Blog Post #4 - GIS Day

For my GIS Day event, I had the opportunity to discuss GIS in two different settings: first with friends while on a weekend trip, and then with my family which including my wife and son.

I had the opportunity to explain what I do as a GIS Analyst to a group of friends who live in the same city I now work for. Like many people outside the field, they had heard of “GIS” before but did not really understand what it meant or how it is used in everyday life. I tried to approach it in a way that connected directly to their daily experiences.

I started by explaining that GIS, or Geographic Information Systems, is essentially a way of combining maps with data to help people better understand what is happening in a specific location. I told them to think of it as layering different types of information, like utilities, zoning, crime data, or infrastructure on top of a map so that patterns and relationships become easier to see and analyze.

To make it more relatable, I pulled up some of the city’s public-facing web maps and dashboards. This really helped bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. For example, I showed them interactive maps where they could view things like flood data, zoning and future land use, and parcel data. I also showed them a city development activity dashboard that presents near real-time data in a visual format, such as charts and maps, which help city staff and the public quickly understand what is going on without digging through spreadsheets. This dashboard shows all the development activities going on in the city and provides statuses and contact information as well as access to documents such as architecture/landscape plans and surveys.

What seemed to resonate most with them was how practical GIS is. They began to see that it’s not just about making maps, it is about supporting decisions that affect their community. Whether it is being part of the city’s emergency response team, assisting code enforcement officers in the field, or allowing residents to explore city data online, GIS plays a role in improving efficiency, transparency, and communication.

By the end of the conversation, they had a much clearer understanding of what I do and why it matters. It was rewarding to see that shift, from thinking GIS is something abstract or technical to recognizing it as a powerful tool that directly impacts the city they live in. This experience also reminded me how important it is to communicate technical concepts in a way that is accessible and relevant to a general audience.

For my discussion with my family I started with the Esri video titled “What is GIS.”Links to an external site. I always thought this was a solid introduction for those outside the field. Naturally this video generated some good questions which I was able to answer more clearly by showing them ArcGIS Pro in action. Since a lot of our data at the City of Port Orange is publicly available on ArcGIS Online I was able to show them some data sets that I will be working with in my position.

The data I showed them included our city’s sewer and water network. Since we live within the city, it was especially impactful to zoom into our subdivision and highlight features they were already familiar with, such as manholes and drainage inlets on our street that they have seen many times. I also introduced them to our stormwater system. Because we have a swale bordering our backyard, along with a few retention ponds and drainage inlets nearby, these served as great real-world examples to demonstrate how GIS is used to map and manage stormwater infrastructure. They were amazed at how the attribute table made it possible to quickly answer questions, like how many drainage inlets exist in the city or within a specific area, and the total length of water lines, all with just a few mouse clicks.

Overall, this was a very successful experience. It not only helped others better understand GIS, but also gave me the opportunity to refine how I communicate its value to a non-technical audience. Seeing their interest and curiosity grow throughout the discussion confirmed that GIS is most effective when it is tied to real-world, relatable examples. Moving forward, I will continue to focus on making GIS accessible and meaningful to those outside the field.

Blog Post #3 - Industry Summary, Internship Update & LinkedIn Profile

The industry topic I chose focused on the role of GIS in public safety and emergency managment. I selected this topic because, in my new role as a GIS Analyst, I will be part of the City of Port Orange, Florida’s Emergency Management Team. This was an interview with Richard Butgereit, GISP, Information Management Section Head at Florida Division of Emergency Management. The interview provided several important insights that are especially relevant to this work, including the following:

•  Richard talked about the importance of coordination and information sharing among emergency management agencies. He stressed     that successful disaster response relies heavily on collaboration, not just individual agency efforts. 

• He also emphasized that proactive planning and preparedness efforts were especially important and required the most time. Emphasis on risk assessment, training, and pre-event planning being key for success. He reinforces the idea that emergency management is an ongoing process, not something that begins only when a disaster strikes.

• Finally, he emphasizes the growing role of data and technology in emergency management decision making. He made it a point to say that one of his jobs in emergency management was to provide data in as many ways/formats as possible. Even though this interview is likely slightly dated, the idea of providing data in multiple formats is still very relevant in 2026. I would think, as technology and user expectations have expanded, emergency managers now need to deliver the same information through dashboards, web maps, mobile tools, and raw datasets. While the formats have changed since this interview, the responsibility to make data accessible to different users has likely only grown.

