From theory to practice

“The EMGIS has grounded in truth everything about GIS that I’ve learned on the job and puts theory into practice.”

For Anika-Aduesa Smart ’25, learning with a “different lens” is at the center of her experience at University of Redlands. Before joining Esri as a director of transportation, Smart was the inaugural Geographic Information Systems (GIS) director for Los Angeles Metro. Though a fulfilling role, Smart continually sought to gain leadership skills through a robust graduate program. Now part of the first Executive Master of Geographic Information Systems (EMGIS) cohort through the School of Business & Society, Smart found a program that directly connects with her career.

“The art of geography is understanding things as they relate to their environment,” she said. “The EMGIS has grounded in truth everything about GIS that I’ve learned on the job and puts theory into practice. It’s learning from a different perspective and with a different lens, marrying my experience in the field with theory.”

With a background in math, statistics, and geography, Smart quickly took a liking to geospatial thinking when introduced to GIS early in her career, a trait that has served her well in the EMGIS program. Aiding in her educational journey at Redlands has been Professor Avijit Sarkar, a figure Smart has come to call a mentor.

“Dr. Sarkar has become my favorite person and is the epitome of teacher, parent, confidant, encourager, and supporter,” she said. “Having someone that you can speak to on both a peer and advisory level has become a major benefit at this stage in my career and a testament to the EMGIS program. I have experience to bring to the table and am not just receiving information from a professor.”

As Smart’s time in the program draws to a close, she reflected on the transformative power of leadership and GIS she has found at Redlands.

“What I’ve received most from the program is the communications piece,” she said. “I’ve been in the transit field for 20 years, and a theme in the EMGIS program is not just adding value but also explaining it, so your audience is engaged and stays that way. I know what GIS is, and I know it’s a great tool, but how do I share that with someone who has never looked at it before? That is the difference between where I was at the beginning of my journey as a director and where I am now with the program.”

Learn how Redlands is preparing leaders to be at the center of GIS. 

Don’t miss Geography Awareness Week (GeoWeek), November 17 – 20, 2025, on the Redlands campus.