5SQ Profile: Anusuya Datta
Where do you currently reside?
Canada – the second-largest country in the world by surface area containing majestic forested and mountainous landscapes that stretch from the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic Oceans.
What organization do you work with and what is your title?
I am a Consulting Editor with GoGeomatics, which is an industry group in Canada for geospatial professionals to network and do professional development activities.
What is something that most people might not know about your role?
One thing that most people might not know about my role as a writer/journalist focused on geospatial technologies and the SDGs is the depth of community engagement involved in my work. I collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders — scientists, innovators, policymakers, and community leaders — to gather accurate information and gain insights into the issues I cover. This collaboration is essential for understanding the broader context of environmental challenges and their impacts on various communities.
Additionally, I serve as a bridge between technical experts and the public, translating complex data and technologies into relatable narratives. This process helps demystify advancements and highlights their real-world applications, making them more accessible to a wide range of audiences. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how storytelling can enhance understanding and inspire action toward achieving SDGs.
In what ways can the broader SDG and EO communities support your initiatives?
From the journalism perspective, I feel the SDG and EO communities can support our media and awareness-building efforts by amplifying our content and collaborating on impactful storytelling. By sharing data, case studies, and technical insights, we can translate complex EO data into relatable stories that raise public awareness about its role in SDG progress.
Partnerships around data access, joint events, and advocacy campaigns can help us reach wider audiences and engage key stakeholders, including policymakers and businesses. Together, we can drive more informed conversations and ensure EO technologies play a central role in advancing global sustainability.
What is a favorite moment in your career?
A particularly memorable experience was delivering a guest lecture at the University of British Columbia’s School of Journalism. It was thrilling to engage with students eager to learn about the potential of geospatial tools in their reporting. Their questions and enthusiasm highlighted the importance of inspiring the next generation of journalists to think innovatively about their storytelling techniques.
I have also had the privilege of interviewing two Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, where we discussed their appreciation for technology and the impact of visual storytelling on audience engagement. These moments have deepened my commitment to using visual storytelling as a tool for transformation in journalism, reinforcing the idea that these advancements can enrich our reporting and inspire young journalists to connect with their audiences in meaningful ways.
Date Published: October 18, 2024
