Todd Pierce
Vice-President of Data Management and Visualization at Locus Technologies
Name: Todd Pierce
Matriculation Year: 1989
Subject: Geography
Occupation: Vice-President of Data Management and Visualization at Locus Technologies
“My passion is data visualization, especially using charts and maps to help explain key environmental issues such as climate change, sustainability, natural hazard mitigation, and natural resource management. After getting an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, I studied at Hertford for three years to obtain a DPhil in Geography. I greatly enjoyed my years at Hertford and, as an American in Oxford, learned to appreciate and explore other cultures and viewpoints. I still keep up with several friends I made in the Hertford MCR and the local Scottish Country Dance society.
Upon leaving Hertford, I returned to the US and combined my two degrees to work with geographic information systems (GIS), which were becoming more visible with the launch of Google Maps and other mapping tools. To keep current with latest technologies, I moved into programming GIS instead of just using GIS. Since 2003 I have worked for Locus Technologies, where I currently manage a team of coders working on web-based applications for environmental data management. I continue to explore visualization methods that can help customers understand their data. I have also developed and taught graduate level courses on data visualization and GIS.
I would be glad to talk to anyone about data visualization or programming in general. You don’t need to have studied programming to be a good coder! At Locus, I review resumes and conduct interviews, so I can also offer some advice on applying for jobs.“