By: Emily Siegel
Alex O’Neill, MEM-MF’19, a Nicholas Scholar and all-around go-getter, has quickly excelled in his career since graduating from the Nicholas School. As a program manager with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Geospatial Program, Alex has combined the technical coursework of graduate school with the wide range of perspectives gained from his peers to shine both in and outside of the workplace.
Alex pursued his graduate degree at Duke for three reasons. First, the excellent GIS curriculum specifically drew him in. While he learned effective communication and critical thinking skills as an undergrad at Georgetown University, Alex sought out the technical skills needed to meaningfully contribute to environmental protection.
Second, Alex loved the Nicholas School’s sense of community. He recalls late nights in the GIS labs with his friends, “inspirational” professors such as Nicki Cagle and Jeff Vincent, and specifically the Pinecone Pacer, a foot race through the Duke Forest where students normally conducted field work, but could experience the forest from an entirely new perspective.
Lastly, Alex was drawn to the Nicholas School for its robust alumni network. As a D.C. native, he was interested in developing connections in the federal government and admired the culture and quality of the Nic Schoolers entering this field.
In his current role at the EPA, he manages enterprise geodatabases, creates maps, and acts as the point person for geospatial communications. Some of his most innovative projects include digital accessibility and inclusive design, such as ArcGIS StoryMaps that provide information for people with color blindness. He has aided in huge strides in the public perception of StoryMaps, even developing a formal process for their review and building out communications capacity.
The Nicholas School has helped prepare him for this career through the perspective he gained from peers hailing from all corners of the environmental sector. As Alex notes, the MEM degree is broad and interpreted in a variety of ways. This created an atmosphere of critical thought, with opinions and experiences rooted in both the “environmental” side and the “management” side. These diverse views pushed Alex to deeply analyze issues, as well as develop a wide network of colleagues spanning multiple sectors.
Alex, an emerging leader in his field, embodies a lifelong learning mentality. Whether he is pushing for better scientific communication in his job, teaching a GIS course as an adjunct professor at Georgetown, or pursuing his research on environmental management in the Himalayas, he is constantly furthering himself both personally and professionally. As Alex says, “If you aren’t learning, you’re behind.”
Did you know Duke has an online alumni database that is searchable by school, location, and industry?
Visit the Duke Alumni webpage to view Alex’s profile and to update your information.
