Making the World a Better Place

Do you notice any similiarities or differences? Gas stations are often on corners, have you ever questioned why that is? Do stores on the corner get more business? If so, why? Is the land at a corner more expensive than the same amount of land in the middle of a block? Understanding why some places offer public wifi and others don't, where in the community you see grass or bushes or trees and the types of buildings near each of those-- finding the answers to these questions matter to the people who live there.

This is especially important to ensure equity for all. The skills built in exploring these issues are so valuable for many jobs across industries. Being able to look at a lot of different information and break it down into groups of similar things will reveal patterns and relationships. Being able to model those findings for people is enormously powerful. You can even start doing this in school! Esri gives software to K-12 schools across the globe, and thousands are already using it in the U.S.! There are hundreds of colleges across the U.S. with GIS programs in place.

If you can explain how the world works and why-- whether about the local impact of global events, why public transportation matters, why people getting sick in a specific region and not others-- using your knowledge, insights and skills are very important and can help make a difference! This is what all geographers want to do. We want to not only learn stuff or know things, but also help people see and make the world a better place.

Pages