Valerie Yakich

Geographic Information Science IGERT
State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo


My career path changed in one afternoon. Jim Lilly introduced me to GIS with the enthusiasm of an evangelist and the vision of a futurist. Based on what he said, GIS and I were perfect for each other. Here was a profession that offered challenging variety, societal benefits, AND integration of my fields of study (Computer Science and Environmental Studies). My initial awe subsided as a healthy dose of skepticism arose. I left his office with a stack of "Geo Info Systems" magazines and a couple of ARC/INFO manuals. Mr. Lilly became my mentor; he set me loose on the software. I progressed from unpaid intern to part-time employee, and eventually took over the GIS Coordinator position at the City of Waco, Texas (when Mr. Lilly moved to a larger city). Later AmBit Technology lured me to South Dakota to provide GIS training, support, and custom applications for several state agencies. Now, with the patience of my husband Tom and son Zachary, I am pursuing a doctoral degree in Geography as an IGERT fellow with a research focus in Computational Implementations of Geographic Concepts. I appreciate this opportunity to acquire the skills and degree that will further my career in GIS.

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