Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars

Geospatial industry today craves the infusion of youth into its ranks.
The young professionals that represent Millennial and Generation Z voices.
The bright young minds that help reimagine geospatial in a complex digital environment.
Young leaders that represent our industry’s future.

Started in 2021, the Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars is an initiative to highlight the outstanding accomplishments of young individuals who are proactive and passionate about the value of geospatial technology to the society, the environment and the economy. Selected from high-quality nominations across global community, panel of juries agreed that these 50 candidates stand out at the top of their class and are well on their way to redefining the next generation geospatial leadership.

Here’s the list of 50 Rising Stars to look out for in 2022

Melanie Abuel

Accenture
Philippines

Melanie Abuel

Executive, Industry X- Intelligent Asset Management
Accenture
Philippines

Asim Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi

GASGI
Saudi Arabia

Asim Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi

General Manager, Geospatial Information Center
General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GASGI)
Saudi Arabia

Carline Amsing

Defence Geographic Agency, Ministry of Defence
The Netherlands

Carline Amsing

Geospatial Advisor
Defence Geographic Agency, Ministry of Defence
The Netherlands

Christoph Aubrecht

European Space Agency
Italy

Christoph Aubrecht

Program Coordinator, Global Development Assistance
European Space Agency
Italy

Minyoung Back

SI Analytics
South Korea

Minyoung Back

Research Scientist
SI Analytics
South Korea

David Borges

NASA Applied Sciences Disasters Program
United States

David Borges

Physical Scientist
NASA Applied Sciences Disasters Program
United States

Breylla C. Carvalho

Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics
Brazil

Breylla C. Carvalho

Census Analyst
Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics
Brazil

Tommy Charles

OpenStreetMap Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone

Tommy Charles

National Coordinator
OpenStreetMap Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone

Suelynn Choy

RMIT University
Australia

Suelynn Choy

Professor
RMIT University
Australia

Ruth Cookman

Geospatial Commission
United Kingdom

Ruth Cookman

Head of Policy
Geospatial Commission
United Kingdom

Hayley Evers-King

EUMETSAT
Germany

Hayley Evers-King

Marine Applications Expert
EUMETSAT
Germany

Kate C. Fickas

USGS | UC Santa Barbara Climate Hazard Center
United States

Kate C. Fickas

Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow
USGS | UC Santa Barbara Climate Hazard Center
United States

Mina E. Gerges

IT Smart Vision
Egypt

Mina E. Gerges

GIS/Software Development Team Leader
IT Smart Vision
Egypt

Alex Harper

Central Arkansas Water
United States

Alex Harper

GIS Manager
Central Arkansas Water
United States

Pierre E. Jablon

Glasgow City Council
United Kingdom

Pierre E. Jablon

GIS Officer
Glasgow City Council
United Kingdom

Nandhini Karthikeyan

Numer8
India

Nandhini-Karthikeyan

CTO
Numer8
India

Alan Kharsansky

Satellogic
Spain

Alan Kharsansky

VP Mission Engineering and Satellite Operations
Satellogic
Spain

Viola Kirui

Geospatial Research International
Kenya

Viola Kirui

Director and Co-founder
Geospatial Research International
Kenya

Yariwo Kitiyo

Proto Energy
Kenya

Yariwo Kitiyo

Senior GIS Analyst
Proto Energy
Kenya

Anirudh Koul

Pinterest | SpaceML
United States

Anirudh Koul

AI Scientist
Pinterest | SpaceML
United States

Confidence Kpodo

YouthMappers
Ghana

Confidence Kpodo

Regional Ambassador
YouthMappers
Ghana

Iris Kramer

ArchAI
United Kingdom

Iris Kramer

Founder and CEO
ArchAI
United Kingdom

Andrew Lamers

Optum
United States

Andrew Lamers

GIS Analyst
Optum
United States

Peter E. Lenz

Near
United States

Peter E. Lenz

Vice President of Data Science
Near
United States

Peter M. Macharia

KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme
Kenya

Peter M. Macharia

Postdoc Researcher, Newton Int'l Fellow
Lancaster University,
UK & KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya

