What Is Geovisualization? to the Growing Field of Geovisualization
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This issue of GeoMatters is devoted What is Geovisualization? to the growing field of geovisualization. Brian McGregor uses geovisualiztion to by Joni Storie produce animated maps showing settle- ment patterns of Hutterite colonies. Dr. Marc Vachon’s students use it to produce From a cartography perspective, dynamic presentation options to com- videos about urban visualization (City geovisualization represents a change in municate knowledge. For example, at- Hall and Assiniboine Park), while Dr. how knowledge is formed and repre- lases require extra planning compared Chris Storie shows geovisualiztion for sented. Traditional cartography is usu- to individual maps, structurally they retail mapping in Winnipeg. Also in this issue Honours students describe their ally seen a visualization (a.k.a. map) could include hundreds of maps, and thesis projects for the upcoming collo- that is presented after the conclusion all the maps relate to each other. Dr. quium next March, Adrienne Ducharme is reached to emphasize or compliment Danny Blair and Dr. Ian Mauro, in the tells us about her graduate research at the research conclusions. Geovisual- Department of Geography, provide an ELA, we have a report about Cultivate ization changes this format by incor- excellent example of this integration UWinnipeg and our alumni profile fea- porating spatial data into the analysis with the Prairie Climate Atlas (http:// tures Michelle Méthot (Smith). (O’Sullivan and Unwin, 2010). Spatial www.climateatlas.ca/). The combina- Please feel free to pass this newsletter data, statistics and analysis are used to tion of maps with multimedia provides to anyone with an interest in geography. answer questions which contribute to for better understanding as well as en- Individuals can also see GeoMatters at the Geography website, or keep up with the conclusion that is reached within riched and informative experiences of us on Facebook (Department of Geog- the research. In this manner, Geovisual- the mapped phenomena, the region raphy, University of Winnipeg) or on ization integrates approaches, includes and its people. Twitter (@UWGeography). methods and tools for visual explora- If you have any suggestions for future tion, analysis, synthesis and presenta- newsletter articles, please feel free to tion of geospatial data (MacKay, 1995); References contact us at: [email protected] develop problem solutions and con- struct knowledge (Krackhardt, 1996); Lorensen, B. 2004. Panel statement: On the Editors: Joni Storie & Weldon Hiebert death of visualization: Can it survive with- transforms data in a search for patterns out customers. In NIH/NSF Fall 2004 Work- and relationships (MacEachren, 2001); shop on Visualization Research Challenges, and facilitate thinking, understanding http://visual.nlm.nih.gov. and knowledge construction about Krackhardt, D. 1996. Social networks and the Table of Contents geospatial data (Lorensen, 2004). liability of newness for managers. Trends in There is more to geovisualization Organizational Behavior 3: 159–173. Animated Map Sequences ...................2 than the advancement of cartographic MacEachren, A. M. 2001. An evolving cog- Cultivate UWinnipeg ...........................2 knowledge generation. Because of dig- nitive-semiotic approach to geographic Undergraduate Thesis Students ............3 ital and computerization of mapping visualization and knowledge construction. Information Design Journal 10: 26–36. Graduate Research Profile ....................4 in geography, news ways of visualiz- Mackay, W. E. 1995. Ethics, lies and video- Alumni Profile ......................................4 ing and using spatial information is be- tape. In SIGCHI conference on Human fac- Retail Mapping for Winnipeg ...............5 ing developed. Technology allows for tors in computing systems. pp. 138–145. , Urban Geovisualization ........................5 three-dimensional and animated pre- New York, NY: Addison-Wesley/ACM Press. sentations, quick and well distributed O’Sullivan, D., and D. Unwin.2014. Geo- Haidi Gwaii .........................................6 Electronic Atlases, and the incorpora- graphic information analysis. Hoboken, NJ: tion of multimedia into otherwise stat- John Wiley & Sons. (2014). ic maps and/or geographic representa- tions. Many of the questions today are how to effectively use and deliver these http://geography.uwinnipeg.ca 1 Animated Map Sequences: Revealing Cultivate UWinnipeg Changes in Spatial Patterns Over Time by Jeremy Leathers by Brian McGregor Cultivate UWinnipeg started out as an initiative to address food security at the An important function of maps is grees of generalization when symbol- University of Winnipeg campus. There weren’t