Samantha Romano

Profile:

• Personal interests in urban studies, resource management, and GIS
• Interpersonal and critical thinking skills, learning effectively in collaborative or independent environments
• Strong literacy, organizational, planning, data entry and analysis skills
• Able to use a variety of programs (ArcGIS, QGIS, Adobe Photoshop, Unity, Google Earth, Google Sketchup, MS Office, iWork, Google Drive), and to quickly learn new software as needed

Education:

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC — September 2016 to April 2020

MSc in Geography

• Developed a research thesis on the uses of different methods of GIS for knowledge transfer of historical research, in collaboration with the Landscapes of Injustice project
• Examined trends in representation, visualization, and theory in Historical GIS, and exploring emerging geovisual interface technologies as agents of narrative and empathy for experiential GIScience
• Built a set of prototypes (interactive online story map, immersive virtual environment, and tangible augmented reality application) to present a critical theoretical engagement of conventional-to-emerging spatial technologies

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia — May 2013 to May 2015

Spatial Information Science (SIS) Certificate

• Developed problem solving and critical thinking skills through GIS and Remote Sensing applications
• Worked individually and in group environments on research projects:
  • “Mapping Play Deserts: A GIS Approach to the Study of Playability in the City of Vancouver” – GEOG 455
  • “An Examination of the Ability of Remote Sensing Change Detection Techniques to Detect and Map Tree Thinning Activities” – GEOG 453

Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario — September 2007 to April 2012

Honours B.A. in Environmental & Resource Studies

• Worked individually and in group environments on research and resource management projects:
  • Integrated Watershed Management Plan for the Moira River Watershed
  • Annual Work Schedule/Integrated Forest Resource Management Plan

Conference Presentations:

American Association of Geographers, Annual Meeting New Orleans — April 2018

• “Mapping Landscapes of Injustice: Using GIS to Map the Dispossession of Japanese-Canadians during World War II”

BC Studies, Kwantlen Polytechnic University — May 2015

• Landscapes of Injustice: Preliminary Returns of Partnered Research
  • “The Uses of GIS and Geovisualization in the Landscapes of Injustice Project”

Canadian Association of Geographers, Simon Fraser University — June 2015

• “Mapping Play Deserts: A GIS Approach to the Study of Playability in the City of Vancouver”

Work Experience:

Research Associate, University of Victoria Vancouver, British Columbia May 2014-December 2018

• Worked as a team and independently in the Historical GIS Cluster of the Landscapes of Injustice Research Project performing archival research and obtained and georeferenced historical maps
• Digitized maps of Japanese Canadian communities and developed spatial database to conduct analysis and enable geovisual representation of materials gathered by the research collective
• Participated in project meetings, present findings at conferences, and work with other research teams to maximize collaborative efforts
• Provided GIS support to project members, database management, and development of geovisualizations as needed
• Organized cluster work for storage and use by research project in dissemination phase

Teaching Assistant, Simon Fraser University, Department of Geography Burnaby, British Columbia September-December 2016 and September-December 2018

• Provided teaching support for the geography course GEOG 255 “Introduction to GIS” (2016) GEOG 356 “3D Geovisualizations” (2018)
• Taught course laboratory sections, providing practical instruction to students on GIS and 3D GIS methods, software, and course assignments
• Held office hours and maintained email presence for student support
• Graded course assignments, and helped proctor final exams and grade final projects

Sales Associate, Branches and Knots Vancouver, British Columbia December 2014-December 2017

• Provided customer service individually and as a team to help satisfy customers’ needs and meet personal and store sales targets
• Performed key-holder duties to efficiently open and close the store and provide a clean, organized, and inviting environment for customers

Volunteer Experience:

Force of Nature – Operations Organizer, Vancouver, BC February 2015-December 2015

• Worked with digital organizer to develop and implement an administrative system for organizing, tracking and synchronizing canvassing operations
• Trained new data captains on scheduling, data management and turf mapping and provided ongoing support
• Worked through team operations checklist to flag issues with relevant individuals
• Developed turf plan for all ridings, organizing monthly maps for each team
• Attended Force of Nature events to manage table for pledges and attendee surveys, or phone supporter lists for continued support and vote pledges

Force of Nature – Data Captain, Vancouver, BC February 2014-February 2015

• Managed team administration through scheduling, sending reminders, picking up canvas activity data, data entry, and logging of volunteer attendance
• Created shared online mapping system with Google Maps to organize and track canvas route data