Pooja Mahapatra

Fugro
The Netherlands

Pooja Mahapatra

Solution Owner - Geospatial
Fugro
The Netherlands

Marie B. Makuate

National Institute of Cartography
Cameroon

Marie B. Makuate

Geomatician Researcher
National Institute of Cartography
Cameroon

Juliana McMillan-Wilhoit

Ahold Delhaize USA Supply Chain Services
United States

Juliana McMillan-Wilhoit

Network Strategy Analyst
Ahold Delhaize USA Supply Chain Services
United States

Flávia de Souza Mendes

Remote Sensing Solutions GmbH
Germany

Flávia de Souza Mendes

Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst
Remote Sensing Solutions GmbH
Germany

Stephanie Michaud

Trimble Inc.
United States

Stephanie Michaud

Strategic Marketing Manager
Trimble Inc.
United States

Ananyaa Narain

Geospatial World
India

Ananyaa Narain

Director - GW Consulting
Geospatial World
India

Jakub Nowosad

Adam Mickiewicz University
Poland

Jakub Nowosad

Assistant Professor, Institute of Geoecology and Geoinformation
Adam Mickiewicz University
Poland

Jean Claude Ntirenganya

Land Management and Use Authority
Rwanda

Jean Claude Ntirenganya

Spatial Data Infrastructure Specialist
Land Management and Use Authority
Rwanda

Manuel Ntumba

United Nations Space Generation Advisory Council
Austria

Manuel Ntumba

Regional Partnership Manager
United Nations Space Generation Advisory Council
Austria

Phoebe Oduor

Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development
Kenya

Phoebe Oduor

Thematic Lead – Land Use Land Cover and GHG Inventories
Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development
Kenya

Eunice Offei

Lands Commission
Ghana

Eunice Offei

Senior Land Administration Officer
Lands Commission
Ghana

Taiwo Ogunwumi

Geohazard Risk Mapping Initiative
Nigeria

Taiwo Ogunwumi

President
Geohazard Risk Mapping Initiative
Nigeria

Heather Porter

Office for National Statistics
United Kingdom

Heather Porter

Senior Geospatial Analyst
Office for National Statistics
United Kingdom

Uttam Pudasaini

Nepal Flying Labs
Nepal

Uttam Pudasaini

Director, NAXA
Executive Director, Nepal Flying Labs
Nepal

Frank Romo

RomoGIS
United States

Frank Romo

CEO
RomoGIS
United States

Jessica Scheick

University of New Hampshire
United States

Jessica Scheick

Research Assistant Professor
University of New Hampshire
United States

Roshni R. Sharma

FrontierSI
Australia

Roshni R. Sharma

Project Manager & Geospatial Analyst
FrontierSI
Australia

Ayeisha Sheldon

UNOSAT-UNITAR
Switzerland

Ayeisha Sheldon

Geospatial Analyst
UNOSAT-UNITAR
Switzerland

Mayank Singh

Domino's Pizza Indonesia
Indonesia

Mayank Singh

Chief Digital Officer
Domino's Pizza Indonesia
Indonesia

Suyash Singh

GalaxEye Space
India

Suyash Singh

Co-Founder & CEO
GalaxEye Space
India

Rajan Srivastava

Heliware
India

Rajan Srivastava

CEO
Heliware
India

Gabriella Wiersma

Geonovum
The Netherlands

Gabriella Wiersma

Advisor Geospatial Standards
Geonovum
The Netherlands

Lauren Williams

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
South Africa

Lauren Williams

GISc Professional
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
South Africa

Tianren Yang

The University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong S.A.R.

Tianren Yang

Assistant Professor
The University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong S.A.R.

Fan Zhang

MIT Senseable City Lab
United States

Fan Zhang

Senior Research Associate
MIT Senseable City Lab
United States