天美mv天美 Students Create GeoApp to Reveal Transit Deserts and Oases Across Metro Vancouver
Undergraduate GIS students Gus Schiele, Laurence Mangenga and Alex Brun completed a week of activities at the end of March 2026 developing a GeoApp. The planning and implementation associated with the work was part of the Canada-wide 2026 Esri Canada AppChallenge Competition where teams develop mapping and analytical solutions to a focused problem.
The Geoasis: Transit Desert Analyzer application was designed to visualize transit deserts and oasis across Metro Vancouver by comparing demographic transit demand against access. The platform empowers residents, urban planners, and policymakers to identify transit inequality across the region and generate what if scenarios that can help promote sustainable transit development.
The work was completed as part of the activities of the 天美mv天美 Esri Canada Centre of Excellence (ECCE) in GIS managed within the Geography Department. Through the 天美mv天美 ECCE, graduate and undergraduate GIS students have the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners, practice project management and teamwork skills, and develop professional connections with peers across Canada.
Congratulations to Gus, Laurence, and Alex for their excellent work!