Hello! My name is Claire Heumasse. I’m a Biology major with minors in Environmental Science and Sociology & Anthropology at Ohio Wesleyan University. I’m originally from Indonesia, and I’m passionate about environmental justice and how we can use tools like GIS to better understand and respond to environmental issues. Outside of academics, I’m involved in the Women in Science club and the rock climbing club. After logging into my ArcGIS Online account, I spent some time exploring the various tabs in the upper-right corner like My Profile, My Settings, and My ESRI. I added my basic info to my profile and found it interesting how you can track completed training and access community forums directly from the dashboard. One thing I really liked was the Training section, which links to a wide range of beginner-friendly courses. I also found the ArcGIS Blog full of useful tutorials and articles on how people are using GIS in creative ways—like mapping coral bleaching or visualizing climate migration.
From the reading Get Started: What Is ArcGIS Online, two things stood out to me. First, I liked how clearly the guide explained the difference between map viewers, scenes, and layers—it helped me better understand the structure of projects I’ll be working on. Second, I found the part on how to share maps with others especially helpful; collaboration seems like a key strength of this platform.
I completed the ArcGIS Online Basics web course. I really enjoyed learning how to create and manage web maps and exploring different layer types. The interactive parts of the training helped me understand how to search for existing layers and add pop-ups to enrich map features. I appreciated how easy the interface made it to build a simple, yet powerful map.
I also browsed other ESRI training offerings and found a few that caught my eye:
- “GIS for Climate Action”
- “ArcGIS Location Sharing Privacy Best Practices”
- Both look fascinating and I may follow up on one of these using OWU’s Connection Grant.
For the application exploration, I chose topics that reflect my environmental focus:
- I explored an ArcGIS StoryMap titled “Environmental Injustice: How Pollution and Heat Inequity are Disproportionately Affecting Low-Income, Minority Communities in Urban Areas” by Anne Elizabeth Blackburn. This interactive map highlights how communities of color in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Houston face higher levels of air pollution and heat exposure due to systemic urban planning decisions and historical redlining. The StoryMap effectively combines maps, data visuals, and narrative storytelling to illustrate environmental racism and climate vulnerability. It’s a powerful example of how GIS can raise awareness and advocate for equitable solutions.
Source: Environmental Injustice