Lauren Ode-Giles
I love maps – they are outstanding workhorses of science communication, giving people a shared frame of reference for quantifying problems and brainstorming solutions. As a GIS Analyst, I get to leverage my background in environmental science and my understanding of spatial analysis and cartography to answer complex questions and create beautiful, data-rich maps and visuals. Outside of work, I’m likely to be on a hike, out for a road trip, experimenting in the kitchen, or playing board games with friends.
Favorite Species:
Favorite tree: Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii). When the outer bark sloughs away, the inner, smooth bark looks (and is) supremely touchable. Seeing a madrone tells me that I’m close to water, and that I’m home.
Favorite herbaceous plant: Pacific trillium (Trillium ovatum). My grandma and I would go looking for these understated, beautiful flowers in the woods behind her house every spring.
Hidden Talent:
Traveling cheaply and making terrible puns.
Graduate Certificate in Data Science for Environmental Professionals, Western Washington University
Favorite Quote
If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.
- E. B. White