MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: CHAPMAN MUNN

Could you tell us who you are and what it is that you do?

My name is Chapman Munn, and I am a transportation software developer and consultant. I build digital tools and solve problems with software and data for transportation agencies across the country.

What do you love most about the work?

I get to help the folks who are trying to help folks get from A to B. Transportation impacts almost every aspect of our lives, and the requirements and needs placed on our local, state, and federal transportation systems are increasing. The difficulties placed on our networks are widespread and undeniable. Failures can be catastrophic. I enjoy building tools to help planners, engineers, and decision makers leverage data, geographic information systems, and machine learning technologies to streamline the decision-making process and separate the wheat from the chaff.

How did you arrive at this point in your work? What’s your backstory?

My professional path to now has been a windy road. In data analytics and software development capacities, I’ve worked in education, financial technology, and now transportation. After getting an MBA from VCU, I had an Excel based job that was extremely repetitive. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I decided to automate my work and learn to code. The rest is history! VBA -> Base SAS -> SQL -> Python -> JavaScript -> ReactJS.

Has there been a light switch moment, a turning point, professionally &/or personally along the way?

Less a light switch moment and more a gradual grind to not feeling like a total imposter.

What are you currently working on, excited about, looking forward to?

I’m wrapping up development of two web applications currently. One is being used by a southern DOT to collect candidate project data from across the state and the other is being used by a very large metropolitan planning area to analyze web-based spatial data for planning purposes.

I’ve been leading out companies’ geographic information systems (GIS) and computer-vision business lines for the past couple of years. Those areas are exploding, and it is very exciting to be a part of it.

What values drive your work each day?

I’ve got a two-year-old and a five-year-old. I do it all for them now.

Anything we missed that you might care to share (closing thoughts)?

Come say hello to me in my corner.