Geomatic. This word reminds you of things, brings about discipline, but you don’t really understand it. However, there are some clear clues, and the investigation won’t take long to find out who or what is behind this not-so-recent term.
As you might have guessed, we are talking about geography and mathematics, or more precisely, about data. By combining these two disciplines, you get a profession that is on the rise: geomatics.
These map and digital data experts are much more present in your life than you think. Is the company looking for the best location for its future parcel distribution center based on the profile of the population, the job seekers it could recruit, the proximity of major road infrastructure and the location of its main customers? Geomatic can help.
Support law enforcement and fire departments with detailed maps. But also for health authorities: we strive to find out why the epidemic is spreading in certain sectors of the region, in one country more than in another, we overlay infectious hotspots on maps containing data such as water, vegetation, soils. This way scientists can know that these are contaminated wells, contaminated soils, etc.
Examples are numerous, as are the applications, including the most obvious: creating maps with a variety of different IGN, National Institute of Geographic and Forestry Information data.
The profession touches many sectors
Rose, 28, is a geospatial engineer at Camp to Camp and is therefore a geomatist by profession. “In high school I liked geography, maps, I created them, read them, analyzed them, and I had a scientific side, even if the computer part came later,” attacks the young Parisian. Today I work in web mapping: creating maps based on specific information needs to make them attractive and effective. »
A graduate of the National School of Geology (ENSG), an expert in the field of geosciences, Rose has excelled in her studies and is growing in her work every day. “To become a geomatician, I would say you need to love technology and follow the development of new technologies, because they are in constant flux. Having some knowledge of artificial intelligence can also be a plus, but remember to be creative with the visual aspect of the cards we create,” explains the engineer.
And she continues to talk enthusiastically about the areas in which she can develop: “This profession is at the crossroads of many professions, so we meet a lot of different people. In this way we can work for archaeologists in the field of environment and ecology. We are constantly discovering new worlds. Honestly, there is something for everyone. »
“We extract, structure, organize data”
Analysis and comments that resonate with Nicolas Paparoditis, director of ENSG, located mainly in Champs-sur-Marne (Seine-et-Marne), but also in Saint-Mandé (Val-de-Marne), Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle) or at the Institute of Physics of the Globe in Paris Jussier.
“Our school is very old, having been established in 1941, a few months after IGN, although the methods have changed a lot since then. (laughs) with planes, satellites, Google vehicles, artificial intelligence or the metaverse, the director emphasizes. Today we have about 400 students, from post-baccalaureate to doctoral students (10% of the workforce). We offer professional license or engineering training. But first of all, you should know that we are an institution that has been involved in digital technologies since the 1980s. We have always been very advanced and processed data, big data that comes in petabytes every day. We extract, structure and organize to then get them talking and responding to needs like geomarketing. Today, by combining the map with INSEE data, we can do a lot. All ministries use this! »
The profession is so important that its work allows, for example, self-driving vehicles to travel and get from point A to point B with perfect knowledge of the road network. This central role across vast areas means that specialists are in demand. “Some are hired even before they graduate. We also have a lot of pressure from the professional world to train more and advance in our careers,” concludes Nicholas Paparoditis.
YOU DECIDE. Book: “GIS – Introduction to Geomatics and Geographic Information System Implementation”, Nicolas Roelandt, Éditions D-Booker, 246 pages, 35 euros.
Source: Le Parisien
I am John Casanova. I am an author at 24 news recorder and mostly cover economy news. I have a great interest in the stock market and have been writing about it for many years. I am also interested in real estate and have written several articles on the subject. I am a very experienced investor and have a lot of knowledge to share with others.
