In this presentation, Clemir Abbeg Coproski will provide an overview of how the City of Ames applies Geographic Information Systems to support municipal operations and asset management. Drawing from his experience as a GIS specialist within the Public Works – Engineering division, Coproski will discuss the primary tools, workflows, and city departments where GIS plays a critical role. Through examples of both fully operational applications and ongoing prototypes, attendees will gain a practical understanding of how GIS serves day-to-day decision-making in local government.
Coproski will also reflect on the transition from academia to professional practice, comparing his experience as a former research assistant at the University of Northern Iowa with his current role. Students can expect an honest discussion about how the skills emphasized in a GIS curriculum align with, and sometimes differ from, what the field demands in practice.
In addition to Coproski’s experiences with the City of Ames, he previously served as a business intelligence analyst at SESC and an urban planning assistant at the State and Metropolitan Planning Foundation (METROPLAN). He holds a master’s degree in geography from UNI and a bachelor’s degree in geography from PUCRS. His master’s thesis received the 2024 Thesis Award, and he has published research on urban heat modeling using forest-based classification and regression and other statistical techniques. Originally from Porto Alegre, Brazil, Coproski currently lives in Des Moines with his wife. He is passionate about discovering how seemingly unrelated phenomena can deepen our understanding of the environment, society, and individuals.
Part of the Spring 2026 GIS Seminar Series hosted by the Department of Urban Planning and Development, this seminar is open to all Iowa State students, faculty, and staff. Contact Professor Monica Haddad, haddad@iastate.edu, for more information.