Eric West

Eric West

Geospatial data analyst and project manager. Former educator and cider industry professional.

🗺️ Geospatial

GIS Specialist - WDM USA (2025-Present)

  • Analyze, interpret, and visualize spatial data that provides pavement friction management insights for state-level Department of Transportation (DOT) clients and related agencies.
  • Develop datasets, tools, dashboards, and visualizations that help stakeholders prioritize resurfacing projects to reduce wet weather, roadway departure, curve, intersection, and pedestrian-related crashes.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to GIS applications, data integrity, and system performance.
  • Tools: QGIS, Pandas/GeoPandas, Felt, Excel Power Pivot

GIS Data Engineer - Torc Robotics (2020-2023)

  • Created and maintained high-definition vector maps (closed courses and public roads) for self-driving Freightliner trucks.
  • Tracked map health metrics and collaborated with forensics engineers to improve autonomous performance.
  • Coordinated mapping team efforts as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Technical Product Manager.
  • Tools: Java OpenStreetMap (JOSM), QGIS, Jira (Agile/Kanban), Confluence, Miro

Geospatial Analyst - Center for Geospatial Information Technology (2019-2020)

  • Contributed 40 American Viticultural Area (AVA) boundary polygons to open source project.
  • Collaborated with UC Davis researchers using GitHub for version control and collaboration.

🗺️🏅 Education, Certifications, and Awards

Data Analyst in Python - DataCamp (In Progress)

  • Career Track Certification - 18% Complete

Project Management Professional (PMP) - Project Management Institute (2023-Present)

  • Requires 36 months (4,500 hours) of experience leading projects prior to certification.
  • Acknowledges candidates who are skilled at managing the people, processes, and business priorities of professional projects.

Master of Science in Geography - Virginia Tech (2020)

  • Coursework focused on ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, ArcPy/Python, web mapping, remote sensing, and statistics.
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant for Principles of GIS, Intro to Remote Sensing, and Geovisualization courses.
  • Research Project: The Digitization of American Viticultural Area Boundaries - An Efficient Method for Constructing GIS Polygons from Federal Government Data Sources.

Esri Developer Center Student of the Year - Esri (2020)

  • Virginia Tech’s recipient of an annual award for developing innovative applications with the ArcGIS platform.

Sidman P. Poole Endowment - Virginia Tech (2019)

  • Recipient of a funded grant to conduct trails-related fieldwork in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

🍎 Cider

Founder - Cider Guide (2012-2024)

  • Podcast host and guest, weekly newsletter publisher, freelance writer, conference speaker, and guided tasting expert.
  • Maintained the World Cider Map, the industry’s most accurate directory of cidermakers. (See my ciderguide repository for details.)
  • Launched the C—ertified Cider Professional education and accreditation program for the American Cider Association.
  • Judged cider at the Royal Bath & West Show, Australian Cider Awards, Virginia Governor’s Cup, and other major competitions.

Competition Director - Michigan Cider Association (2015-2023)

  • Directed the Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition, the world’s largest cider judging.
  • Developed custom WordPress-based entry registration and payment system that handled ~$100,000 in entry fees each year.
  • Recruited and coordinated the efforts of 100+ judges, stewards, and staff members over the three-day event.
  • Served as judge (2012) and assistant director (2013-2014) prior to assuming leadership of the competition.

🍎🏅 Education, Certifications, and Awards

Significant Contribution to the Cider Industry - American Cider Association (2017)

  • Fourth recipient of the prestigious annual award conferred by the industry’s largest trade organization.

Recognized Judge - Beer Judge Certification Program (2013)

Certified Cicerone - Cicerone Certification Program (2012)

🏫 Teaching

Teacher - Various Schools (2007-2016)

  • Middle school and high school math teacher and elementary school math remediation tutor.
  • Sponsored Chess Club at Blacksburg Middle School and MathCounts Club/Team at Blacksburg New School.
  • Developed curriculum for summer enrichment courses on Japanese logic puzzles and video game design.
  • Presented workshops at state and local conferences on standards-based grading and logic puzzles.

Teaching Assistant - Radford University (2013-2017)

  • Developed curriculum and co-taught the graduate-level Educational Technology: Applications, Applied Research and Integration and Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometry courses for secondary mathematics teachers.

🏫🏅 Education, Certifications, and Awards

Teaching License - Virginia Department of Education (2008-Present)

  • Endorsements: Mathematics (All), Social Science (Grades 6-8), English (Grades 6-8)

MCPS Star Grant - Montgomery County Public Schools (2009)

  • Co-recipient of an internal grant to create an online repository of virtual manipulatives and instructional resources for mathematics teachers.

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy - Indiana University (2006)

  • Broad liberal arts background with coursework in history, literature, cognitive science, and information science.

⛰️ Personal Pursuits

Appalachian Trail Maintenance (2025-Present)

  • Volunteer maintainer for the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club from Bailey Gap Shelter (Mile 660.9) to VA 613 (Mile 664.6) and from Lone Pine Peak (Mile 667.0) to War Spur Connector Trail (Mile 668.0).
  • Builds on past experience as Catawba Mountain Ridgerunner for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in 2012 and 2015.

Pickleball (2024-Present)

Great Smoky Mountains 900 Miler Club (2019-2022)

  • Successful completion of all official hiking trails in the Smokies. (See my smokies repository for details.)

Earthen Cottage Project (2008-2019)

  • Built and maintained an off-grid cob cottage using solar panels for electricity and a wood-burning stove for heat.

European Long-Distance Trails (2006)

  • Self-supported backpacking trips on world-renowned hiking trails such as the Pennine Way (England), West Highland Way and Southern Upland Way (Scotland), GR20 (Corsica), and Tour du Mont Blanc (Switzerland, Italy, France).

Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike (2005)

  • Self-supported AT thru-hike from Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin (2,175 miles).

Southern Tier Route Bikepacking (2005)

  • Self-supported bicycle tour from St. Augustine, Florida to Austin, Texas (1,467 miles).

Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike (2004)

  • Self-supported PCT thru-hike from the Mexican Border to the Canadian Border (2,650 miles).