JOIN USGeoinformatics is a rapidly growing industry as digitisation is taking over the world. This industry is interconnected to many other industries that use spatial information and data for various purposes. For individuals who have a knack for numbers and information, this is an ideal career choice.
What is Geoinformatics?
The technology which builds the infrastructure to cater to solve the location-based business issues and other areas of science and engineering through Information Science is known as Geoinformatics.
It consists of remote sensing, geographic information system, global navigation satellite system and information technology to create spatial infrastructure. It uses technologies that facilitate the procedure of attaining, visualising, and analysing geospatial data.
Geoinformatics has a far-reaching scope. This line of study has also introduced multiple new branches like data analytics, econometrics management of natural resources, infrastructure management, disaster risk reduction, precision agriculture and the internet of things.
Opportunities
Geoinformatics professionals fetch solutions for geographical problems by using the applications of communication technology and electronics such as Remote Sensing, RADAR, GIS etc.
Geoinformatics covers a wide range of sectors such as agriculture, national security, defense, forestry, irrigation, infrastructure development, climate change, urban planning, meteorology, oceanography, telecommunications, public health etc.
Geoinformatics is an excellent career option for individuals from engineering and science backgrounds. This industry is growing at an impressive pace despite being at a nascent stage.
The demand for proficient geoinformatics professionals in this field will increase in the years to come. GIS expert, geospatial software engineer, GIS programmer, GIS business analyst, GIS environment analyst, scientific officer, GIS developer, data scientist, consultant, scientist are some of the most sought after job profiles for those with a degree in Geoinformatics.
Role of data analytics
The manner in which the data that is used is selected, collected, and sorted determines the success of the geospatial application in any given project. This is a crucial process, and this is where data analytics comes into the picture. The traditional geographic information systems cannot always provide sufficient data for critical interpretations.
The data analytics technology is capable of processing large quantities of information conveniently, and thus data analytics is useful for geospatial analysis. With the help of data analytics, GIS tools search and store relevant and useful data from different and diverse databases and assure an enhanced workflow and efficient spatial analysis through the same.
There are a lot of areas where geospatial technology requires data analytics for success, such as insurance and fraud analysis, location analytics, retail and e-commerce, intelligence-gathering, aviation industry, disease surveillance, banking, military etc.
(The writer is director, Symbiosis Insititute of Geoinformatics, Pune)