Short Biography
Michael Chamberlain is the Director of Data Management within TxDOT's
Transportation Planning and Programming Division and has been with TxDOT for 25
years. His experience includes the creation of numerous GIS productivity tools,
statewide datasets, and applications including the Statewide Planning Map, Project
Tracker, and the Geospatial Roadway Inventory Database (GRID).
Current projects include developing the Alternative Fuel Corridors, the National
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan and managing the statewide rollout of EV
charging.
Served as a Cavalry Scout for the Texas Army National Guard with the 124th
Cavalry Regiment in Waco, TX. Graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
with a BA in Geography 1999. Lives in Pflugerville, Texas with his wife Jessica,
daughter Makayla, and son Andrew. Passionate about electric cars, making electric
cars, driving electric cars, robotics, programming, baseball, and space.
Longer Biography
I was not the best student in middle and high school. Extracurricular activities
were more interesting and I found myself heavily involved in student government the
last couple years of high school and pitching for the varsity baseball team. I
loved playing baseball and as a lefty with control of 3 pitches was fortunate to
play at a higher level early. Academics became secondary and it showed in my
grades. But I injured my throwing arm playing football and had surgery my Junior
year.
Coming back for my senior year, I expected to join the pitching rotation but it
didn't work out that way. I played left field and tried to get ready for pitching
but it became clear my coach had no intention of letting me pitch again. Looking
back I understand they didn't want to risk further injury. But there was one
tournament when we ran out of pitchers. Coach looked at me and said "you want to
pitch"?
You will have many memorable moments playing baseball; first hit, big win,
striking out, amazing plays, and good times with your friends. This was one of my
best, pitched all but the last couple outs in an amazing loss that I will never
forget. My mom was teary-eyed in the stands seeing her son pitch one last time. I
would relive that experience from the other side of the fence later in life as I
watched my son pitch his last inning following similar circumstances.
With my stellar grades I didn't bother applying to big name schools like many of
my peers. And mistakenly, I didn't pursue baseball after high school. I talked
myself out of it, thinking the surgery would be a limiting factor (it wasn't). I
told myself I would never make that type of mistake again. It is better to try and
fail or be rejected than never try.
My first semester at Austin Community College was uneventful. I was actually a
little bored, involved in everything in high school and transitioning to a student
exclusively felt weird. So, I decided to join the Army Reserve. College would work
my mind and the Army would work my body. There were other benefits like continuing
the tradition of service in my family (father Marines, grandfather Army),
patriotism, the challenge of being able to make it, and financial assistance for
school.
My shoulder surgery created a little difficulty getting clearance to join.
Eventually, the third specialist they sent me to asked if I could do 5 push ups. I
demonstrated, he signed and I was off to join the Army in what would have been my
second semester of college. Looking back, 5 push ups was not a relevant measure of
physical difficulty for the type of activity recruits are "asked" to perform on a
daily basis.
Here's the thing about being in the Army that I did not understand at the time.
Half of your training day is spent in the classroom learning how to be a good
soldier. You practice dozens or in some cases hundreds of times before you attempt
physically challenging or dangerous activities. The habits you learn in the Army
are directly applicable to success at home. Be on time, sit in the front row, take
clear notes, ask questions, practice, practice, practice.
Failure does not mean forever, get up and try again, your buddies need you. Push
yourself until you can't go any further then go a little more. At the end of the
day have no regets, you did everything possible to make it happen.
My regular Army training was over in 8 months and I was back in time to start the
fall semester of my second year. Things were different and it was noticeable. I
went to the student advising center and started asking the right questions. In a
few minutes I found the list of classes needed to transfer to UT Austin, picked a
path and followed it to the letter. The advising center wasn't a secret and hadn't
changed but I changed.
After a few more semesters and getting good grades for first time in my academic
career, I applied and was accepted to UT Austin.
First order of business after transferring 65 hours from ACC was picking a major. I
thoroughly enjoyed Geology classes at ACC but didn't have enough math classes for
that college and didn't want to take extra classes. After reviewing all viable
offerings from various colleges in the UT advising office, I found the Geography
program in the College of Liberal Arts. Mapping and cartography seemed
complimentary to what I was doing in the Army and remote sensing and GIS sounded
interesting.
As a bonus I could take a few Geology classes to satisfy requirements in the
Geography track. It was a perfect fit so that's what I did.
Turns out Geography was a great fit. I would learn in the classroom and apply/test
what I learned in the field during the next drill weekend. Most classes overlapped
on topics which made the whole process a little easier to manage. And since I
lived off campus, I would schedule classes back to back on as few days as possible.
The result was an efficient schedule that was sometimes comedic. One class ends,
everyone leaves but I stay because my next class started in the same room a few
minutes later.
I took 24 hours in room GRG 424 alone. The classes were small, the professors were
great and the learning environment was perfect.
