We are delighted to celebrate a significant milestone in the academic journey of José Pilartes-Congo, who has officially advanced to candidacy in the Geospatial Computer Science program. This achievement marks the successful completion of rigorous coursework, comprehensive examinations, and the approval of his dissertation proposal, a testament to his dedication, intellectual rigor, and perseverance. José’s research lies at the intersection of geomatics engineering and GeoAI, and his work focuses on advancing spatial analytics for environmental and engineering applications. We look forward to the next phase of his doctoral journey.