Keeping track of an ambulance that's speeding to save a life, fighting forest fires from a distance, predicting the size of the annual wheat harvest - what do all of these activities have in common? They all involve applications of geomatics, the science of gathering, storing, analyzing, circulating, and managing data on a given territory. None of this could be done without the important work performed by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technologists like Steve Perron.

Steve, 25, is a Programmer-Analyst for Groupe-Conseil DMR in Quebec City. His job, a combination of computer science and cartography, involves developing computer systems used for land management. He works on various contracts for his employer's clients, such as government agencies.

In the Forestry Division of the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources where he's currently working, Steve is in charge of developing a computer system that will perform a systematic update of maps showing all of the forested areas in Quebec. "These are digitized maps which the Ministry keeps for reference," he explains. "The maps must be updated on a regular basis to provide an accurate picture of forested areas."

Steve spends the better part of his days programming at the computer. He seldom works alone - generally, he coordinates his work with a team of designers. "I may do the programming on my own, but we all consult each other, since my work is interrelated with what the other designers do. It's a good thing I like teamwork!"