As mentioned above, I am pleased to share that I have recently accepted a GIS Analyst position with the City of Port Orange, FL. I am excited to begin this new role and look forward to serving the citizens of my hometown. I believe this position will be a great fit, and I am eager to apply the skills I developed at UWF while continuing to grow as a GIS professional.

I recently updated my LinkedIn profile, which had not been revised in several years. I added the courses I completed at UWF and ensured that my blog/portfolio site is clearly visible and easily accessible in both the contact information and education sections. I also refined my listed skills to better reflect my GIS experience, particularly in my recent roles as an Environmental Scientist and GIS Cadastral Mapper. These updates helped create a cleaner and more professional overall presentation.

Additionally, I have begun ESRI training on creating ArcGIS StoryMaps. In the coming weeks, I plan to continue expanding my knowledge through additional StoryMaps training and ArcGIS Online coursework as I prepare to create and maintain web applications in my new role.

Blog Post #2 - GIS Job Search

This week we were tasked with either revisiting our initial GIS dream job or conducting a new GIS job search to check out what types of jobs are currently available.

Since I have been researching and checking GIS jobs for several years now I initially thought I wanted a job that would utilize my background in archaeology but since beginning the certificate program at UWF over time I have started to lean more towards a GIS position that is more broad. One that I could utilize the variety of the skills I have now acquired through the program at UWF and recent positions I have held since starting at UWF. As I was recently searching for jobs I came across a GIS Analyst position in my hometown of Port Orange, FL.

The position appealed to me because the job description described much of what I was looking for since it wanted someone who had a diverse background to support various city departments. Some of the essential functions included developing and maintaining web maps, applications, and interactive custom dashboards, converting various data types, querying SQL databases and communicating internal and external technical resources to resolve conflicting data issues and provide guidance on best methods to apply results derived from GIS driven data to name a few. Most of these I have experience in either from coursework or from prior positions I have held.  I think the only function I don't have much experience in is creating and maintaining ArcGIS web maps, applications and interactive custom dashboards. As far as the skills, knowledge and abilities listed I also checked most of those boxes with either coursework or prior positions I have held.

In addition to being the type of GIS job I have been searching for, the idea of potentially using GIS to help support my hometown's community efforts in various functions is very exciting to me.

Needless to say I applied for the position and interviewed for it this past Monday morning. I'm happy to say that I received an offer later that afternoon and accepted the position!!!

Links to an external site.position in my hometown of Port Orange, FL.

Blog Post #1 - GIS Internship and Professional Engagement in GIS

 

This semester I am completing my GIS Internship course as my final requirement for the GIS Graduate Certificate at UWF. I recently held a position as a Cadastral Mapper so I am using that experience for my internship and will continue to take some ESRI classes during the semester.

I have been a member of a few groups since starting my GIS journey at UWF in 2023. I have been a Friend of FLURISA since I started the program in which I have attended some webinars when available. This past year I attended the Central Florida GIS Workshop at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, FL. This is a great event filled with presentations on a variety of GIS topics, ESRI trainings, a map and app gallery, and exhibitors representing private sector companies as well as public sector organizations. This workshop is a great way to learn about a variety of GIS topics and applications as well as network with other GIS professionals. I was able to meet Amber Bloechle and Dr. John Morgan at the workshop, so that was great to connect in person!

Since I have some experience working with the Brevard County Property Appraiser as a Cadastral Mapper, I decided to join the Florida Association of Cadastral Mappers (FACM). FACM is dedicated to promoting, educating, and assisting in the development of cadastral mapping in Florida. They also offer a series of courses designed to support and educate cadastral mapping professionals.

In addition, since beginning the program in 2023 I have maintained an ESRI Professional Plus/Student user license. This has allowed me to take ESRI courses during down times and stay familiar with ArcGIS Online. Also included in the license is the ArcUser publications which are great for keeping up on the GIS industry. I highly encourage anyone in this program to take advantage of this license as the cost is minimal at $100/yr.

Special Topics in GIS - Module 5 - Surfaces - Surface Interpolation

The fifth module in Special Topics in GIS introduced the topic of surface interpolation. In this lab, we explored the use of several interpolation techniques to create continuous surfaces of water quality across Tampa Bay. Interpolation is valuable because it allows us to estimate values between sampling points and better visualize spatial patterns. However, each technique approaches the problem differently and produces distinct results.

