Meet your MDL: Rana Gahwagy

Rana Gahwagy is a Graduate Student Library Assistant (GSLA) at the Map & Data Library (MDL) and Master of Museum Studies student at the School of Information. She has also completed a Master’s degree in Earth Science and bachelor's in environmental Geoscience and Data Science & Statistics. Her research interest lays in the intersection of museums, climate, and data. Rana enjoys crafting, traveling, and going to museums in her free time.  

Learn more about Rana:

Q: What’s a project you’ve enjoyed working on at MDL? Tell us a bit about it.

A: There are many interesting projects we come across every day and with each one I learn something new. A project I worked on that is still underway involves creating a simplified guide to the USGS EarthExplorer, a portal that provides access to a wide range of free Earth-related datasets. As an earth science researcher, I have used this platform a lot, so I know how intimidating its interface can be. I am excited to help make this valuable data accessible and discoverable to everyone!  

Q: What's your favorite tool that’s available at MDL?

A: I have really enjoyed using the ESRI Academy platform which current U of T students and staff members have access to. There are so many ways to learn through this platform from step-by-step guides to MOOCs that I have earned certificates through it. Even though I am familiar with ArcGIS, this platform expanded my skill set and introduced me to new possibilities with GIS analysis. It also helped me better answer patrons' questions and provide them with more insightful resources.  

Q: What’s your favourite map or map item from the MDL collections at MDL?

A: I have not spent enough time with the maps in our large collection yet, but I like to explore digitized maps from all over the world on the MDL website. I think these publicly available maps show the great value of MDL for researchers and anyone who is interested in the stories and data these maps contain. For example, historical maps of the Arctic can tell us about the ice we have lost due to climate change.  

If you think Rana or someone else at MDL could help you with your research, please reach out!