many places to buy fresh produce to make things visible by representing izing spatial relationships at a smaller in the area, understanding that an outlet spatial relationships at a scale we can scale on a map, temporal changes can was needed for affordable, locally grown see. For example, we can’t stand out- be represented with different degrees produce. The initiative grew into a patio side and see where the cities of North of generalization. For example, a sec- garden that was for students by students. America are in relation to one another ond can be used to represent a day, a Organic, non-GMO produce would now but a map can let us see their spatial week, a month or a year etc. be available to the campus public, while relationships by portraying them at Over the years I have created a also raising awareness about food security a much smaller scale. However, map- number of animated map sequences to issues on campus. ping not only extends our vision in help researchers understand changes Students, Hailey Robichaud, Matthew Nguyen, and Daniel LeBlanc, collaborated terms of scale. Even if we could make in spatial patterns over time. One proj- and received the 2015/2016 GESA Eco- a trip up to the International Space Sta- ect, with Dr. Tony Kuz, looked at differ- Grant to begin the project. What was only tion every time we wanted to see cloud ential change in house prices over time an idea and sketches turned into a reality. cover, instead of looking at a map of it across Winnipeg’s neighbourhoods. Even the campus cafeteria approached the such as a satellite image, we can never Another, with Dr. Jerry Buckland, ex- project to be involved! directly see average cloud cover. Maps amined the retreat of banks from Inner- During the late winter 2015/2016, can make patterns, such as the pattern city Winnipeg and how that void was seeding began in the greenhouse, and life of average cloud cover, visible by rep- filled by payday lenders. emerged! Garden beds were set up, and resenting temporal (time) relationships Include here are three examples seeding and transplanting began taking place. The once bare, and unused patios at another scale. Conventionally this of animated maps created in collabo- began to bloom with life, making an invit- has been done by compressing a period ration with Dr. John Lehr, a Histori- ing space. of time down to a point in time. For cal Geographer. One of his areas of Although it has only been the first year, example, we can create a map showing expertise is the settlement of Western the project has shown tremendous prog- European settlement that took place Canada. The first shows settlement ress. The group members hope to attract on the Canadian prairies between 1890 by ethnic group in South-eastern more student interest in the fall, and cre- and 1900. Manitoba from 1870 to 1946 (SE_MB_ ate more ways for students to be involved. With the advent of modern com- Settlement_1870to1946_1sec.wmv). The project has recently been teaming up puter hardware and software it be- The second shows Hutterite settle- with the UWSA to continue the proj- ect into the coming years, promote the came practical to create animated map ment in North America from 1874 to garden, and spread awareness of food sequences. For example, to study the 2003 (Hutterite_1874to2003_5yr_2sec. security issues. progress of European settlement on wmv). This map would not have been Students who would like to get involved the Canadian prairies we can change possible without the work of Weldon in the project can email us at CUWinni- the scale of time so each year is repre- Hiebert in determining the location of [email protected] sented by one second. In the same way present day colonies. The final animat- We also have a facebook page at that small distances between the sym- ed map shows the spread of European https://www.facebook.com/CUWinnipeg/ bols on the map are used to represent agricultural settlement across the Ca- larger distances, we can use small units nadian prairies from 1871 to 1920 using of time to represent longer time peri- schools as a surrogate(Ag_Settlement_ ods. Just as we can use different de- Cdn_Prairies_1871to1920_1sec.wmv). GESA Beer Festival GESA will host their 4th Annual Beer Festival Fund- faiser on November 17, 2016 from 8-10 pm. at Gar- bonzo’s University of Winnipeg AnX. For $20 you get a slice of beer and unlimited samples of beers from local brewers and distributors. Tickets are available from GESA executive members, Tania (5L02) or at Matthew Nguyen proudly displaying the the door. Proceeds from this fundraiser support cam- fruits of Cultivate UWinnipeg’s labour. pus eco-projects. (Photo courtesy of M. Nguyen) 2 2016-2017 Geography Undergraduate Thesis Students The Geography Students Colloquium will take place on Friday, March 31, 2017 at the University Club (4th