Thiessen polygons assign each location to the nearest sample point, which is simple to apply but results in abrupt boundaries that don’t reflect smooth changes in water quality. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) provides a more gradual surface, giving greater weight to nearby samples and reducing the blocky appearance of Thiessen. Spline goes further by fitting a smooth, curved surface through the data, producing a visually appealing result but sometimes creating unrealistic peaks or sinks in areas with clustered high values or sparse sampling. These differences highlight the importance of choosing an interpolation method that matches both the data characteristics and the purpose of the analysis. 

Below is a screenshot of my results using the Spline Tension technique:

Overall, this exercise showed that while all interpolation methods can create useful surfaces, their assumptions and behaviors vary widely. Understanding these differences is key to interpreting the results and making informed choices for an analysis. This lab gave me a stronger understanding of how interpolation works and why the method you choose matters. It was interesting to see how the same water quality data could look so different depending on the approach.

Special Topics in GIS - Module 4 - Surfaces - TINs and DEMs

The fourth module in Special Topics in GIS introduced the topics of creating, editing, and analyzing TINs and DEMs.  The goal was to explore how different elevation data models represent terrain and how these representations can be used in spatial analysis.

One of the portions of this week's lab involved utilizing a DEM to develope a 3D ski run suitibility map. By calculating three critical terrain variables: elevation, slope, and aspect, these layers was reclassified to reflect suitability for downhill skiing. For example, higher elevations scored more favorably, slopes between 20° and 45° were rated highly suitable, and north-facing aspects were given priority. These reclassified layers were then combined in a weighted overlay, where elevation was weighted most heavily, followed by slope and aspect.

The result was a ski run suitability map (shown below), which highlights the best areas for potential ski development. Areas in darker colors represent more favorable conditions, while lighter areas represent less suitable terrain. This exercise not only illustrated how elevation data can be modeled differently with TINs and DEMs, but also how those models support real-world decision making when combined with spatial analysis.

Another portion of the lab provided a point feature class that was used to create a TIN model. Contour lines (100m) were then visualized by modifying the symbology. Next, using the Spline tool, the point feature class was used to create a set DEM based contour lines. The two sets of countour lines were then analyzed and compared. Below is a screenshot shot witht he DEM based contour lines depicted in blue and the TIN based contour lines in grey.

Overall I found this week's module to be very helpful in my understanding of elevation models. We had touched on some of these types of elevation models and tools in previous coursework assignments but being able to apply them to real life analysis has been very beneficial.

Special Topics in GIS - Module 3 - Data Quality - Assessment

The third module in Special Topics in GIS continued the focus on spatial data quality. This week’s task was an exercise in assessing the quality of road networks. We were asked to apply similar methodologies to those introduced in the assigned readings, such as Haklay (2010), How Good is Volunteered Geographical Information? A Comparative Study of OpenStreetMap and Ordnance Survey Datasets. The assignment consisted of conducting an accuracy assessment for completeness using two road centerline datasets: one compiled by the Jackson County GIS department and the other from TIGER (2000).

The analysis began by calculating the total length of each dataset for the entire county. To ensure valid length comparisons, both road layers were first projected into the same coordinate system with meter units.

Next, using a provided grid that divided the county into 5 × 5 meter cells, the roads were intersected with the grid using the Pairwise Intersect tool. This step ensured that road segments were split at grid boundaries and attributed to the correct cells. The total road length for each cell was then calculated for both datasets using the Summary Statistics tool.

The results were then joined back to the grid layer so that each cell contained length values from both datasets. A percent difference field was added, and a formula was applied to compute relative completeness. This allowed me to identify and count how many cells favored the Jackson County centerlines versus the TIGER centerlines.

Finally, a choropleth map was created to display spatial patterns of completeness. Symbology highlighted cells where one dataset contained more road length than the other, as well as a neutral class for near-equal differences.

The visualization illustrates the percent difference in road length between the TIGER roads dataset and the county street centerlines. The calculation was based on the formula:

% 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = (𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠 − 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑇𝐼𝐺𝐸𝑅 𝑅𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑠)/(𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠) ×100%

Cells where TIGER roads contained more total length than the county centerlines are symbolized in shades of red and orange, while cells where county centerlines were longer are shown in shades of green. This highlights areas where one dataset is more complete than the other.

Below is my final map layout: