Being a part of EMCDE…GeoDsc

I wanted to study more, much more than a bachelor in engineering. I was in a good place, having a good job, learning many things, and growing my network, but I always felt a small tiny dark space in this big bright career. This gloomy void kept reminding me that I needed to study more, that I needed to progress academically, and that I would be more confident if I did.

I have been working as a research associate in the Geoinformatics Center (GIC) of the Asian Institute of Technology since 4 February 2019. The centre has excellent expertise in the field of remote sensing and GIS. Initially, I was recruited as a part of a project "Implementation of Integrated Geospatial Platform, Database, and Applications for Disaster Risk Management in Uttarakhand ", funded by the World Bank. Following this, I worked on several projects for GIC until 15 August 2020. It seems to be a short period but trust me, I learned as much as half of my life. When I say half of my life, it sounds so old, yet I was the youngest when I worked there. It was a wonderful time there, and I did not expect to leave the place any soon, but I knew to contribute more, develop confidence in myself and make it count for what work I do I have to go for higher studies.

Ashok Dahal once mentioned to me about Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Program. Before this, I knew nothing about Master in Copernicus Digital Earth, and when I learned about it, I did not think I was qualified for this. The course work was vast and covered emerging topics. I was scared that if I got lost in these enormous themes, I would not be able to perform adequately. On top of that, I had not prepared for TOFEL and was not sure if I wanted to leave GIC so soon. The course looked incredibly interesting, so I decided to give it a shot. I applied for it with Geodata Science specialization. I sincerely hoped to be selected, but I could not help but question, "Why would they choose me when I am not very talented in this area and do not have a high TOFEL score?".

"The Selection Committee has assessed your complete application documents, and it is our pleasure to inform you that you have been selected as Erasmus+ EMJMD scholar for the 'Copernicus Master in Digital Earth' programme". I received this email a few weeks later and was delighted to see this message. I was overjoyed, and it was not until later that I realized my interview had gone well, and I believe they thought I deserved it. It is great to know that they have faith in me, and it gives me the courage to start afresh and give my best to every task I am assigned.

Even though the story is over a year ago, I can still remember how happy I was when I received the email. Today, here I am. I learned many new things, met many new people, and feel like I have gained much confidence in myself. Academically and psychologically, I have grown. At this moment, I can confidently assert to myself that I am capable. Moreover, I am all set to begin my specialized track.

My message to everyone reading this and wondering whether or not to pursue CDE is: if you genuinely love this domain and are ready to handle innovative geospatial work, then jump in and give it your best. Be down to earth, yet monitoring from up.

Thank you for your time and patience. Be good do good.