Nearmappers Share Why They Love GIS

Happy GIS Day!

Looking at the importance of this day, we thought it fitting to share some thoughts from our very own Nearmappers to understand what GIS means to them. Let’s see what they had to say about their love for working in the geospatial information industry:

“The positive impact our people, company and technology make on government and commercial organizations is what I like most. It wasn’t long ago that the United States Secret Service called and asked for samples of our 3D imagery to plan the presidential inauguration. When it comes to event security planning management, resource deployment and communications, our technology makes a big difference for these types of events.
The United States Golf Association has similar needs, but they extend beyond classic event management to include engineering efforts. I recall their use cases included a pop-up train station, a bridge, new paths, tents, EMT staging – in essence, setting up a small city where all the planning was done with Nearmap.
Nearmap technology makes a real difference in how efficient and effective events are planned and managed."
- Tony Agresta—EVP & General Manager, North America

“In the geospatial industry we are solving real world problems that help people. When I listened to one of my clients passionately describe how roundabouts reduce fatalities in traffic accidents by 90% and that Nearmap could help them identify and improve these structures, I was inspired. It’s good to have a job that you love, but having a job that can solve issues, innovate in a stagnant industry, and change the way that people view the world is something I view as the pinnacle of success.
The geospatial intelligence industry touches everything around you – the infrastructure you drive on, the beautiful parks you walk in, the magnificent architecture you enjoy; all of this was planned by some of the hardest working and smartest people in the world and I’m happy that I could play a role in enabling their visions."
- Cody Kessler—Account Executive

“Working in the geospatial industry has allowed me to be a part of an incredible journey with technology. Sometimes I think we take it for granted how easily accessible geospatial data has become. While most don’t think about all the people behind the scenes who help make that happen, I love being one of those people! We get to work with so many cool pieces of hardware and software and I enjoy seeing the new content that Nearmap generates every day."
- Sean Kelly—Director, Survey Operations

“It’s not like you’re saving lives. It’s just GIS.” Someone once said this to me, and I have refused to believe it ever since. While aerial imagery is nice to look at and gives those who live only on the ground a chance to grow wings and explore the world from above, it also offers another chance at life.
This is why I love working in the field of post-disaster imagery collection. I stay motivated by the thought of that missing family member that found their loved one’s rooftop message in our post-tornado imagery. I think of the emergency response crews that needed imagery to navigate the roads of Grand Isle that were covered in two feet of sand and power lines after a hurricane. I think of the family that had to be evacuated from their home before a wildfire and finally got to see their home again in the imagery.
It’s easy to love my job when it paves a road to recovery for those in need. It’s easy to love GIS when it saves lives."
- Nick Stasiak—Geospatial Content Specialist

“Prior to Nearmap, I hadn’t had much, if any, exposure to GIS. But since, it has been incredible to see how it affects so many different industries. For example: the entertainment industry uses GIS for location scouting, traffic control plans, and 3D to design realistic scenery in video games.
My favorite thing to do, is use the historical imagery, and watch the construction of Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland, from the ground up. Seeing actual progress in construction projects is one of the coolest things we have access to. I love being in the GIS industry, because I have exposure to so many cool things occurring around us."
- Mike Hays—Customer Success Manager

"In an ever-changing world, having data at your fingertips has never been more critical. Geospatial intelligence allows corporations and individuals to make real-time decisions to improve efficiency with time savings and cost avoidance analytics. Photogrammetry takes this data and paints the picture of where to look and why, sidestepping costly mistakes and driving effectiveness."
- Kit Revell—Senior Director, Sales

"I’ve been working in the GIS industry for 20+ years and still love how it conveys information to the viewer. The phrase 'a picture paints a thousand words' resonates with me and I see it every day in GIS.
An aerial image can be visually appealing, eye catching, informative, and even stunning. When it’s combined with a geographic reference it really means something to me. An image of a home burnt in a bushfire becomes more emotional and meaningful when you know the street it is on. A tornado’s devastation becomes more impactful when a location is known. Add to that the concept of time and we have an even more powerful source of information by knowing when an image was taken, or a map made.
I have a series of maps on one of my walls that were designed to show the proposed division of Berlin. They were created by the War Office in 1944. The maps show the 'boundaries of the parts of Berlin allotted to the UK, USA, and USSR.' They are the thoughts at that moment in time and a historical record. Over the past 20 years, the USSR has become a distant memory, and East and West Berlin are now just Berlin.
I love working in geospatial information industry because it provides me context to information that I can understand."
- Karl Terrey—Director, Global Alliances