Cartography Training/Go natural

Mary Liwhu Marcellinus is a determined, world-travelling cartography expert on a mission to make maps and education accessible to all. With an adventurous spirit and a knack for teaching, Mary’s YouTube channels (Spatial Intelligent and one focused on the African diaspora) reflect her passion for geospatial tech and community building. Her journey has been anything but ordinary, shaped by resilience and a drive to turn hardship into opportunity. She's blending mapping, teaching, and environmental advocacy. Along the way, she's crafting children's storybooks and productivity systems while exploring creative ways to integrate offline solutions for her MapSmart Kids app. Above all, Mary is dedicated to making the world a more informed, connected place—one map at a time.

When we look at a map, we usually expect "north" to be at the top. It's such a normal part of map reading that we rarely question it. But have you ever noticed how confusing it can be to actually navigate with that kind of map—especially when you're not facing north? In 1992, cartographer Alan MacEachren explored this exact problem in his paper “Learning Spatial Information from Maps: Can Orientation-Specificity Be Overcome?”. His work asked a simple but important question: Does the way a map is oriented affect how well we learn from it? 🔄 What Is Orientation-Specificity? Orientation-specificity means that our memory and understanding of a map can get "locked" to how the map was first presented to us. For example, if you learn a route on a north-up map and later try to recall it while facing south, you might struggle. This effect shows how our brains tend to connect spatial memory to specific visual frames—even if those frames don’t match our real-world ori...

Agriculture is evolving — and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is leading the revolution. No longer just about ploughs and tractors, modern farming relies on data-driven decisions to boost productivity and protect the environment. Here's how GIS is transforming agriculture every day. A farmer uses satellite maps and sensors to apply fertilizer only where needed, saving money and minimizing runoff 1. Precision Farming GIS enables farmers to monitor variability across their fields. By mapping soil types, crop conditions, and nutrient levels, they apply the right treatment in the right place — reducing waste and increasing yields. 2. Crop Health Monitoring GIS tools use satellite imagery and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) maps to assess plant health. This helps farmers detect disease, pest infestation, or drought stress early — before it spreads. 3. Soil Mapping & Analysis Detailed GIS-based soil maps inform farmers about moisture levels, composition, and pH acr...

  10 Everyday Uses of Maps You Didn’t Learn in School Maps are no longer confined to the pages of geography textbooks. In today’s digital world, maps and geospatial technology are quietly powering many everyday activities—from ordering food to sharing photos on social media. Whether you're a GIS student, a tech educator, or simply curious about how mapping tools work in the background, this post reveals 10 real-life uses of maps you probably didn’t learn in school. 1. Finding Nearby Services with Digital Maps From finding the closest coffee shop to locating a pharmacy at midnight, location-based apps like Google Maps and Waze are practical tools powered by GIS. Related Post: What Is Location Intelligence in GIS? 2. Tracking Fitness with GPS Mapping Apps Apps like Strava, Fitbit, and Nike Run Club use spatial data to help users map routes, monitor progress, and analyze fitness trends. External Link: Strava Global Heatmap 3. Route Optimization for Deliveries ...

Mapping for effective crop production involves using spatial data and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to plan, monitor, and optimize agricultural activities. Here’s a simplified guide to get you started:  1. Identify Objectives Determine your goals. What do you want to achieve? Examples include: - Soil suitability assessment - Irrigation planning - Yield prediction 2. Collect Relevant Data Gather the following data types: - Soil maps (including pH, texture, and fertility) - Rainfall and climate data - Topographical information (elevation and slope) - Land use and land cover data - Satellite imagery or drone data  3. Use GIS Tools for Analysis Utilize GIS software such as QGIS or ArcGIS, which are powerful and, in the case of QGIS, free for agricultural mapping. Follow these steps: - Create separate layers for each dataset. - Perform raster analysis for slope and rainfall zones. - Conduct overlay analysis to combine various data for suitability modelling. 4. modelling...

. Introduction Define social inequality in urban contexts (e.g., income, education, housing, health). Explain why mapping these inequalities is important for policy and planning.  Objectives: To spatially analyze disparities in urban services and living conditions. To visually communicate inequality through GIS-based cartographic tools.  Literature Review Review works on spatial inequality, urban geography, and GIS applications. A map Demographic background Socio-economic context Satellite imagery  . Methodology a. Data Collection Spatial Data: Administrative boundaries (wards, districts, etc.) Road networks, public transport, land use Socioeconomic Data: Population density Income levels Unemployment rates Educational attainment Housing quality or informal settlements Crime rates Health facility locations Sources: National census bureaus City development plans UN-Habitat, World Bank, OpenStreetMap Household surveys use (ODK, Kobocollect) Local NGOs or government departmen...

Learn how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be used to map, monitor, and analyze mosquito populations and breeding sites for public health and research purposes. 1. Introduction to Mosquito Tracking with GIS Why track mosquitoes? Disease control (malaria, dengue, Zika, etc.) Environmental management Public health decision-making How GIS helps: Mapping mosquito habitats and breeding sites Analyzing environmental factors (rainfall, temperature, land use) Visualizing spatial patterns and risks 2. Data Requirements Base layers: Administrative boundaries Land use/land cover Water bodies Elevation/DEM (optional) Mosquito data: Location of mosquito traps or breeding sites (GPS coordinates) Mosquito species Larval counts or adult mosquito density Date and time of capture Environmental data: Rainfall, temperature (can be from satellite sources or weather stations) 3. Tools You’ll Need GIS Software: QGIS (Free and Open Source) ArcGIS (Paid, with more features) GPS device or mobile app for...