How Texas A&M Geography Helped A Former Student Find Her Path In The Professional World

For Aubin Phillips, choosing to major in geography at Texas A&M University opened doors she didn’t know existed. She began her college journey studying civil engineering and architecture, but when she took a few geography classes, she discovered something surprising. 

“There was so much more to geography than I realized,” said Phillips, a member of the class of 2001. 

That discovery changed everything. Through courses and hands-on research, Phillips found a passion for how cities work, how transportation connects people, and how data can shape the places we live. Her geography classes, especially one on urban planning taught by Dr. Igor Vojnovic, inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in urban planning and set her on a successful career path. 

Today, Phillips works as a community planner for Halff, a consulting firm in which she leads projects such as corridor plans, Vision Zero safety plans, recreation studies and more. Her job combines research, mapping tools and real-world planning to help communities grow in smart and safe ways. Geography gave her the foundation to understand how people, places and systems connect—something that is essential to every project she leads.

Before joining Halff, Phillips spent 10 years as a long-range planner at Houston METRO, where she worked on major transportation projects aimed at improving mobility across the region. One of her proudest moments was contributing to a large-scale bus rapid transit (BRT) project — a full-circle moment that brought her back to her time at Texas A&M, when she presented research on Curitiba, Brazil’s BRT system, a model used by cities around the world. 

Her path to that point included several key roles. After earning her master’s degree, Phillips began working as a planner at an engineering firm, where she worked on comprehensive plans, zoning codes and environmental studies. She then served as a watershed protection planner at the Houston-Galveston Area Council before moving into her role at METRO. 

But the foundation for all those roles started at Texas A&M. Phillips said learning how to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was especially helpful. She also credits her Texas A&M internship with the U.S. Census Bureau, where she learned how GIS works in real-world situations and had the opportunity to learn how the census operates behind the scenes. 

One project that stood out during her time at Texas A&M was a research paper on the history and development of Perth. While other students chose well-known cities like New York or Paris, Phillips wanted to explore a less-familiar place. Located on the western coast of Australia, Perth’s unique growth and transportation systems sparked a lasting interest in how cities evolve. She was so inspired by the project that, in 2008, she traveled to Australia to see the transportation networks firsthand.

 “Geography is such a well-rounded degree,” Phillips said. “I learned about the world, I learned about myself. I honed my writing and research skills. I used math and science in practical ways. There were so many classes to choose from based on our interests.” 

Her story shows how a Texas A&M degree in geography can lead to a meaningful, flexible career — and unexpected adventures along the way.