and their career aspirations to the greater geospatial community of Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada. In this newsletter we are sharing the journeys of our two new Student Representatives on the GANS Board of Directors.

Meet Sabrina Hiefer, an engineer seeking a new career path in geomatics. Sabrina is currently a student at COGS.

My education and background:

Currently, I am a student at the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) in the Marine Geomatics program. The program requires either a BEng or BSc for admittance (some alternative routes can be taken within, with consent of the college), so they begin the classes with a bang! We currently have seven courses, which include GPS, Geodesy, Python, GIS, CAD, Hydrography, and of course a lovely field component to apply all of our knowledge. The goal of many students, including myself, is to go into rotational offshore as hydrographic surveyors. In such, we are currently working on numerous projects, ranging from how to read and measure charts, how to give directions at sea, using a GPS along with surveying equipment to gather pertinent geolocation information, and of course numerous items on how to present all of this data.

What interests me about geomatics:

The first few weeks were quite the blur and seemed like nothing would ever come together, but surely and slowly the pieces began to fall into place. I’m now gaining a full picture of what geomatics allows us to do and how we can apply it within the workforce. I enjoy the mixture of multiple elements blending together for a common outcome such as chart reading, gathering GPS data to produce high precision coordinates, and creating data-filled maps.

How I decided on a career in geomatics:

Due to covid altering my entire industry for the foreseeable future, I found myself back at the grind of late nights and abnormal eating schedules. I previously completed a Bachelor of Applied Science at Acadia University (’14) and a Bachelor of Engineering at Dalhousie University (’17), and slowly progressed into private industry, working contracts across the country. Having worked rotational jobs on land as a project manager, I fell in love with the lifestyle it presents. My dive buddy works rotational offshore, and with my industry still changed due to covid, hers continued forward. So I investigated my options and felt marine geomatics would be a great fit.

My career goals:

My short term career goals are to enter into rotational offshore work and my long term career goals are to gain more knowledge and potentially go into a project manager role again, as this is what I have been doing for a few years now.

My ideal employer:

Having worked multiple contracts across Canada, the most important element for me is a mutual respect. An acknowledgement that I will do my best possible work, while they treat me with professional respect and offer a regular challenge for me to further improve my skill sets.

Advice for other students:

There’s no need to rush everywhere you’re going. As cliché as it may sound, enjoy the journey there. Take the chance to smell the roses and grab a beer, as you’ll look back at these moments more often than the all nighters to meet school deadlines. Having said this, if you opt to go into the Marine Geomatics program at COGS, be prepared for anywhere from 50 to 75 hour weeks, filled with an endless amount of tasks. On the bright side, it makes the wine taste that much sweeter when you finish!

Benefits of volunteering with GANS Board of Directors:

Being completely new to the geomatics realm, GANS expands my knowledge of the potential applications of my education. I entered the Marine Geomatics with a goal to complete rotational offshore, but my career paths are not limited to just that application. The board has a wide range of professionals, and each one has their own unique path that they’re more than willing to discuss!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-hiefer/

Although my head is often in the books, I love being outdoors. In my ‘spare’ time, I’ve managed to still go out scuba diving and plenty of hiking. I’m very eager to re-enter the workforce at full tilt, and get back into the field. I do also love hearing about people’s paths, so feel free to connect!