23 Young Geospatial Professionals to Watch in 2023 – 17 of 23

Name: Shirley Chapunza
Company: Midlands State University
Current position: Research Assistant
Age: 27              

Education: BS in Surveying and Geomatics, Midlands State University

Chapunza is a firm believer in community development through youth and women engagement and leadership. She volunteers her time and skills in youth and women’s organizations. In 2018, she led the establishment of the Zimbabwe Institute of Geomatics Youth Network and served as its first chairperson until 2021. 

She also led the establishment of the African Women in GIS Southern African region chapter in 2020 and served as its first regional representative. Over the years Chapunza has played central roles in the planning and organization of FIG Young Surveyors meetings and conferences both within Africa and abroad. She serves as chair of the FIG Young Surveyors African Network, where she is part of the team leading the FIG mentoring program. She is also the current FIG Young Surveyors Network vice chair-elect for the term 2023-24. In Zimbabwe, she is also serving as the vice president of the Zimbabwe Institute of Geomatics since 2021. 

Chapunza is a land and water resources management graduate student at Midlands State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in surveying and geomatics from Midlands. Upon graduation, she joined Gwanda State University as a teaching assistant. She also worked as a research assistant with both technical (data and systems) and scientific (research) functions within the PRECISE Health Geography work at Midlands State University-Place Alert Labs.