Who We Are
What We Do
The UVic Map Shop is a community-campus initiative dedicated to collaborative place-based learning and mapping. Operated by the Department of Geography, the Map Shop's mission is to facilitate processes for community engagement, student learning, globally-relevant research, and sustainable community planning through participatory community mapping. This is achieved through engaging students, community members, Indigenous partners, and other participants both locally and globally in classroom-based and field-based courses, workshops, map-making, internship opportunities, scholarly research, publications, summits, and conference participation.
Our History
The Map Shop traces its roots to the Common Ground Community Mapping Project, first initiated at UVic in 1997 by Maeve Lydon. Geography staff member and cartographer, Ken Josephson was contracted to help produce the first Greater Victoria Green Map and Regional Community Green Map. As more districts, neighbourhoods, and NGO's became involved, a space was created for collaboration in the Geography Department in 2008. With a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant, the community mapping course was piloted and the Community Mapping Collaboratory (CMC) was established.
The Map Shop has evolved to its current status as a community-engaged laboratory based out of the Department of Geography with support from the Faculty of Social Sciences Community Engaged Learning Coordinator, Rhianna Nagel, who acts as a liaison between the Map Shop and relevant CEL coursework, field programs and related projects in the Social Sciences. The Map Shop's projects are part of a global network of partners, participants and stakeholders. These include local government, the Greater Victoria Region, numerous community associations, and First Nations.
Our Structure
The Map Shop's governance has adapted over the years to the changing nature of its capacities, stakeholders and operations. While the Map Shop continues to be guided by a dynamic steering committee comprised of representatives from community organizations, non-profits, First Nations, University staff and Faculty, the current governance and administrative structure of the Map Shop is under evaluation while the University and Department develop a new plan for the Map Shop's future operations.
Our Team
Ken Josephson
Coordinator
Ken has been with the Map Shop since its beginning and has worked with numerous community groups to help them meet their mapping goals. He works in the UVic Geography department as a cartographer with a specialization in graphic design, community mapping, and community outreach.
Dr. Crystal Tremblay
Faculty Advisor
Crystal Tremblay is an Assistant Professor in Geography and Co-chair of the Map Shop. Her research and teaching focuses on bridging knowledge systems in the pursuit of social, environmental and spatial justice. She is the academic lead of the Salish Sea Hub and Director of CIFAL Victoria, providing training and capacity building to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr. Chris Bone
Faculty Advisor
Chris Bone is an Associate Professor in Geography whose research and teaching focuses on the use of geospatial technologies and digital mapping for monitoring and managing environmental change.
Student Partners
Gillian Voss
Geospatial Technician
Gillian is a fifth-year Geography student working on her BSc in Geography with a Concentration in Geomatics. Her main interests are GIS and spatial analysis and she is looking forward to using these tools in a variety of study areas.
Riley Sondergaard
Community Engagement Liaison
Riley is a fifth-year Geography and Environmental Studies student working on her BA with a concentration in City Planning and Community-Based research. She is looking forward to using her skills to connect with community partners and help create meaningful projects.
Rhianna Nagel
UVic Community Engaged Learning Coordinator
Rhianna runs UVic’s Community-Engaged Learning Office. She comes to this work through interests in asset-based community building, learning through reflection on doing, and social and ecological interconnectedness. A graduate from Geography’s Community-Based Research lab and having used community mapping in research, teaching and community initiatives, Rhianna is a strong supporter of the Map Shop.
Dr. Jessica Neal
Geospatial Technologies Lead
Jessica’s research and teaching specializes in the use of GIS, spatial analysis, modelling, and web maps to answer complex environmental questions. She enjoys supporting community and student research projects. Feel free to reach out to her with your spatial data needs.
On-Campus Partners
Maleea Acker
Critical Geographies Lab
Maleea Acker is a post-doctoral research fellow with Environment and Climate Change Canada, based at the University of Victoria. She is also a Geography and Canadian Studies instructor at UVic, faculty at Thompson Rivers University, and term instructor at Camosun College. Her research, teaching, and writing focuses on decolonial, creative, community-engaged knowledge and practice in community mapping, science communications, geopolitics, environmental journalism and literature