In celebration of GIS Day we spoke with Harriet Gordon, Principal GIS Consultant in our Reading office, to find out what she enjoys about working in GIS and what advice she would give to those considering GIS as a career.
Why did you first become interested in GIS?
Unknowingly my first interaction with GIS was going out on family walks when I was small and being in charge of the GPS. However, I didn’t become aware of what GIS was until I was looking at university courses and thought “that sounds like fun” so I took a chance and applied to do GIS at Kingston University London, and luckily, I really enjoyed it.
What is your favourite thing about working in GIS?
My favourite part about GIS is cartography side of things, creating map outputs. I could sit for hours making sure I’ve picked the right shade of blue! But I also love about how GIS is constantly developing and how data is becoming more freely available which means we get to make interesting applications and test out new tools.
What does a typical day at work involve for you?
Apart from making a good cup of tea there is no typical day in GIS. One minute you could be managing datasets, next minute you’re developing a web application highlighting travel accessibility for a new development.
In your career, how did you get to where you are now?
When I was at university, I did a number of GIS internships throughout my summer breaks, I was a GIS analyst then a software developer. Once I graduated, I worked briefly for a data reseller before I went into consultancy as a graduate GIS analyst.
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
I’ve worked on many multidisciplinary projects, one that I’m particularly pleased with is a 3D model of bat movements before, during and after a road construction with the aim being to see how the bats interact with a new green bridge.
I’ve also met my GIS hero John Nelson and talked about all things maps.
What would be your advice to someone considering a career in GIS?
Do it! There are so many aspects of GIS to explore from coding, analytics to cartography there is something for everyone. All you need is big ideas, a good eye for detail and in some cases a lot of patience.
Harriet is a Principal GIS Consultant predominantly focused in analytics and cartography, working on a range of analytical tools, data management systems and high quality cartographic outputs. She is also a member of the British Cartographic Society and working towards Chartership with the Royal Geographic Society.
Contact: [email protected]
