Check Out Emma Dirolf On Behalf Of Colorado Women In Gis’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Dirolf On Behalf Of Colorado Women In Gis

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The Colorado Chapter of Women in GIS started from a few conversations and a notable lack of the Women in GIS presence in Colorado. Emma Dirolf (Viewpoint Geospatial) entered the realm of GIS a decade ago and became a member of the larger Women in GIS organization. She inquired with the greater group about leading a chapter, but didn’t have the capacity on her own. Several years later, Samantha Dinning reached out, having just moved to the state. The two agreed to start the chapter together.

During the 2022 GIS in the Rockies conference, Emma serendipitously reconnected with two friends and leaders in GIS, Jennifer Sherry (Boulder County) and Kendell Ryan (Esri). She roped them into leadership as well. Samantha moved to Arizona after accepting a new job and new responsibilities with the greater Women in GIS organization, so the three reached out to Jenny Immich (City of Boulder). Soon after, Michelle Wong (Langan) took on the role of Social Coordinator and our events have taken off. As a party of five, we are able to bring women in the geospatial field together across the state.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The Colorado Chapter of Women in GIS helps build community and allows women and their allies to share and witness what others are doing in the field. With GIS being a male dominated industry, COWiGIS helps provide community and collaboration. The aim of our chapter is to serve as a safe place for women from all geospatial fields to work toward overcoming job discrimination, lower pay, professional isolation, and other common barriers women might face, and to foster relationships and resource sharing among members and institutions.

The main struggles we’ve met thus far has been resourcing. Having four chapter leads and a social coordinator has helped tremendously. If only one or two of us can make an event, we’re still able to hold it rather than having to reschedule or cancel. This was by design in having more than one chapter lead. We all have busy lives and sharing the responsibility allows for the chapter to succeed.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

The Colorado Chapter of Women in GIS (COWiGIS) is a professional and social organization as well as an advocacy group for women and their allies. We host quarterly meetings, monthly (ish) Mugs and Mornings, social gatherings (Mappy Hours), professional development and educational events, and opportunities for networking.

We’re a chapter of the greater Women in GIS group – a consortium of advocates from academia, government, and private industry designed to advance the presence of women in GIS. Activities of the organization include social gatherings, professional development and educational events, and opportunities for networking and mentoring. At a minimum, our goal is to meet quarterly and to engage in constant communication as needed and desired via forums such as the WiGIS website and an email listserv/newsletter.

Check out our website, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more information!

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
The things we love most about Boulder:
Bikeability!
Easy access to all mountain things (wilderness areas, continental divide, RMNP, open spaces)
Great public school system
University community
Open Space and Mountain Parks – tax revenue helps preserve and protect more than 46,640 acres of land, wildlife habitat, greenways, and geologic areas, and includes 155 miles of trails since 1898. This land helps provide a buffer between Boulder and other communities.

Thinks we don’t like so much…
Median housing prices are through the roof
Gentrification of the city over the last 30 years
Lack of affordable food co-op. low waste shopping options

Pricing:

• Membership to the Colorado Chapter of Women in GIS is free!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/womeningis.org/coloradochapter/home
• Instagram: @wigis_co

Image Credits
Colorado Chapter of Women in GIS