By: Tara Anthony

A Focus on Women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of Spatial Science: Impact of Women in GIS Across Fields

This post highlights some of the key features of Women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of Spatial Science (2020) as there was a previous display in the Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information on Women in GIScience, which included reference to Women and GIS: Mapping Their Stories. Additional materials are also included related to the volume 2 text, which can be accessed online. These texts are available via interlibrary loan. More information on Women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of Spatial Science can be found on the Esri Press webpage.

Women and GIS, vol.2: Stars of Spatial Science profiles 30 women from across the fields of science, research, education, government, business, humanitarian, environment, and conservation fields. The text is visually organized with symbols to represent these different categories of representation. There is also additional organization based on leaders, pioneers, entrepreneurs, and fieldworkers. An additional feature of this text is also a color categorization based on the continental location of each profile. These additional features highlight the greater perspective of voices represented in the examples, a more international focus of perspectives of experiences, and broader career journeys.

A Story Map entitled, “Celebrating Women: Stars of Spatial Science,” from Esri highlights briefly the women represented in volume 2. A user can choose the category of their interest to locate the individuals profiled. Also, additional work has been done to highlight women in the GIS field through the Women in GIS Around the World and with the Women in GIS organization.

Generally, each section begins with how early childhood activities related to geography, geospatial information, and/or future geospatial interests. Career journeys are relayed from education backgrounds, career changes, information on pivotal career decisions, and the role of mentors. These selected narratives do have a primary focus on key career and professional influences with less of a focus on aspects of a personal or family narrative interwoven with the professional journeys of these individuals.

A selection of women profiled are represented here to illustrate the broad categories of women being leaders in the GIS field, along with multiple uses of geospatial information. Elizabeth Groff, Criminal Justice Professor at Temple University in Pennsylvania, is profiled based on her experience using criminal mapping techniques in police departments. Groff’s work with crime mapping has been influential in reducing crime. Kelsey Leonard of the Shinnecock Indian Nation has been influential in protection of the Shinnecock Indian Nation waters, along with other climate, water, and policy topics. Veronica Velez is highlighted for her work with critical race spatial analysis and research in social and racial topics related to education. Cyhana Lena Williams’ work in Africa focuses on connections of business and GIS.

Women and GIS, vol.2: Stars of Spatial Science can be referenced from across fields to illustrate the many ways geospatial information is having an impact in societies. These examples depict the journeys of women in their educational and career paths in their pursuits to have an impact on their communities through application and use of geospatial information.

Reference Women and GIS, vol. 2: Stars of spatial science. (2020). Esri Press.