GIS3015 - Cartographic Skills - Student Spotlight

Instructor: Penelope Bishop Mitchell, TA: Brandon Deusenberry

Module 9: Flowline Mapping

Module 9 required students to undertake Flow Line Mapping.  Flow maps utilize lines of varying width to depict the movement of phenomena between geographic locations.  Students utilized Adobe Illustrator to create a distributive flow map to illustrate global immigration figures into the United States.  Lab materials provided base maps produced in ArcMap, and left students with the task of rearranging continents and creating proportional flow lines and corresponding legends in accordance with design principles.

Lab Learning Outcomes:

• Assess design issues for flow line mapping
• Calculate proportional line widths using excel
• Utilize Adobe Illustrator to construct global scale flow map
• Create a final map that demonstrates proper cartographic and flow map design techniques
• Summarize and present lab objectives and outcomes

AND THE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT AWARD WINNER IS: Sarah Rehrer!

Sarah’s flow line map stood out for its clear presentation of data.  Her effective implementation of the appropriate visual hierarchy is the map’s selling point.  Flow lines and U.S. immigration data stand out above all other map elements.  The map’s design demonstrates a competency with Adobe Illustrator--the flow line styling and placement is subtle yet effective, the drop shadow used on the U.S. map helps leverage that information, the monochromatic color choice for global continents creates map continuity and prevents distraction from excessive color in this particular map design.  The choropleth legend has contiguous legend swatches in keeping with textbook choropleth legend design.  The horizontal legend orientation is ideal for legend placement within available map space.  The map elements are balanced throughout the page, with all objects being sized appropriately for easy viewing.  Map information provides correct data sources, projection as well as other helpful information to aid in correct map interpretation.  

Sarah has also consistently drafted excellent blog posts.  Her flow mapping post effectively explains the flow mapping concepts, lab objectives, as well as her process in creating her map.  Outstanding work Sarah!!

Follow Sarah's work at her student blog: http://serehrergis.blogspot.com

This week we also have an Honorable Mention: Jorge Rosado! 

We would also like to recognize Jorge Rosado for originality of map design and excellent graphic design skills.  Jorge’s map is reminiscent of a systems diagram, with the proportional line widths flowing into one major immigration line which flows into the United States immigration diagram.  The pie charts and figures demonstrate extreme proficiency with Adobe Illustrator. Jorge consistently is pushing the boundaries of traditional map design to create innovative and skillful cartographic products. 

This guy has some serious talent!  Keep it up Jorge!!

Follow Jorge's work at his student blog: http://donjorgerosado.blogspot.com

GIS4944/5945, GIS Internship Student Spotlights

GIS4944/5945, GIS Internship, Instructors: Amber Bloechle, GISP and Dr. Derek Morgan. Course Facilitator /Coach: Salina Randall

 

GIS Internships - Let's get to work!

In a continued effort to spotlight our Internship students, here is a web application that highlights what each student has been doing in their internship and where their internship is located. The iframe below highlights just Spring 2016 students. However, we currently have 3 semesters total included on the "Internship Tour" and plan to continue updating it each year in efforts to create a wonderful resource for our current and prospective students. 

This information has been pulled from a "Press Release" assignment that each student completed in Week 7 of the Internship course. Feel free to share the entire tour with your friends!

GIS4043/L - Introduction to GIS - Student Spotlight

Instructor: Amber Bloechle, TA: Deidra Krolikowski

Labs 7 & 8:  The Start of a Geographic Adventure!

This week's lab was the Data Search Lab.  The goal of this lab was to:

1. Download freely available raster and vector data for a specified FL county;
2. Line it up in ArcGIS with a common projection;
3. Create a useful, easy to read map.

While this doesn't seem complicated, making sure the projections match, getting the newest set of data, and arranging it can be difficult.

The STUDENT SPOTLIGHT AWARD goes to... 

Manny Miranda! Manny comes to us from North Dartmouth Massachusetts working for National Grid as a Distribution Designer in the Electrical Industry. He also shows his love of animals with his dog, bird, and 2 cats!

Manny's map demonstrates a fantastic use of insets for highlighting important information, and centering the legend between all 3 makes a great design choice! Using a Point File to show Invasive Plants over a Land Cover file highlights the concentration in specific areas clearly and concisely.

Follow Manny's progress at his student blog:  http://mannym13.blogspot.com

GIS3015 - Cartographic Skills - Student Spotlight

Instructor: Penelope Bishop Mitchell, TA: Brandon Deusenberry

 Module 7: Choropleth and Proportional Symbol Mapping

In the Choropleth and Proportional Symbol Mapping lab students were tasked with presenting European population density and wine consumption per capita on one map.

Students used the choropleth thematic mapping method as well as their choice between proportional or graduated symbol mapping to get the job done.  They also called upon their data classification knowledge to best present the data sets.  Lastly, the maps were polished using graphic design capabilities of Adobe Illustrator.

Learning Outcomes:

• Choose an appropriate color scheme for a choropleth map
• Create appropriate legend for classification scheme and map type
• Implement appropriate classification method for population data
• Utilize SQL Query language to manipulate data presentation
• Utilize proportional or graduated symbols
• Optionally create effective thematic picture symbols
• Compile map in accordance with cartographic design principles
• Use Adobe Illustrator to polish map into publishable material

AND THE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT AWARD WINNER IS: Rachel Hamaty!

Rachel did an excellent job clearly presenting the two datasets on one map.  The population density dataset has been displayed using a quantile classification scheme, which gives a clear spread of the population data.  She opted to use graduated symbology with a manual classification to display the wine consumption dataset.  The symbols and associated labels are neatly placed and easy to read.  The enlargement inset map does a great job highlighting an otherwise hard to see region, whilst also effectively breaking up a crowded area of the map.  The color schemes chosen are color blind friendly and allow intuitive interpretation of the datasets.  Map space is used to its full potential, with map content as large as possible for easy viewing.  The background symbology provides geographic reference and promotes figure ground distinction of the area of interest.  Although, I wanted to see a more in depth map subtext, Rachel’s professional map execution could not go unnoticed.  Nicely done Rachel!

Follow Rachel's work here: http://rachelhamaty1.blogspot.com/