Paul Flynn

While waiting at Starbucks for an evening yoga class to start, Paul instead decided to walk to the nearby recruiting office and enlist in the U.S. Air Force. Several months later in February 2004 he was off to Texas for training. As an intelligence analyst he deployed throughout the Middle East, including Iraq and Afghanistan on various assignments. In Iraq he served with EOD technicians from other branches and militaries to investigate improvised explosive devices. During other deployments Paul used geospatial information systems (GIS) to create intelligence reports for U.S. and allied forces. 

Each assignment showed Paul that geography and culture play a large role in political organization and decision making and an understanding of this is important in preventing conflict.

Whether describing Geospatial Information Systems and remote sensing technology or profiling terrorist networks Paul always enjoyed instructing others and developing new methodologies. Continuing on in the civilian world with the responsibility to teach others how to use GIS for societal good; Paul is researching refugee and asylum law using GIS to identify inequalities and recommend policy changes.