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National Park Service, GIS Program Manager - Craig Dalby

1. Description of current work. My present position is with the National Park Service, one of the leading conservation organizations in the world. The primary mission of the agency is to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life [within the National Park System] and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

My typical work activities include the following:

• Responding to technical GIS inquiries from personnel at units of the National Park System throughout the Pacific Coast states. These parks include many small, historic sites such as San Juan Island National Historical Park, as well as the better-known large parks like Olympic or Yosemite.
• Overseeing development of some of the data for these parks, with emphasis on smaller units.
• Recommending steps in the incremental development of GIS operations at parks.
• Devising and locating improved tools for long-term data management at remote sites, with personnel who are not GIS specialists.

Considering the work I do, the people I work with, and the places I travel to, I couldn't imagine a better job.

2. What drew you into geography? I had an interest in maps and learning about other places since I was about five. Ultimately, my affinity for maps led me to study cartography.

3. Describe your education in geography. My first major exposure to geography was in eighth grade. We had a big world map (in a Mercator projection, of course) on the wall, and we'd choose a place to study every couple weeks or so.

I didn't enter college with geography in mind as a major, but I took Geography 100 in my first year to fulfill one of the social science requirements. I found by the start of my second year that I liked that class better than any others I had taken up to that point.

As soon as I decided that I would major in geography, I knew that I wanted to specialize in cartography. When I learned that the cartography program at UW was considered one of the best in the country at the time (1979), I knew that I was making the right decision.

My undergraduate program focused on a particular area of study and made it possible to be hired by a large organization with a lot of opportunity to learn new skills. Ultimately, it made it possible for me to get a background in GIS, which led to my graduate degree, and my present job.

I have a B.A. and M.A., both in Geography, from the UW. Although my plans at this time don't include further formal schooling, I never stop working on my education.

4. Did you work as an intern while in college? Technically, I didn't work as an intern while in college, but I worked a couple summers with King County on cartography projects, which provided similar experience. I think that it is essential to be exposed to a work environment as soon as possible during one's undergraduate program.

5. Are you currently in a job where you find your training in geography is useful? Absolutely. My cartographic background is still required when I need to make something beyond the most basic map.

6. How did you find out about your current position? I called several National Parks to inquire about employment, and learned that the regional office had an opening. My undergraduate work probably played a greater indirect, than direct, role in getting my current position because it prepared me for moving into GIS and graduate school.

7. Are you working with other geographers in your organization? There are two other geographers (GIS specialists) who work with me now, although I am still the only permanent employee in that role in our office.

8. If there is potential for professional growth with your current employer, what kind of a career path is it? The career path is fairly short, and usually only for GIS specialists, starting with technician-level work, then moving on to program management.

9. What advice would you give to college geography majors about what courses to take or which skills to get before they graduate? Don't avoid courses in "hard" sciences, especially statistics and other mathematics.

8. What advice would you give to college seniors about their prospects with a geography degree in hand? GIS is still a popular field, but the organizations which hired most GIS specialists in the past (e.g., government) probably won't be where the majority of job growth will be in the next several years. Business applications are now moving to the forefront. Programming skills, along with geographic knowledge, will continue to be a sought-after combination. And, of course, think "Internet." If your real interest in GIS lies in using it for a particular purpose, be sure to get a good background in that field of study as well.

9. Please describe your career path up to this point.

• Cartographer
• Photogrammetrist
• Programmer
• GIS Specialist

10. What do you anticipate that your career path will be in the next 10 years or more? Hard to say.

11. What do you wish someone had told you when you were in college?

Craig Dalby is willing to answer other occasional questions as they come up. As he says, "if there aren't too many. ;-) " If you have questions, please ask in the Geography Advising Office (415 Smith) for his contact information.

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