McKinley E. Saunders

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Welcome to my GIS portfolio!

This portfolio showcases a selection of the work I completed while in North Carolina State University’s Master of Geospatial Science and Technology (MGIST) program, which I will complete in December 2026. Throughout the MGIST program, I have intentionally approached my coursework through the field of health geography, which is an inherently interdisciplinary field that examines how place, space, and environment shape health outcomes, drawing from geography, epidemiology, sociology, environmental science, biological science, and public health. Applying this perspective allowed me to investigate a diverse set of health-related spatial problems, including tobacco retailer density, the geographic spread of tickborne diseases, and the spatial clustering of low educational attainment (to name a few), which are shared in this portfolio (See Core Competencies).

My coursework culminated in a final Capstone Experience, during which I created a web application to support RTI International in their work to identify accessibility to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities across the US. Navigating through the links will lead you to pages dedicated to demonstrating the GIS skills I gained while working towards the degree. Enjoy exploring this portfolio and do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or additional information. My contact information is available on the About page.