Geography, more than mere place names…
“To know by heart a whole gazetteer full of them would not, in itself, constitute anyone a geographer.
Geography has higher aims than this: it seeks to classify phenomena (alike of the natural and of the political world, in so far as it treats of the latter), to compare, to generalize, to ascend from effects to causes, and, in doing so, to trace out the great laws of nature and to mark their influences upon man. This is ‘a description of the world’—that is Geography.”
— William Hughes 1863
Jill Saligoe-Simmel, Ph.D.
As a professional geographer, Jill is committed to working on projects with strong social value to further more vibrant and sustainable communities.
She understands that decision-making in our rapidly changing world
requires a data-driven approach.
Interests: Environment & Society, Open Data, Cartography, Design, Urban & Regional Planning, Geospatial Technology/Analyses, Water Resources, Exploring Connections & Tinkering
The book On Becoming a Professional Geographer, ed. M. Kenzer (1989), has influenced the careers of countless graduate students. Guiding the various professional paths of budding geographers, it is as relevant today as when it was first released. It is the inspiration for this blog.
Jill Saligoe-Simmel, Ph.D.
Mapdiva, LLC
co-founder, managing partner
Saligoe-Simmel, LLC
owner
Education
Oregon State University, Ph.D., Resource Geography / Water & Land Use concentration
Resource geography examines human use of resources. It includes studies in environmental impacts, biotic and water resources, environmental quality, recreation resources, mineral and energy resources, agriculture, policy analysis of natural resource management, urban, regional, and land use planning.
Indiana State University,M.A., Physical Geography / Technology concentration
Ball State University, B.S., Physical Geography / Technology concentration
Experience
2008-present, Co-founder / managing partner, Mapdiva, LLC (mapdiva.com); Cartography and graphic design software for Mac OS X
2005-present, Owner, Saligoe-Simmel, LLC; Consulting and project management
2011-present, Owner, Our House Interactive, LLC (ourhouseinteractive.com); iOS apps and various tinkering
2008-2008, Instructor, Cartography and Graphics, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Department of Geography
1998-2005, Owner, Watershed Research; GIS coordination services and water resources management
2003-2004, Project Manager, Crisis Response Mapping Center, Indiana Counter-Terrorism and Security Council; Developed GIS resources at the Indiana State Department of Homeland Security
2003-2008, Executive Director, Indiana Geographic Information Council, Inc.
2001-2003, President, Indiana Geographic Information Council, Inc.
2000-2001, Senior Research Associate, The Polis Center, School of Liberal Arts, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis; Responsible for statewide GIS initiative and strategic planning within the organization
1999-2007, Adjunct Professor, Center for Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Science, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
1998-1999, Sr. Environmental Manager, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Groundwater Section; Consultant to the Wellhead Protection Program and Source Water Assessment Program
1998-1998, Visiting Assistant Professor, Ball State University, Department of Natural Resources
1997-2001, Chairman, Indiana GIS Initiative
1995-1997, Faculty Researcher, National Water Quality Monitoring Program, Oregon State University, Department of Soil Sciences; Technical assistant to the Western U.S. States for the EPA National Monitoring Program
1994-1995, Air Photo Analyst, Forest Data Incorporated, Corvallis, Oregon
1993-1995, Instructor, Environmental Conservation, Oregon State University, Geosciences Department
1991-1993, Geographic Information Systems Specialist, R.W. Armstrong & Associates, Indianapolis, Indiana
Professional Memberships & Volunteerism
Nora Alliance (NoraIndy.org) – community organization
Association of American Geographers
Indiana Geographic Information Council
NSGIC Geospatial Preparedness Committee, Chairman (2004-2008)
National States’ Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) Board of Directors (2003-2008)
Honors
David C. Ford Special Achievement Award, Indiana Geographic Information Council
Outstanding Service Award, National States’ Geographic Information Council
ESRI Special Achievement in GIS Award (presented to the Indiana Geographic Information Council, Inc.)
