Developing Skills for Success in the Field

Field Trips to Belize Put Theory Into Ecologically Responsible Practice

Since November of 2009, GIS students have had a chance to put theory into practice through field trips to a private island in Belize, where they are using GIS technology to map the coral reef — the second longest in the world behind Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

“Our plan is to collect data on the environmental characteristics of the reef by taking two field trips a year over the next decade,” says GIS Program Coordinator Scott Sires. “We’re not trying to create an opinion of the health of the planet, but to do responsible and accurate research — and make that data available for other organizations and individuals to put into their research.”

Sires first took a group of 16 students and four faculty members to Long Key, a Caribbean island east of Belize City, over Thanksgiving break in 2009. With the goal of not only collecting data but also making students more acutely aware of the environment in a precarious ecosystem, the group set out to conduct a baseline study of the fragile reef.

On the field trips, students rotate through three survey teams to study:

• Coastal health, including identifying and removing shoreline debris
• Environmental characteristics, taking soil and water samples to gauge properties such as Ph balance, quality, conductivity and other scientific characteristics; and
• Sea floor mapping, using sonar to perform survey transects.

Students Talk About Their Belize Field Trip Experience

“In October of 2009, I was in a GIS class when Scott said they were thinking about a trip to a private island in Belize, and all three of us in the back row raised our hands and said we definitely wanted to go. I had no passport and had never been out of the country — but that was the beginning. What we’re doing down in Belize is so important. It’s important on a large scale for the good of the environment, but it’s also been important for me as an individual to have this opportunity to grow and learn. I said I wanted to learn to scuba dive before I went, and since then have earned my open water diver, advanced diver and rescue diver certifications — in fact I’m just one class away from becoming a divemaster.”

— Dorothy Dillon, GIS administrative assistant, Rasor and Associates, Terrell
See Dorothy Dillon’s Student Success profile

“The trip to Belize was a life-changing experience for me; I’d never been to a place so perfect, so pristine. It was like heaven on Earth. I thought I was at the end of my career, but when I think about the potential of what I’ve learned, I think maybe I’m at the beginning of my career.”

— Jody Whitcomb, quality control chemist, city of Dallas Water Department
See Jody Whitcomb’s Student Success profile

“I took away from Belize a tremendous appreciation for a pristine environment — we need to keep it that way as much as possible and, even though it may sound trite, to minimize our human footprints there. I became much more aware of recycling, since on a remote island you have to take out what you bring in. The trip to Belize gave us experience not just in theory or from pictures, but hands-on. We’d make mistakes in how we handled our field data, then figure out how to change it to get to where we wanted. I think we actually learned more from our mistakes than from doing things right. I even got to pilot the boat in open ocean for a brief period.”

— Cheryl Howerton
See Cheryl Howerton’s Student Success profile

DCCCD Offers Labor Department’s Other Top Technology Programs

DCCCD also offers programs in the other two of the top three emerging industries identified by the U.S. Department of Labor: biotechnology and nanotechnology.

Accreditation

All seven DCCCD colleges are individually accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Why is accreditation important? Being accredited means that a college has met certain standards of quality set by an independent accrediting agency. Attending an accredited institution is the best way to ensure your degree (and all the hard work that went into it) will be recognized by other colleges and universities when you transfer and by future employers. Federal financial aid is only available to students of accredited colleges and universities.

Related Programs at DCCCD 

We offer several related programs that might interest you, including Digital Forensics, Computer Aided Design and Drafting, and Computer Information Technology (CIT). See other programs in Technology and Data Systems and Computer-Based Arts.

Faculty Profiles

Our GIS faculty members not only have experience in the classroom but also in their field, so they can relate to the challenges you’ll face in the workplace.

Our instructors work closely with you one-on-one, encouraging you and helping you to succeed in class and on the job. See profiles of our GIS faculty.

Links for More Information

Get more information on GIS and related associations and resources. 

Transferring From DCCCD

GIS courses are designed for direct entry into the workforce. However, if you are interested in earning a degree at a four-year institution, please visit the Transfer Services website for guidance on the transfer process.

Contact Us

If you have questions about the GIS program that aren’t answered on our Web site, please feel free to contact us.