Colleen Greene, senior assistant librarian at Cal State Fullerton’s Pollak Library, recently earned a certificate in geographic information systems through University Extension. She pursued the program to deepen her work supporting research, teaching and digital scholarship in higher education.
“I collaborate with instructional faculty who want to integrate digital project-based assignments and digital tools into their curriculum,” Greene said. “I help them develop their assignment idea, select the right tools for the project and provide hands-on instruction to their students.”
Greene plans to share her knowledge through workshops at Pollak Library, where she will introduce tools such as ArcGIS and QGIS, an open-source platform. During GIS Week from Nov. 16-20, Greene will show how to build custom Google Maps. She said the workshops will feature hands-on exercises while she teaches participants about GIS concepts that can be applied to other disciplines and mapping projects.
“I am now fluent in the vocabulary, concepts and applications of GIS,” Greene said. “This allows me to provide better instruction and support to students and my colleagues.”
Greene, who also teaches online courses on genealogical research methods and genealogy librarianship at San José State University, said she chose Cal State Fullerton’s GIS certificate program because she wanted to strengthen her expertise, and the online modality fit her educational needs.
University Extension’s GIS certificate features four immersive, project-based classes that can be completed in just nine months. The fully online format provided Greene with both the flexibility and depth needed to confidently explain terminology and concepts to students and colleagues interested in GIS and cartography.
Her capstone project — focused on green space equity in Orange County and inspired by a Voice of OC article — allowed her to apply what she learned in a meaningful, community-centered way.
“Doing this capstone project provided an opportunity to apply all of the tools and methods I learned throughout the program and required that I research and learn some additional tools on my own,” Greene said.
Looking ahead, Greene is considering other GIS projects that can positively impact the community, emphasizing that the greatest benefit of the certificate program is its applicability across business, healthcare and law enforcement.
“This was an excellent program, so my advice is to take the classes, enjoy the learning and start thinking early about a GIS project that interests you for the final project,” Greene said.
Hear more from Greene in an interview on University Extension’s YouTube channel.