Selected Projects
GIS Inventory, Role: Manager (as Saligoe-Simmel, LLC)
Indiana Address Integration Pilot Project, Role: Project Director
IndianaMap Return on Investment Study, Role: Project Director
IGIC Project Manager / Director (as Saligoe-Simmel, LLC)
NSGIC GIS Inventory System, Technical Project Manager (as Saligoe-Simmel, LLC)
National Strategy for Homeland Security Geospatial Infrastructure, Role: Writer (as Saligoe-Simmel, LLC)
Statewide 2005 Color Orthophotography Project, Multiple Grant Sources, Role: Project Director
Web Roll-out of the IndianaMap, USGS Eastern Region Geography, Role: Co-Primary Investigator
ESRI Indiana Crisis Response Mapping Center (software/training grant). Role: Primary Investigator through CTASC
NASA / AIGT, NASA Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop, Role: Primary Investigator
EPA 319 Water Quality grant, Indiana Water Quality Atlas (at The Polis Center at IUPUI). Role: Co-Primary Investigator
IndianaMap Phase 1 Benchmark and Gap Assessment, Indiana Land Resources Council, Role: Primary Investigator
Planning for a Statewide GIS, Indiana Land Resources Council, Role: Primary Investigator
Indiana Metadata Training, USGS Federal Geographic Data Committee, Role: Primary Investigator
Indiana Don’t Duck Metadata, USGS Federal Geographic Data Committee, Role: Primary Investigator
Selected Projects
Mapdiva: Design Software for OS X
Nora Alliance
National GIS Inventory
Finger Math Chisenbop
Natural Earth Data: Worldwide GIS Maps
Communicating Value of GIS to Policy-Makers
Indiana Statewide Orthophotography Program
The Economic Benefits of the IndianaMap
Huck Finn Project
Top 10 Sectors Using GIS in Indiana
Guidance From Above: IndianaMap Across Indiana
Indiana’s GIS Law
Indiana I-TEAM for Homeland Security
Resource Geography examines human use of resources. It includes studies in environmental impacts, biotic and water resources, environmental quality, recreation resources, mineral and energy resources, agriculture, policy analysis of natural resource management, urban, regional and land use planning.
Indy’s Most Needed Pedestrian Walkways
/2 Comments/in Geography, Public Policy, Tech & Analysis, Urban & Regional Planning /by Jill Saligoe-SimmelWalkable cities contribute to people’s overall health, safety, and quality of life. This study prioritizes missing pedestrian walkways to help identify where investment should be focused in Indianapolis.
Written History Needs Maps
/in Cartography & Graphics, Geography, Professional Development /by Jill Saligoe-SimmelGuest post by Pieter S. Burggraaf, 2015 Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it, and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light. – From the pen of Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) The telling of history needs illustrative maps. […]
Install QGIS on a Mac in 10-Steps
/in Geography, Open Data, Tech & Analysis /by Jill Saligoe-SimmelQGIS is an impressively powerful open source geographic information system (GIS). In 2010, I reviewed QGIS when it had an “All-In-One” installation bundle for the Mac. That easy installation has gone by the wayside, and while I still find QGIS an excellent GIS solution for Mac users, installation is much more of a chore. As […]
Hacking Public Spaces: Florence Street Art
/in Environment & Society, Urban & Regional Planning /by Jill Saligoe-SimmelOn a recent trip to Italy, my daughter and I made time to enjoy the expressive Florentine street art. We especially liked the scuba-masked portraits by mystery artist “Blub” of the ‘L’arte Sa Nuotare’ or ‘Art Knows how to Swim’ project, and the hacked road signs of French artist Clet Abraham. Since we’d been looking at Clet’s work online earlier this […]
IndianaMap Running at 100%
/in Coordination, Geodata, Open Data /by Jill Saligoe-SimmelIndiana Geographic Information Office Hits 100% with Data Sharing Project With a vote of its County Board of Commissioners in early April, Marshall County become the last of ninety-two Indiana Counties to share four critical geospatial data sets with the Indiana Geographic Information Office. This exceptional level of County-State cooperation, and the important statewide data […]
Indianapolis’ Most International Public Schools
/in Geography, Open Data, Tinkering, Web Mapping /by Jill Saligoe-SimmelCentral Indiana is the epicenter of an explosion of English language learners (ELL). Where I live in Nora, our neighborhood elementary school is one of those hit hardest by rapid change. In April, The Star, Chalkbeat Indiana and WFYI Public Media collaborated on a week-long series of articles documenting the impact of the rising ELL population in Indianapolis’ schools. If […]