Vicki Gazzola
Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist
I’ve always been inspired by the natural world around me and feel lucky to call Nova Scotia home. I love to travel, but I’m always happy to be home with my dog Daisy, working on a seemingly endless list of DIY projects.
I started my GIS career working a series of short-term government contract positions. It quickly became clear that my love for the ocean was driving my career decisions. Soon I got a full-time position at a local marine mapping and survey company where I would spend the next 7 years as lead GIS & Cartographic Specialist traveling to interesting and wonderful places while working offshore for months at a time. I worked alongside environmental scientists to use seafloor mapping for a wide variety of applications. My work modeled reality in a way that communicated the spatial information effectively, making the science easier for the reader to understand.
I continue to use my education and experience at my current position as a GIS Specialist in the Applied Oceans Research Group (AORG) at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). The work we do in the AORG is important, it helps shine light on the role that seafloor mapping technologies can play in supporting sustainable offshore fisheries and maintaining healthy benthic ecosystems.
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What are you most proud of professionally? And who or why?
I am most proud of the work I’ve done in oceans research. While mine is a supporting role, I believe it has (in some small way), helped preserve sustainable offshore fishing and helped to keep benthic ecosystems strong. At the very least, I believe it has helped to shine light on the fact that much more needs to be done to keep our oceans healthy and thriving.
What was your greatest stage of growth? What made it a shift for you?
I tend to think of myself as being in a continual stage of growth. Technology fields like mine never stop growing and changing so I need to do the same to keep up, but I would say the greatest stage of growth came at the beginning of my GIS career. In fact, it was the very first step. I was in my mid 20’s before I decided what I wanted to do professionally. I had to reassess my life plans and goals and overcome a number of personal barriers to start the journey that led me to where I am today.
Who’s inspired you, directly or indirectly? How have they inspired you?
I am inspired by those who see opportunities where others see obstacles. The people that use their imagination to create real opportunities for themselves in scenarios where others might just give up.
What are the principles you live by?
Never stop learning
When you know better, do better
Work hard, laziness gets you nowhere
Honesty goes a long way
Be kind
Encourage others
Forgive as much as possible, it’s freeing
Embrace the uniqueness of the people around you and learn from it
Pay attention to your imagination, it will get you where you're going
Always trust your gut
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GIS professional, Cartographer, Lover of maps, World traveler, Photo enthusiast, Kayaker, Hiker, Scuba Diver, artist