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Where do you work and what do you do?
I work at Umvoto Africa, which has an office on the Muizenberg beach front in Cape Town. Umvoto is an earth sciences consultancy that specialises in hydrogeological applications, GIS and disaster risk management. I joined Umvoto in 2008 and my focus, with the team, has been on compiling spatial databases, spatial data management and programming various applications.
Tell me how a geographic information system works and where would it be used?
It's a combined system of computers, software and users. The system works by organising information associated with specific geographic locations into a
database that can be queried by location. The results of such queries
can be displayed as maps, allowing spatial relationships to be revealed and analysed. A geographic information system captures, stores, manipulates, analyses, manages and presents geographically referenced data, it can be thought of as a system that digitally creates and manipulates spatial areas.
For example, if you have a highly detailed geology data set, and a fine-resolution digital elevation model, these can be combined by GIS. These two files can be merged to create a realistic three-dimensional image of a geology surface. This shows the relationship between various formations and how they alter with changes in elevation.
We use GIS to provide business solutions to our clients' problems, for example GIS-based solutions in ground water exploration. (Ground water is water found underground in porous sandy and shale strata, and in the fractures and fissures of rock formations.) We also use GIS for geo-hazard assessment, environmental planning, town planning and development and mineral exploration. We also offer location-based services such as site suitability analysis.
GIS applications are also used by research institutions, environmental scientists, health organisations, land use planners, insurance companies, and government agencies.
What training did you do?
I graduated from Fort Hare in 2007 with an honours degree in applied remote sensing and GIS. My honours project related to ground water. I joined Umvoto as an intern for three months, during which I got valuable practical training and mentoring, and was then appointed to a full-time position.
What school subjects and areas of interest are needed to pursue this career?
The basics would be maths, science and geography at school. At university level you need to consider the specialisation you want to follow. With GIS, universities offer geomatics as a base. However, if you are interested in applications of the technology, then an earth science course like geology is a good background. You could also study computer science if you are interested in GIS software and application development.
This is a relatively new field, how do South African technicians compare with those of other countries?
We are on a par, in South Africa there are highly skilled technicians.
There are a fair number of providers of GIS technologies and services, mainly in the private sector. Now the government is realising the benefits of GIS and policies are being implemented to ensure high standards are maintained.
There is a strong IT element to this work, do you need to be a technical person to become a GIS technician?
You do need to be technical - in terms of understanding software and manipulating data sets. It is important to develop above-average computer skills and to keep up with developing technology. You also need to make sure your communication and interpersonal skills are highly developed as your job is to bridge the gap between technology and applications.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a medical doctor, then I got a scholarship to study computer science at university. I realised then that this would be an interesting field to pursue.
Can you give a rundown of your typical day?
I spend a lot of my time in the office capturing data and collating information and imagery. I then pre-process data for analysis and classification. Sometimes I visit sites that Umvoto is investigating, but most days are spent in the office.
I have been involved with a water augmentation project in Hermanus, for which I did a long-term environmental analysis. This will form a basis for long-term monitoring of water-dependent ecology. I presented a paper on this work at a conference of the Southern African Young Water Professionals in Pretoria last year.
What do you love most about your work?
You can see the link between theoretical and practical aspects. I also work with a team of people who are experts in various fields, giving me an opportunity to apply my GIS skills in different areas.
What do you find most challenging about your work?
Data capturing by digitising from existing maps. This is a complex process that is the most important part of any GIS-based analysis, as it forms the foundation of any project. If you were to capture useless data you would get useless interpretations.
If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
Various data owners do not share their data - this hinders our work and affects deadlines and the quality of output. We want to promote more data sharing between organisations.
What is your favourite time of day?
Waking up in the morning and getting ready for my day in the office. I work with such an interesting team that work is something I look forward to.
What or who inspires you?
Professionally, Umvoto director and head of GIS, Andiswa Mlisa. She has achieved a lot as a woman in this scientific field and sits on many industry bodies as a GIS expert. Personally, my wife Tendani Thabela, she believes in me and always encourages me in what I do.
Author: Margaret Harris
Article Source: Times Live
