A note from the editor
This will be the last issue of GIS Ed Weekly. You can find the full archive here on my Ignite Education blog.
I wish readers all the best in your geography/GIS education pursuits!
Resources for teaching and learning
WaPo: The geography of the Great Resignation: First-time data shows where Americans are quitting the most - "Kentucky, Idaho, South Dakota and Iowa reported the highest increases in the rates of workers who quit their jobs in August, according to a new glimpse of quit rates in the labor market released Friday."
Audubon: New Data-driven Species Mapping Makes More Accurate Range Maps - In a paper published on October 5, 2021, in the peer-reviewed journal Diversity & Distributions, the researchers propose a new automated workflow for drawing a species’ distribution. The aim of the new workflow is to provide a data-driven method to map species’ distributions with increased precision and in a reproducible way. Jorge Velásquez-Tibatá, an author on this study and researcher at Audubon Americas, has already begun using this approach for conservation purposes.
Snopes: Does This Map Show the United States in 30 Years? - "A map of the United States with a massive body of water superimposed over it shows what the country will look like in 30 years if climate change is not reversed." The verdict from Spones? The map being distributed via social media in October 2021 is from 2015 and shows the Mediterranean Sea superimposed on the U.S.
Physics World: 99 maps visualizing human impacts on the planet - Laura Hiscott reviews the new book "99 Maps to Save the Planet." She generally gives praise for the book published by KATAPULT, a German magazine that creates insightful infographics on various social issues.
Animation World Network: ‘Rosie's Rules’ Coming to PBS KIDS - "New 2D animated preschool comedy from 9 Story Media and Brown Bag Films stars 5-year-old Rosie Fuentes learning about the world beyond her family’s walls; the series, which debuts Fall 2022, aims to help young children develop awareness of themselves as part of a broader community." "Featuring a comprehensive social studies framework, the series encompasses civics and government, geography, economics, and history via engaging, character-based narratives to help children achieve the social studies proficiencies that are important for preschoolers."Events and opportunities
Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) GIS Conference - The virtual event, on Nov. 12, includes presentations, lightning talks, a map gallery, and social networking opportunities for individuals from BTAA institutions and beyond.
On and off campus
UC Davis: New online tool helps keep college campuses smoke and tobacco free - Elisa Tong, an internist and tobacco researcher with UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center co-authored a study to see if a new online tool (built on Survey123) for crowdsourced reporting of tobacco use and related litter is effective in supporting STF policies on college campuses. The intervention was explored on two California public universities—both with 100% smoke- and tobacco-free policies in place. The result? The Tobacco Tracker tool is indeed effective in helping ingrain smoke free policies into campus life.
Portland State: Climate and disaster resilience internships offer students on-the-job training, mentorship - Ten Portland State students are exploring the fields of climate and disaster resilience this year "as part of an internship program geared toward students from historically excluded and underserved communities."
Programs and courses
Redlands: University of Redlands launches School of Business & Society - The University of Redlands' new School of Business & Society "integrates and enhances the University’s business programs to empower students to positively impact their community and the world." Esri is not directly involved, but the press release notes "Esri’s recent $250,000 award to the school will be used to support research and curriculum developments in applying GIS to enhance corporate social responsibility, as well as a new Esri - U of R scholarship for historically underrepresented students to pursue such ambitions."
Yale: Marx Library announces new GIS accelerator - "Yale’s Marx Science and Social Science Library announced a new workshop last week to teach Yale affiliates the basics of geographic information systems, or GIS. The virtual program will run from Monday, Dec. 13, to Friday, Dec. 17, and will provide participants with a crash course in GIS."
People
KUER: James Niehues on map making, art and retirement - The well-respected ski map maker is 75 and is retiring from mapmaking. "He wants to devote more time to doing landscapes."
Central Michigan: Patton to assume interim leadership role in Provost’s Office - "Central Michigan University geography faculty member David Patton, who has been working quarter time for a few weeks providing leadership within the Provost's Office, will officially move into the role of interim senior vice provost for academic affairs full time beginning Nov. 1."Meanwhile in geography associationsCanadian Geographic: Global geography community calls for action on climate and biodiversity crises - Eighty "global geography societies and organizations from 59 countries have signed a joint declaration urging the world’s leaders to protect nature and secure a liveable climate." I recognize the names of some organizations (NGS, AAG, AGS) but many others are new to me.