Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32Meet Shiloh Elliott, a computer software developer at INL Education background: Master’s degree in geographic information systems (GIS) from Idaho State University Bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Idaho State University Job description: I work for the National & Homeland Security Division at INL. My daily tasks vary depending on which project I’m working on. A very simple way to define my job is that I write programs that allow INL to analyze geospatial data (data that represents actual structures on the planet). What led you to become a computer software developer? While I had taken programming classes in high school, it was never on my radar as a potential career path until graduate school. Geographic information science is a data-heavy field. When I was shown how programming could greatly reduce the time it took to process this data while increasing the accuracy, I was hooked. As I took more programming classes, I realized not only did I enjoy the subject, but I was also good at it. The logical steps and critical thinking vital to programming made me want to pursue a career in computer science and informatics. I have always been interested in maps and am an avid backpacker. This evolved into an acute interest in GPS and spatial relationships. In high school, I took computer programming sequence, which prepared me for my college programming classes. I also took several advanced placement and dual-enrollment college courses, which required critical thinking, problem solving, and time management skills, all of which are vital for computer scientists. As an outdoor enthusiast, I developed an intimate knowledge of how maps work and analyzing spatial relationships, which led me to pursue a graduate degree in geographic information science. It was exciting to find a way to merge my love of the outdoors with my love of computer science. What do you love about your job? I love the problem solving my job requires. I get to develop applications that have never been done before and apply familiar algorithms in new, innovative ways. I like that my job is not stagnate; I learn new things every day and am able to apply the skills I developed in school in surprising ways. I also really like working with a team, where I can provide vital support to the project and my colleagues while getting the same support from them. Why is your work important to the mission of INL and the world? I develop new homeland security applications to help the government better understand our critical infrastructure systems, including electricity and water systems. Understanding where our energy comes from and how it reaches the general population is vital to the United States’energy security. These applications range from traditional maps to new innovative online mapping applications. What advice do you have for future computer software developers? I encourage high school students who think that they are interested in computer science to simply take a class. If your high school does not offer such classes, there are great online resources. Give yourself plenty of time and do not get discouraged if you do not get it right away; determination and hard work are the keys to computer programming. $67,000 AVERAGE STARTING SALARY 9