Sid Warren
This summer, Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE) graduate Sid Warren participated in NASA’s EarthRISE Developers Academy, a program designed to connect early-career developers with real-world environmental challenges. The academy pairs interns with NASA scientists to create applied geospatial products that support informed decision-making. Based at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Warren’s team collaborated with Haleakalā National Park, Haleakalā Ranch and the Mālama Haleakalā Foundation, focusing on conservation needs across the island of Maui, Hawaii.
What makes EarthRISE unique, Warren says, is its emphasis on end-user impact. Rather than conducting purely theoretical research, interns in the Developers Academy work directly with stakeholders who rely on NASA’s Earth observations to guide management decisions. The program encourages collaboration, problem-solving and communication in an environment that enables interns to grow both technically and professionally.
Warren’s responsibilities throughout the internship included managing literature reviews, researching the study area and exploring preliminary geospatial techniques during the early stages of the project. As the term progressed, he and his team met with partners to better understand their needs and identify which geospatial products would best support their conservation and land management efforts. The session concluded with final presentations to the greater EarthRISE staff and other participants as well as a partner handoff with products created throughout the process.
“The most rewarding aspects of this role were team development and stakeholder impact,” Warren said. “Discussing our work with end users and learning from their knowledge of the Maui landscape made the experience even more meaningful.”
Warren’s academic background in Geospatial Information Science prepared him well for the internship. His coursework provided a strong foundation in GIS software, remote sensing fundamentals and spatial analytics, which integrated well with the skill sets of his team members and proved essential for the success of their project.
Sid Warren and the 2026 NASA EarthRISE Developers Academy cohort.
“My degree gave me a balance of geospatial skills and environmental understanding that fit perfectly with the project’s conservation lens,” he says. “In most settings, many are confused when I state my degree title, so working with a team who understood the field was incredibly beneficial.”
His experience with NASA’s EarthRISE Developers Academy also helped Warren refine his long-term goals. Working closely with NASA scientists and conservation partners strengthened his interest in applied geospatial research and environmental decision support tools. The internship showed him how technical skills can directly support communities, landscapes and resource managers, a connection he hopes to continue exploring in his future career.
Warren’s internship reflects the kind of practical experience that helps students grow into confident professionals who use geospatial tools to support environmental decision-making. His work demonstrates how classroom knowledge can yield real-world impact when paired with collaboration and field applications.
Following his graduation May 2026, Warren is taking the next step into his professional journey. He has now begun a new role as a civil designer for a civil engineering firm in Birmingham, Alabama, a role that will allow him to continue applying the technical skills, problem-solving and real-world experiences he gained from his time at Auburn and throughout his time with NASA.
