CLC - PhD Geoinformatics - Andres Oswaldo Calderon Romero

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Since child I was attracted to science and technology, many of the appliances in my home succumbed to my curiosity. How things work has been something that has always intrigued me. Perhaps this is why I went toward engineering when I finished high school, though, that marked the beginning of a tough stage in my life. In early 2000, after three attempts at three different universities, I had again abandoned my studies. The reasons remain unknown, maybe the youth or lack of experience (maybe both, usually they come together).

After a deep depression, I felt totally devastated and without any confidence in myself. However, thanks to the support of my parents, I decided to try again. Very reluctantly, I began studies in computer science at the Universidad de Nariño. Step by step, I found interest in the subjects and courses and, especially, in its application in the real world. However, were two key aspects during my career those changed my conception: my liking for the Open Source Software (OSS) and my admission to a research group.

At the middle of my career, the OSS philosophy was something very strange and bizarre. Very few people were users of computer systems different to Windows or Mac, but for me OSS was a fascinating world. It was a challenge: compile your own software, study the code of others, understand how the programs worked... it was like having detailed instructions for the appliances I previously damaged. The spirit of OSS has been with me ever since. Share what you know and contribute in part to build something bigger has been a guideline in my life. For several years I was the leader of the local OSS user group at my university and even today I belong and collaborate with various OSS projects.

Following this, i...

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...pplied in agricultural, natural resources, mining, energy, tourism and disaster management, as well as, infrastructure planning, climate change and health.

In particular, I have special interest in focusing in Agriculture, due to my home region mainly has an agricultural profile. During my training I realized the importance of reliable and quality information sources. Similarly, I recognize in satellite and aerial imagery a rich source of information. Specifically, in the future I would like to exploit this type of data for the study of soil quality and crop performance in order to unveil patterns that allow us to better understand their features and shortcomings.

Overall, I think the scope of geoinformatics is wide and promising, with a great potential for our country. With my profile, experience and future training I am the right person to make the most of it.

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