CGA "Brown Bag" Presentation by Jeff Blossom
Abstract: The Map of Inclusive Spaces and Symbols (MISS) at Harvard is an interactive web application that visualizes inclusive symbols and spaces around campus. The aim of MISS is to document and increase the visibility of these symbols and spaces to allow for offices, centers, and schools to begin to recognize their importance, commit to increasing space and symbol diversification efforts, and contribute additional datapoints to our map. Specifically, the objectives of MISS are to: 1) Create an accessible, design-focused, interactive map for the Harvard community to identify and learn more about inclusive symbols and spaces on campus, 2) Collaborate with centers, offices, and departments on campus to diversify their spaces and showcase their work on the map, and 3) Create a movement in which all Harvard community members work to increase representation on our walls and in our common spaces and acknowledge and reckon with the University’s history. MISS is designed for use by the entire Harvard community – staff, faculty, students, student families, fellows, and more. As a public facing website, the site is available to anyone.
Speaker bio: Jeff Blossom is the GIS Service Manager at the Center for Geographic Analysis at Harvard University. He has experience working in the GIS industry for 25+ years as a technician, analyst, developer, manager, and educator. Jeff earned an M.A. in Geography from the University of Denver in 2002, and a B.S. from Willamette University (OR) in 1995. Jeff's work experience includes GIS jobs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, the U.S.G.S. in Lakewood, CO, and the City and County of Denver.
This presentation was given at the International Cartographic Conference on August 18. View the slides from the presentation.