Maplab
Meet the Extraordinary Women Making Maps Today
The final part in a series exploring little-seen contributions to cartography.
With the rise of geographic information systems and an explosion in digital mapmaking tools, the pencil-to-paper cartographer is all but an extinct species. Similarly, the definition of “cartographer” is expanding to include people with a wider variety of geospatial training and ambitions. That includes more women.
As this (very meta) map shows, women from all over the world collect, analyze and map spatial data for scientific research, government and nonprofits, businesses and universities. They design the maps we use on our phones, in public spaces, and in the media. And they make maps as works of art and commentary.