Welcome aboard- Rena Kolikant

GEM Environmental is excited to welcome one of our new members to the team! Rena Kolikant is a GIS Analyst!

Rena is from Southern New Mexico and after a brief stint on the East Coast, where she received a B.S. in Mathematics, she returned to the area and land that she loves. Through her experience doing contract project work for the Bureau of Land Management she developed an interest in applying GIS and satellite technology to problem solving land management issues. She believes STEM education can help individuals and organizations reach their potential through teaching an open and curious problem-solving approach that creatively adapts to the technological and other tools at hand. Welcome to the team, Rena!
 
How did you hear about this service opportunity?
I learned of this opportunity from Chris Teske, the Abandoned Mine Lands Coordinator at the Bureau of Land Management’s Las Cruces District Office.
 
Please provide a brief description highlighting your work/area of focus.
My work has primarily focused on the application of GIS/remote sensing to renewable resource management. Most recently, using satellite technology to better calibrate hydrological modelling simulation.
 
What do you plan to accomplish during your service term with GEM?
I am interested in database management and hope to create a functional SDE Geodatabase for the specific business needs at GEM. I am interested in using satellite and other aerial technology to create methodology from locating abandoned mines quickly to better characterizing land coverage for land process modelling.
 
What are your career goals?
I would like to continue in GIS and remote sensing and eventually work for or continue to contract with government agencies to develop and/or expand methodologies for various types of land-use analysis.
 
Do you plan to continue your education? If so, what programs or school are you looking into and what is the highest degree you plan to earn?
Yes, I plan to continue my education by working towards an M.S. in GIS technology and remote sensing.