Five exciting new-age careers for Geography enthusiasts!
By Ruchi Shrimali
Did you really think Geography is all about finding out which mineral ores can be found where and which crop goes where? Though these geographic data mining may lead you to some very interesting discoveries and even more lucrative business ventures for those who have an entrepreneurial streak, we are going to discuss careers that are much cooler for ipad-toting Gen Z in this article.
Kyon?...aapke paas nahin hai?...uncle!
You smile at the naughty girl in the Samsung Galaxy Y TV ad who says this to the boy when he asks her for directions, after she flaunts her smartphone, opens up Google Maps and tells him the route.
The ‘smartness' of the phone or the girl, in this case, can be attributed to the Geographic Information System (GIS).
GIS is about integrating, storing, analyzing, and displaying of geographic information in a digital format. It facilitates decision-making processes in a wide range of industries and sectors such as real estate, landscape architecture, regional and community planning, public health, and natural resources.
In an interview with Shiksha.com, GS Kumar, Managing Editor, GIS India & Former Director, Survey of India said, "The term GIS was coined by a Canadian Geographer in 1960s. Over a period of time it has acquired several names like - Spatial Information Technology, GeoInformation Technology, and Geomatics. It helps in generating spatial data bases for efficient management in various fields ranging from business or marketing to mining to irrigation."
| Geography experts can not only help in real estate and defense but also can be of aid in understanding epidemiology and taking appropriate measures whenever there is an outbreak of a disease. Geographers can help medical experts have invaluable insights into how, where and when diseases spread. Policing, internal security of a country, countering terrorism, understanding and managing cultural and other sensitive environments are some of the other areas that require expertise of a geographer. |
Some of the sectors where GIS experts are in demand are transport, railways, town/urban planning , telephone, power, and infrastructure. According to Mr. Kumar, "Job prospects of GIS experts are very bright these days. Almost all major IT companies are into GIS while India is going to invest more than Rs 10,000 crores in GIS-related work in next three years."
Wherever you go...
If you have not been into geocaching, geodashing, geofencing or geotagging yet, they are the next big things after video games! Geocaching is much like treasure hunt, where you use your GPS-enabled mobile phones or other GPS devices to find certain things hidden at certain points. You may find clues on the way too.
Geodashing is not about finding the treasure but just reaching the point in time while geofencing is about tracking vehicles, people or pets using GPS-enabled devices they carry. Geotagging is attaching GPS devices to important photographs and documents, so that they can be found out whenever there is a need to do so.
You can easily imagine that besides recreation, how useful Global Positioning System (GPS) is for detectives, police force, and emergency and disaster management personnel.
Cartographers who make maps, mountaineers, explorers who venture into unchartered territories on earth, as well as tourists off to unfamiliar regions - can all find lives much easier, thanks to GPS.
Know it all...
The place is potentially dangerous but it is important to know what exactly lies hidden there - does that seem like a question of a science or thriller fiction? Well, this question is quite a reality for those who are concerned with national security, especially on border areas.
| There are other evergreen Geography careers as well. Mr. Chandra Shekhar Balachandran, the founder of The Indian Institute of Geographical Studies (TIIGS) at Bangalore said in an interview with Shiksha.com, "Prospects for teachers who specialize in teaching Geography to students are simply huge, both at school and college levels, in India as well as abroad. I taught in USA for 18.5 years and then realized that it has become imperative to promote awareness about Geography here. In every way, it is worth investing your money and time in the subject." While discussing careers in geography, he said, "Cartography is an evergreen career that is lucrative as well as offers you job stability, which is so rare in IT jobs. There are always new countries, states, and cities coming up in different parts of the world as an ongoing process and we need cartographers to map them out." |
Remote sensing offers a way to study areas that are potentially dangerous or difficult to access, without actually venturing there. It could be depths of an ocean, freezing land of Antarctica or unexplored forests of Amazon.
Satellites, ground-based sensing systems, aerial views, radar systems are all part of remote sensing systems. These systems can study natural radiation off a body or can track radiation from a device that is attached to the object of a study.
Remote sensing experts are also part of geomorphologic surveys, urban planning, and archaeological investigations. Comparison of data over a period of time also allows us to study effects of erosion and deforestation, changes in weather, vegetation rates, and land use.
Visualize and predict...
Geodesy is the crystal ball, where you can see Earth in action. Geodetics study the three-dimensional version of Earth to find polar motions, study tides, and see crust movements. They use space and terrestrial techniques to work out coordinates of where a place is, the gravitational force at work there, and its height above sea level.
Besides geography, geodesy uses mathematics, physics, astronomy and latest engineering and technological developments. It also includes the ability to combine graphical and non-graphical data in a database that can be used for different applications.
Geodetics can predict the trajectory of a missile or a satellite or the position of stars.
Photogrammetry, spatial and archeological reconstruction, positioning and navigation systems, land management, numerical cartography, and real estate evaluation are just some of the areas where geodetics are needed.
Within the reach...
Auto Expo is on. New cars and bikes are on display to fascinate people. Fuel efficiency is the talk of the town. Whether you are yearning for a long drive on one of these mean machines or grimace at the thought of traffic jams on the way, you just can't ignore Transport Geography, which concerns itself with travel modes and vehicles used by us for personal or commercial purposes.
Transportation also defines business economics. From supply of raw material to delivery of finished goods, transport modes and networks are an important consideration in keeping businesses viable. And wherever it is something about saving money or bringing in more profits, you can always be sure of finding so many careers opening up for you.
Whether it is flow of goods, people or information, transport geography experts constantly try to overcome space constraints and help us save time and money. Whether it is road transportation, maritime transportation, or urban planning, transport geography can lead you to places.
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