Celebrating Student Achievements in Geospatial Analytics
The Center for Geospatial Analytics at NC State University has had an outstanding year, with numerous achievements by its graduate students. From publishing peer-reviewed articles to participating in prestigious conferences, these students have demonstrated exceptional talent and dedication to their field.
Doctoral Students
The Center’s doctoral students have been extremely productive, with 12 peer-reviewed articles published in top-tier journals such as Global Environmental Change, Scientific Reports, and Environmental Earth Sciences. They have also presented their research at various conferences, including the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, IALE-North America Annual Meeting, and the European Geosciences Union General Assembly.
Students presenting their research at a conference
Several students have received awards and recognition for their work. Jenna Abrahamson won first place for her poster in the Natural Systems category at the CNR Graduate Research Symposium. Rebecca Composto received the Center’s Creativity in Teaching Award, while Christopher Dunstan won a UConn Sports Analytics Symposium Travel Award and an internship with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (Breakdancing Team).
Popular Press and Engagement
The Center’s students have also been involved in various outreach and engagement activities. An NC State story about Jenna Abrahamson’s internship with the Pacific Northwest National Lab was featured on the front page of the US Department of Energy’s Office of Science homepage under University Research News. Rebecca Composto and Associate Director Eric Money taught two GIS lessons at Lakewood Montessori Middle School in Durham, NC.
Students teaching GIS lessons at Lakewood Montessori Middle School
Deja Perkins delivered a TedxNCState Talk entitled “If You Don’t Have a Seat, Make Your Own Table.” Research by Ariel Saffer, Faculty Fellow Laura Tateosian, and MGIST student Yi-Peng Yang was covered by SciTech Daily, Potato News Today, List23, and Irish Mirror.
Professional Master’s in Geospatial Information Science & Technology (MGIST) Students
The Center’s MGIST students have collaborated with 21 community/industry partners to develop geospatial solutions as part of their service-learning capstone experience. Each semester, graduating students competed in a poster competition to showcase their service-learning projects. Dallas Hoffman won in Spring 2023, Kim Garrett won in Fall 2023, and Andrea Sato won in Spring 2024.
Students presenting their capstone projects
Alum Kelsey Mills received the Governor’s Award for Excellence, the highest honor a state employee can receive. Kim Garrett was named NC State’s 2024 Esri Innovation Program (EIP) Student of the Year and was selected to be the graduate student speaker at CNR graduation in Fall 2023.
Geospatial Graduate Student Organization (GGSO)
The GGSO is a university-recognized community that supports all graduate students affiliated with the Center, both on-campus and online. Led by students for students, the GGSO advances networking in the geospatial community, provides a platform for research, and offers social events.
GGSO members at a social event
This year, the GGSO organized a three-part coding bootcamp series, “Introduction to Python Programming,” at the beginning of the academic year in partnership with NC State University Libraries. They also planned and coordinated a week-long series of professional development events for GIS Week 2023, including a kickoff networking event, three workshops, and two research roundtable lunches.
