About
GIS and geospatial mapping are important tools for geographers and any student or researcher examining the location and distribution of people or resources. GIS enables us to examine patterns and processes in just about any field of study in which location is important. The purpose of this site is to share GIS knowledge, tools, and data gained from the experience of instructors, students, and other professionals in the field with the Vassar community and beyond.
Category Archives: Cool Stuff
Map of the Week: Pictorial Map of the American Continent: Featuring the Pan American Highway and showing some of the natural resources, scenic wonders, and points of interest
The back of this map is titled “Know Your Neighbors Better” and has descriptive articles on most of the countries featured on the map (including what were at the time French Colonies, British Honduras– later named Belize– British Guiana, and … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Map of the Week: Pictorial Map of the American Continent: Featuring the Pan American Highway and showing some of the natural resources, scenic wonders, and points of interest
Map of the Week: Brasil: Proposed Manufacturing Industries
This map of Brazil from 1943 shows the locations of various natural resources and industries. It’s unclear from the “proposed” in the title who is proposing these industries and to what level they may be already existing. Note the lack … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Map of the Week: Brasil: Proposed Manufacturing Industries
Map of the Week: Detroit Street Map
Michigan is a key swing state in this year’s presidential election. Although historically democratic, the state was narrowly won by Donald Trump in 2016. A recent New York Times article picked out three of the state’s counties– Macomb, Oakland, and … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Map of the Week: Detroit Street Map
Map of the Week: Congressional Districts (100th Congress), 1987
Hi everyone, Here’s another election-themed map as we get closer to November 3rd – hope you all have your absentee ballots in/have a voting plan if you’re able to vote. This map from the National Atlas of the United … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Map of the Week: Congressional Districts (100th Congress), 1987
Map of the Week: Known Sources of Primary Wealth, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has gotten a lot of attention this election season, as a key swing state that President Trump won over Hillary Clinton in 2016– the first time a republican presidential candidate had won the state since 1988– and as a … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Map of the Week: Known Sources of Primary Wealth, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Map of the Week: The Gold and Coal Fields of Alaska
The map from our archives hung up in the department each week will now also be posted here– this 1898 map from the U.S. Department of the Interior and USGS (potentially republished in National Geographic) shows gold and coal … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Map of the Week: The Gold and Coal Fields of Alaska
Greetings to new GIS (and GIS-curious) students
Whether you’re on campus or off, attending class in-person or remotely, whether you’re learning geospatial mapping tools (Geographic Information Systems) in class or as part of a class, or in an internship or CEL placement, participating in Hudson Valley Mappers … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Greetings to new GIS (and GIS-curious) students
Spring 2019 Web Mapping Class Projects Focus on Local Challenges and Opportunities
GEOG 228 (Web Mapping: Advanced Approaches to Publishing) is a half-unit course offered during the Spring semester, which introduces students to creating web maps, map apps, story maps, and other emerging applications on the ArcGIS Online. These applications offer new opportunities … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Spring 2019 Web Mapping Class Projects Focus on Local Challenges and Opportunities
Road Condition Mapping for Local Municipalities
by Rebecca Odell (Geography ’20) As part of my internship at the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC), my project was to map road quality data from past internships completed by students from Cornell University. When I first started, there was … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff
Comments Off on Road Condition Mapping for Local Municipalities
Cartography final projects
The Cartography class (GEOG/ESCI 220) completed another excellent set of final projects in December 2017. The aim of these projects was to convey important findings in maps and graphs, in a way that demonstrates excellent cartographic practices. (Click on slides … Continue reading
Posted in Cool Stuff, Projects, Student Work
Comments Off on Cartography final projects