Nishal Shah

Nishal Shah always knew he wanted to make a difference in the environment. But it wasn’t until he enrolled to York University that he truly found his calling. "The Bachelor’s in Environmental Management and Urban Planning felt like the perfect foundation to build something meaningful and impactful,” he says. 

During his time at York, Shah was particularly drawn to courses like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing. “I loved how they combined spatial thinking, real-world data, and practical application,” he recalls. Meanwhile, courses in Environmental Auditing and Business & Sustainability broadened his understanding of how environmental and economic factors intersect.

Shah credits much of his growth to York’s supportive and accessible faculty. "Professor Gail Fraser played a pivotal role in guiding me through my placement course, which led to an internship at the Ontario Climate Consortium (OCC) with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)."

That internship proved to be a turning point. "My work involved collecting and analysing large spatial datasets using GIS to study land use impacts,” he says. “I also helped build partnerships with stakeholders across academia, government, non-profits, and private sectors. These experiences truly jump-started my career in this field."

Now a Senior Solutions Consultant at Esri Canada, Shah works with public sector clients to implement and optimise GIS solutions.