I majored in management science and finance as an undergraduate student. My degree focused on finding the optimum solutions for operating costs and financial activities. However, I quickly realized that socioeconomic and spatial factors solutions were often overlooked. In reality, we could always find ways to improve businesses operations or places where people tend to visit. I was interested in discovering underlying factors that might be associated with spatial heterogeneity or clustering interests. Therefore, I began my graduate studies in MS Spatial Economics and Data Analysis (SEDA) program intending to incorporate new ideas and skills into my research.
The MS SEDA program has provided me with extensive GIS training such as suitability analysis, accessibility analysis, spatial regression models, interpolation analysis and agent-based models. Meanwhile, I was able to take economic courses and familiarize myself with regression models to analyze business activities. In the program, I had many opportunities to work with students and people in different fields, which broaden my social network and academic interests. Also, the faculty here at Spatial Sciences Institute encouraged me to work on my projects and helped guide me when I encountered obstacles.
After completing the MS SEDA program in 2022, I am continuing my academic research at Arizona State University under Dr. Stewart Fotheringham. As a Ph.D. student in GIS, I would like to further advance my spatial analysis skills and explore possible adjustments regarding current spatial models.
The training I received here at USC Spatial Sciences Institute has prepared me with strong spatial modeling skills and the ability to independently perform complex spatial analyses with diverse expertise. It has enabled me to analyze the disparities in different cities, counties, states and countries.
