You might not think music and geospatial mapping go together, but in the case of Janine Struwig, they sit together rather comfortably. Janine is from a musical family and loves to play guitar, but her professional path ahead is not playing gigs in dimly lit bars. Instead, she will be out in the world, using GIS (geographic information systems) to fulfil her other passion: sustainability and nature conservation.

After growing up in Johannesburg, Janine completed an Honours in Geographical and Environmental Sciences at the University of Pretoria and was chosen for an internship at M.A.P Scientific Services in Pretoria where she will be working as a GIS technician.

We asked her a few questions to find out more about what and who inspires her, and where she sees her career heading in the future:

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about GIS and how it can be used as an effective tool to solve environmental issues and facilitate a more sustainable future.

What inspired your choice of study?

BSc Environmental Sciences is a very broad degree that covers everything from geomorphology to botany to more technology-focused areas such as GIS. I felt this degree would give me a good understanding of the environment as a whole system as well as its various parts. It would also give me a broad knowledge base to help me decide what field to specialise in.

What excites you about your internship?

The opportunity to gain real-world experience and put the skills I learnt at university to use in the work environment is very exciting for me. I am especially excited about the projects that M.A.P Scientific Services are working on and potential projects down the line. It is exactly the type of work I want to do in my future career so there is no better place to start.

What are your expectations of this internship?

I expect my role in the company to grow throughout the year, starting with basic training and later contributing as a hands-on member of the team. I expect to be consistently challenged but also to be given the tools to meet these challenges.

What contribution do you hope to make towards a future in which people and nature thrive?

Through working in the GIS field, despite being a software and technology-based field, I hope my work will have real-world applications and a positive impact on conservation, sustainability efforts and local communities.

Who inspires you most and why?

My brother inspires me the most. He is incredibly self-motivated and disciplined and when he puts his mind to something, he achieves it. He always faces challenges head on and picks himself up and keeps working despite any setbacks he encounters.