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Andrew Cameron
I’m a former Spanish teacher with over a decade of professional experience in education who made a pivot to the world of environmental GIS and data analysis, and I haven’t looked back since. Bilingual, skilled in GIS, data analysis, and problem solving, and ready to make an impact.
Experience
Geospatial Research Analyst
Virginia Commonwealth Univ.
Richmond, Virginia
present - Jan 2024
- Working to enhance urban agriculture site selection, sustainability, and equity
- Preparation of technical project summaries
- GIS data sourcing and acquisition
- GIS data innovation and spatial analysis
- Developed spatial web application to communicate findings and engage stakeholders
- Project led site ground truthing and data collection
GIS Analyst
City of Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
May 2024 - May 2023
- Analyst intern with City of NN GIS team
- Programmatic scripting to streamline GIS data preparation and analysis
- Developed Experience Builder web application for Newport News Green foundation as part of their website redesign
- Assisted colleagues by automating data preparation and analysis tasks
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams on data accuracy and GIS problem-solving
Environmental Data Analyst
Virginia Commonwealth Univ.
Remote
present - Dec 2023
- Optimizing R scripts for environmental data processing
- Implementing statistical models for environmental data analysis
- Producing dynamic, publication-ready data visualizations and maps
- Supporting research through technical R expertise
Graduate Research Assistant
Virginia Commonwealth Univ.
Remote
Jun 2023 - Feb 2023
- Literature review to identify relevant environmental parameters for different types of green infrastructure
- Review Best Management Practices (BMPs) to identify the role landscape factors play when selecting different types of green infrastructure
Middle and High School Spanish Teacher
Newport News Public Schools
Newport News, Virginia
Jun 2021 - Aug 2013
Education
Virginia Commonwealth University
Master of Environmental Studies
Richmond, Virginia
2024
Virginia Commonwealth University
GIS Graduate Certificate
Richmond, Virginia
Middlebury College
M.A. - Spanish
Middlebury, Vermont
2015
College of the Holy Cross
B.A. - Philosophy
Worcester, Massachusetts
2007
Honors & Awards
Most Outstanding Graduate Student
Virginia Commonwealth University Center for Environmental Studies
Richmond, Virginia
- Awarded at the completion of my graduate studies in recognition of academic performance, professional development, and contributions to the program.
May 2024
GIS Web App Contest - 1st Place
Hampton Roads GIS Day Conference
Norfolk, Virginia
- Award for best Web App voted on by attendees of the GIS Day conference at Old Dominion University in recognition of our internal Newport News Gun Crime application
Nov 2023
Best Geographic Analysis
Virginia Association for Mapping and Land Information Systems Conference
Harrisonburg, Virginia
- Issued by Virginia Association for Mapping and Land Information Systems at the VAMLIS 2023 GeoCon conference in recognition of my poster “Using GIS to Identify Habitat for an Endangered Coastal Songbird”
Apr 2023
Presentations
Optimizing Site Selection for (Sub)Urban Agriculture: How Geospatial Analysis Was Applied to Balance Equity, Sustainability, and Longevity in Richmond City, VA
APA Virginia Conference
Williamsburg, VA
- Co-presenter with Dr. John Jones.
Jul 2024
“Using Urban Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (uLESA) to Identify Ideal Locations for Urban Agriculture”
Miami Valley Section of APA Ohio
Virtual
- Co-presenter with Dr. John Jones. Presentation on urban agriculture and the uLESA model aimed at planning professionals.
Apr 2024
“Little Patch, Big Difference: How Small Green Spaces Can Take on Big importance for Migrating Birds in Developed Areas”
Newport News Green Foundation
Newport News, VA
- Invited public talk on the importance of small green spaces for migratory birds in urban areas, utilizing NLCD data, eBird data, and two local case studies to make the point.
Apr 2023
Publications
“Mapping a greener future: how GIS enhances urban agriculture initiatives”
Urban Agriculture Magazine
Frome, England
- Cameron, A., Jones, J. C., Thomas, L., & Hastings, E. (2024). Mapping a greener future: how GIS enhances urban agriculture initiatives. Urban Agriculture Magazine no. 41 – Linking future policies and next practices, 41, 36-39. https://ruaf.org/document/urban-agriculture-magazine-no-41-linking-future-policies-and-next-practices/
Jul 2024