GSS SPOTLIGHT!
ALY DEEGAN
What is your education and/or professional background?
I am a senior criminal justice major at Saint Mary's University. I graduated from Saint Peter High School in Saint Peter, Minnesota in 2017.
What led you to GIS? More specifically, how did you get to Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (SMUMN) in Winona?
I was told about GIS by a friend that worked at GSS during his time at SMU. He gave me a small rundown on what GIS is and what GSS does and I went out on a whim, applied and was lucky enough to get a job. As for Saint Mary's I had a list of schools I wanted to visit and the moment I stepped onto the Saint Mary's campus I fell in love. The nature, the atmosphere and the people here made me 100% sure that SMU was where I wanted to be for my 4 years of school.
Explain briefly a project at GSS you've done that contributed to your overall knowledge and educational experience.
I have been working on a project for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in North Dakota updating the National Wetland Inventory (NWI). I have been mapping and attributing wetland and waterbody features to provide locations for habitat as well as waterfowl population estimates.
How do you see GIS fitting into your future?
I am hoping to someday work as law enforcement for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) so learning and knowing the skills that would allow me to use GIS within that field will be beneficial. Even if I do not directly work with GIS in the future, learning it has allowed me to expand my knowledge within the field and has given me insight into the world of maps and databases that I never would have gotten without working here at GSS.
Where can we find you outside of GSS?
Outside of GSS, you can find me on a nice day running around Lake Winona, going on a hike with my roommates or playing soccer with the SMU club soccer team. You can also find me in Bemidji, MN shooting trap with friends or out on the lake catching some fish. I love being outside so whenever I'm not doing homework I try my best to get out and be active.