National Geographic recognizes student research in the mapping sciences with awards sponsored through different organizations:

- British Cartographic Society
- American Congress on Surveying and Mapping
- Association of American Geographers
- South African Student Award

BRITISH CARTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

A page from Paul Light's work, "National Parks & Historic Sites of Western Newfoundland and Labrador." See a larger version >> The National Geographic New Mapmaker Award recognizes the work of college students and new professionals that make maps. The British Cartographic Society organizes this award. Paul A. Light, a student at the Centre for Geographic Sciences (COGS) in Nova Scotia, Canada, won this year's award. His map product, "National Parks & Historic Sites of Western Newfoundland and Labrador," successfully illustrated a compelling geographic story. Paul received £500 ($1000 Canadian), an award certificate, and the new Collegiate Atlas of the World. Paul said, "Ada Cheung and the other cartography instructors at COGS are very good at what they do. I learned a lot from them, and it has put me in good stead for my current job." Another new mapmaker, Saiyad Shamim Raza, from India, received a commended certificate for his map on North Delhi Power Limited. The awards were presented during the 43rd Annual BCS Symposium, this year at the University of Manchester's School of Environment and Development.

Next application deadline is July 2007. More information is available at the British Cartographic Society's Web site.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2005     Shannon Brassard, Centre for Geographic Sciences, Nova Scotia, Canada 2004     Donna Watkin, Oxford Brookes University, England Izak P. J. Smith, University of Cambridge, England 2003     Esme Farewell, Oxford Brookes University, England 2002     Edward Merritt, Oxford Brookes University, England Jo-Ann Burke, University of East London, England 2001     Laura Stewart, University of Edinburgh, Scotland Jonathan Poulton, Oxford Brookes University, England

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AMERICAN CONGRESS ON SURVEYING AND MAPPING (ACSM)

National Geographic awards, sponsored through ACSM, were renamed in 2004 to mark the passing of two renowned cartographers. Dr. Arthur Robinson helped educate generations of cartographers as a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and through his contributions to the Elements of Cartography textbook, and he was a past president of ACSM. The first Arthur Robinson Award for Best Printed Map went to Jared Wiedmeyer, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The 2005 award went to Vicki Gazzola, Center for Geographic Science, Nova Scotia, for her Kayaking in Canada map. The second award is named after David Woodward, also a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Woodward was Founding Co-Editor for the History of Cartography Project; his work preserved countless cartographic treasures from the past, making them available to 21st century map users. Benjamin Sheesley and Jeff Stone, University of Wisconsin-Madison, shared the first David Woodward Award for Best Digital Map. The 2005 award went to geography students at the University of Maryland-Baltimore for the Digital Atlas of the Megalopolis. The awards evaluate map design and how well a map meets its design objectives. Students need not be members of ACSM to apply. The deadline for next year's awards is January 15, 2007. More information and application forms are at the ACSM/CaGIS Web site. See the 2006 winners.

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ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS
Undergraduate students and master's-degree candidates are invited to apply for the National Geographic Award in Mapping. This award recognizes student achievement in the art, science, and technology of mapping and seeks to encourage student research. The award consists of a cash prize of up to $1200 (U.S.) and National Geographic map products.

The award winner, or winners, will be announced at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) in San Francisco, California, April 17-21, 2007. This award is administered through the AAG Cartography Specialty Group (CSG). Applying students do not need to be members of the AAG.

2006 AWARD WINNER

Picture of Heather Francisco receiving her award from Professor Rob Edsall, Cartography Specialty Group Awards Director, at the AAG meeting in Chicago.

Heather Francisco, a masters degree student in the Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, won this year's award. Her map, Refugee Movements in Africa, was admired by the judges for its "beautiful visual harmony." Professor Mark Harrower recommended his student because of her impressive ability to "tell a story" using graphic design in cartography. She received $1200 and two National Geographic atlases.

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HOW TO APPLY
Please include the following items for mailed or digital entries:

• A statement of how this award would help you with your educational plans. Please type this on one sheet of paper and include your name, address, phone number, email, and cartography/GIS instructor's name.
• An example of a recent map, or mapping project, done from 2005 to 2007. Maps or projects done for classes can be submitted.
• A letter from your instructor or adviser—highlighting mapping experience. This letter can be included with the other items or can be sent separately.

Entries must be postmarked by January 30, 2007.

Entries from North America go to:

Professor Rob Edsall
Department of Geography
600 E. Orange St.
SCOB Bldg Room 330
Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona 85287-0104
Email: robedsall@asu.edu

Entries from Europe go to:

Professor Sara Fabrikant
Geographic Information Visualization & Analysis
Department of Geography
University of Zurich-Irchel
Winterthurerstr. 190
CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
Email: sara@geo.unizh.ch

QUESTIONS? Please email Rob Edsall, Sara Fabrikant, or David Miller, National Geographic Maps, email: dmiller@ngs.org.

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