Post by Fort Hays State University

When Ernestina Osei began exploring graduate school opportunities from her home country of Ghana, she had one clear goal: to deepen her expertise and specialize in a field she was already passionate about. This semester, as she completes her Master of Science in Geosciences at FHSU, Osei is celebrating not only the achievement of that goal, but a graduate journey marked by impactful research, professional service to the Hays community, and a clear vision for her future in geospatial science. In addition to her academic research, Osei applied her GIS expertise in a hands-on professional setting through her work with the City of Hays. Beginning in August 2025, she collaborated with city staff to modernize and streamline infrastructure data systems, work that will continue to benefit the community long after her graduation. Her first project involved digitizing roads, alleys, and private driveways that were not yet included in the city’s GIS system. “That will help emergency response teams,” she said, noting that accurate mapping is essential during emergencies when response time and route accuracy are critical. Osei later took on a second, more complex project focused on the city’s fire hydrants. Working with a colleague, Osei helped develop an interactive GIS dashboard and a Google Field Maps application. The new system allows field crews to click directly on a hydrant within a map-based app, complete inspection forms in real time, and automatically update a centralized dashboard. Read more about Ernestina and her accomplishments: https://hubs.ly/Q04gcRGR0