From Community Mapping to Critical Spatial Thinking

Media Advisory 10-032 From Community Mapping to Critical Spatial Thinking

Change is coming in the way people create knowledge about the geographic environment in which they live, and it's causing seismic paradigm shifts. Community mapping, a form of citizen science whereby local people participate in geographically defining an area, is increasingly taking on greater significance--especially during times of emergency and natural disaster.

As part of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Distinguished Lecture series, geographer Michael Goodchild gives a talk on Nov. 17 titled, "From Community Mapping to Critical Spatial Thinking: The Changing Face of GIS (geographic information systems)." He will discuss how individuals are using distributed, real-time data enabled by social networks to define landscapes that have been suddenly altered by floods, hurricanes and other acts of nature. He says these methods differ sharply from map-making tradition and they're forcing geographers to shift their thinking from analyzing geographic information to synthesizing it from many sources.

Ultimately, he will discuss what these and other changes mean for geo-education, grounding his argument in fundamental spatial concepts that hold the key to simplifying the GIS user interface and redefining the goals of GIS education.

This Distinguished Lecture is sponsored by NSF's Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences.

What:NSF SBE Distinguished Lecture

Who:Michael Goodchild, Director of University of California, Santa Barbara's Center for Spatial Studies

When:November 17, 2010, 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST

Where:Room 555, Stafford II4121 Wilson BoulevardArlington, Va. 22230

Metro:Orange Line to Ballston

Note: Visitors must RSVP to Bobbie Mixon in the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs to register for a visitor pass for access to the Stafford II building. Contact Bobbie by email or phone (703) 292-8485.

Provided by NSF