In 2021, Veronika Lubeck (MS ’24) graduated from Santa Clara University with an environmental science degree. With an interest in data and statistical analysis, Lubeck looked for a graduate program that would help her develop these skills, build her network and help her become more of a critical thinker. The Geospatial Data Sciences (GDS) specialization at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) stood out to Lubeck as a program that would check all of these boxes for her as well as help her develop a strong background in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing. 

“I wanted to hone my hard technical skills to boost my resume, so I didn’t really look at any other concentrations at SEAS. This one was the best fit for me,” Lubeck explained. 

To help her make her decision, Lubeck reached out to the GDS specialization leader at the time to better understand the requirements of the program and how it would benefit her professionally. Partially because of this connection she formed, Lubeck herself became a specialization leader during her second year at SEAS. 

“I love interacting with students and hearing about their backgrounds and making those connections with them,” she said. “It’s been fun to plan seminars and see people form connections at the events that I helped plan for them.” 

Part of what drew Lubeck to SEAS was the range of courses on topics she was interested in. One of her favorite courses was EAS 537: Urban Sustainability with SEAS Research Scientist Brandon Finn. 

At SEAS, Lubeck felt that Kathleen Bergen, an associate research scientist who teaches remote sensing, supported her as a student and as a professional. “Not only did she teach courses that helped me develop and hone my skills, she also helped me become more confident in my ability and my ideas of how we can use the work we are doing,” said Lubeck. In addition to taking remote sensing courses with Bergen, Lubeck was a research assistant in her lab. “I did a lot of revising and editing for the curriculum,” she said. “I also provided technical assistance for other students doing practicums or theses.”  

Lubeck’s capstone was a traditional project advised by SEAS Assistant Professor of Practice Lisa DuRussel. The project focused on the Inglewood Oil Field in Los Angeles, which will be decommissioned in the next decade. Lubeck and her team worked on design plans to redevelop the oil field into a net zero community. As part of the project, they had the opportunity to travel to the West Coast for a site visit. The purpose of the visit was to foster community engagement and better understand Los Angeles residents’ perspectives on the oil field. Lubeck and her team used what they learned from their community engagement work to guide their project. 

After graduation, Lubeck plans to move back to the West Coast and work as a GIS analyst or data scientist either in the private sector or for a government body. She has been working to form connections with alumni who live in that area and hopes to move shortly after graduation. 

Reflecting on her time at SEAS, Lubeck said she would tell incoming first-years that “two years goes by really fast. Take advantage of everything the university has to offer, and try to absorb everything you can because you grow so much as a student and as a person in your time here.”