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I am Kyle Smith, a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) graduate student at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
With over a decade of experience as a public sector city planner and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning, my journey into GIS has been a natural progression.
This portfolio will explore my interests in more depth, as well as share my experiences, perspectives and projects in GIS.
Thanks for visiting!
But first, what is GIS ?
But first, what is GIS ?
According to industry leader, ESRI, GIS is ...
"A geographic information system (GIS) is a system that creates, manages, analyzes, and maps all types of data.
GIS connects data to a map, integrating location data (where things are) with all types of descriptive information (what things are like there)."
A tool to help us ...
Create,
Create,
Manage &
Manage &
Analyze
Analyze
data using
Maps
Maps
... and can tell us ...
where things are
&
what things are like there!
I think GIS can serve as a transformative tool in
storytelling, problem-solving & placemaking
storytelling, problem-solving & placemaking
here is how ...
Storytelling
Storytelling
I have always been interested in how history is portrayed, memorialized, critiqued, and even celebrated publicly. Exploring and telling stories through maps is a simple but tangible visual method that can hopefully be easily understood and spark curiosity and understanding. My focus includes Public History and narrative-based storytelling - and I hope to use GIS to blend detailed context with historical insights.
National Parks use maps to provide visitor information as well as cultural insights. They invite visitors to fulfill their own stories in the parks.
Problem Solving
Problem Solving
GIS can be used to identify, visually represent, and analyze various geographical and environmental issues. While acknowledging the objective nature of geographical data, I'm also mindful of the subjective elements in research methods and analysis. It is crucial to discuss the opportunities as well as the limitations of GIS as a tool for problem-solving. My portfolio includes projects such mapping and analyzing post-pandemic bus ridership trends, just one example of how GIS can be a problem solving tool.
This research demonstrates the application of GIS as a problem-solving tool in identifying optimal locations for renewable energy stations in the Middle East.
Source: Jahangiri, M., Ghaderi, R., Haghani, A., & Nematollahi, O. (2016). Finding the best locations for establishment of solar-wind power stations in Middle-East using GIS: A review. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 66, 38–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.07.069
Placemaking
Placemaking
In my experience in public sector city planning, I have focused on Placemaking — a process that combines best practices and community efforts to enhance physical spaces. My work has involved shaping places through community-driven visions and using GIS to better define and reimagine these spaces. My portfolio showcases a range of projects, from existing conditions surveys to city-wide plans, highlighting how GIS is instrumental in community placemaking.
GIS tools can help stakeholders craft their vision of what their communities could look like, and spark conversations about collective values and needs.
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