I strongly believe that ITC’s interdisciplinary approach will support me in developing ideas that are scientifically sound but also meaningful for resource management and long-term decision-making.
Hello, this is Pei Shi from Malaysia, currently a student pursuing Master’s in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation at Faculty ITC, specializing on Resources Security. Before this, I had several years working experiences in geospatial sector, supporting development and maintenance of GIS systems. These experiences increase my awareness of how reliable spatial information is important in addressing environmental issues and responsibly in managing natural resources.
Pursuing in an advanced education abroad had always been my dream, but the financial barrier had stopped me to move beyond. I am really thankful to have been awarded the ITC Excellence Scholarship, which helped me accomplish this goal. Without the support, it would never been possible for me to be here and concentrate solely on studies.
The coursework in ITC is intensive and highly technical, but the lecturers and administrative personnel are very approachable and eager to help. I deeply appreciate the constructive feedback I got here to improve my skills within this short period of time. The academic setup offered here allows me to begin thinking more critically about applications of geospatial concepts.
Apart from academics, living in Enschede has also been an enriching experience. It is a very safe and peaceful city with a very strong student atmosphere, which helps me in staying concentrated. At ITC, I have also been able to mingle with students from all over the world, and such diversity has broadened my perspectives.
The reason I chose Resource Security is because of my passion in understanding better on how resources and ecosystems change under long-term stress. I would like to discover on how such changes affect the well-being of both human and non-human life. Knowledge that I gained here allows me to realize how everything is connected, from the factors that cause problems to the ways the environment changes and how these changes affect the surroundings and the decision the people make about resources management. I also remind myself to stay alert to narratives that rationalize losses in the name of “efficiency” or “development.” For that reason, I hope that my future research will emphasize interpretability, boundaries, and ethics to discover which losses are irreversible, which indicators may hide risks, and who ultimately bears the costs. I strongly believe that ITC’s interdisciplinary approach will support me in developing ideas that are scientifically sound but also meaningful for resource management and long-term decision-making.