Dan Jacobson
Associate Professor
Bsc Hons, Swansea
PhD, Belfast
Department of Geography
University of Calgary
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
(403) 220-6192
dan.jacobson[at]ucalgary.ca
http://www.immerse.ucalgary.ca
Curriculum Vitae
Bio Summary
Dan Jacobson joined the MGIS program within the Department of Geography in 2003. Dan completed B.Sc. (Hons.) degrees in Geography and Topographic Science in 1992 at the University of Wales, Swansea. During this period he worked as a land surveyor in London, and later as a GIS consultant in Aberystwyth, Wales. He began his Ph.D. fieldwork in Belfast Northern Ireland, and later at the University of California in Santa Barbara (UCSB). While at UCSB he coordinated an interdisciplinary group of researchers from Departments of Geography, Computer Science, Psychology, Engineering and Music to investigate multi-sensory access to geo-spatial information. His Ph.D. was awarded in 2000 from Queen’s University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, titled Geographies of Blindness: Learning, reading and communicating geographic space. In 1999 he was a U.S. Department of Education, National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Mary E. Switzer fellow. He was previously an Assistant Professor in the department of Geography at Florida State University.
Research Interests
Dan's research interests can be broadly conceptualised as "how do individuals understand and represent geographic space". Prior research projects include: understanding geographic space without the use of vision, multimodal zooming in digital geographic information, developing novel access to maps, graphics and graphs for visually impaired people, and off-route strategies in non-visual navigation.
Current Research
Dan’s ongoing research is in developing multi-sensory access to GIS based systems to facilitate ease of access for novel users, for non-visual users and to extended opportunities for advanced users to collect, mine, validate and explore digital representations of geographic space.
Active Research Programs
Cities as complex adaptive systems
Using Calgary as our test city we are attempting to blend ‘old’ and ‘new’ systems theory, in order to understand the role played by cities and city dwellers, as entities in ecological world system.
IMMERSRE :: Investigating Multi Modal Representations of Spatial Environments
This international and interdiscinplinary research program investigates how individuals acquire and re-present an understanding of geographic space, and is developing novel multisensory interfaces to geographic information.
INTERNATIONAL CARTOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATION: Commission on Maps and Graphics for Blind and Visually Impaired People
Dr. Dan Jacobson is currently the co-chair of the International Cartographic Association Commission above whose mandate is to exchange and disemminate information on the design of, research of, and production technologies for, maps and graphics for blind and visually-impaired people, and to provide experts for workshops throughout the world.
Civil Society Opposition to Nonferrous Metals in the Philippines
Dr. William Holden examines the opposition of civil society to nonferrous metals mining in the Philippines.
Recent Publications
Papers
Rice, M., Jacobson, R.D., Golledge, R.G., and Jones,D. (2005). "Design Considerations for Haptic and Auditory Map Interfaces". Cartography and Geographic Information Science (CaGIS). [In Press - Accepted, August 26, 2005]
Golledge, R.G., Rice, M. and Jacobson, R.D. (2005) A Commentary on the Use of Touch for Accessing On-Screen Spatial Representations: The Process of Experiencing Haptic Maps and Graphics, The Professional Geographer, 57 (3). 339-349.
Jacobson, R.D. (2002) Representing Spatial Information Through Multimodal Interfaces: Overview and preliminary results in non-visual interfaces. 6th International Conference on Information Visualization: Symposium on Spatial/Geographic Data Visualization, IEEE Proceedings, London, 10-12 July, 2002, 730-734.
Blades, M., Lippa, Y., Golledge, R.G., Jacobson, R.D., and Kitchin, R.M. (2002) Wayfinding by people with visual impairments: The effect of spatial tasks on the ability to learn a novel route. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness 96, 407-419.
Jacobson, R.D., Lippa, Y., Golledge, R.G., Kitchin, R.M., and Blades, M. (2001) Rapid development of cognitive maps in people with visual impairments when exploring novel geographic spaces. IAPS Bulletin of People-Environment Studies (Special Issue on Environmental Cognition) 18, 3-6.
Golledge, R.G., Jacobson, R.D., Kitchin, R.M., and Blades, M. (2000). Cognitive maps, spatial abilities, and human wayfinding. Geographical Review of Japan, ser. B: The English journal of the Association of Japenese Geographers, 73 (Ser.B) (2), 93-104.
Jacobson, R.D. (1998) Cognitive mapping without sight: Four preliminary studies of spatial learning. Journal of Environmental Psychology 18, 289-305.
Kitchin, R.M., Jacobson, R.D., Golledge, R.G., and Blades, M. (1998) Belfast without sight: Exploring geographies of blindness, Irish Geographer. 31(1), 34-46.
Jacobson, R.D. and Kitchin, R.M (1997) GIS and people with visual impairments or blindness: Exploring the potential for education, orientation, and navigation. Transactions in Geographic Information Systems 2(4) 315-332.
Kitchin, R.M. and Jacobson, R.D. (1997) Techniques to collect and analyze the cognitive map knowledge of people with visual impairments or blindness: Issues of validity, Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness. July-August, 360-376.
Jacobson, R.D. (1996) Talking tactile maps and environmental audio beacons: An orientation and mobility development tool for visually impaired people, Proceedings of the ICA Commission on maps and graphics for blind and visually impaired people, 21-25 October, 1996, Ljubjiana, Slovenia.
Book Chapters
Jacobson, R.D. (in press) Cartography. In Warf, B. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Human Geography. Sage: London.
Jacobson, R.D. (in press) Behavioral Geography. In Warf, B. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Human Geography. Sage: London.
Jacobson, R.D. (in press) Disability, Geography of. In Warf, B. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Human Geography. Sage: London.
Jacobson, R.D. (in press) Mental Maps, Geography of. In Warf, B. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Human Geography. Sage: London.
Golledge, R.G., Rice, M. and Jacobson, R.D. (2005) Multimodal Interfaces for Representing and Accessing Geospatial Information. In Rana, S. and Sharma, J. (eds.) Frontiers of Geographic Information Technology. Springer-Verlag.: Berlin & New York.
Jacobson, R.D. (2004) Haptic Soundscapes: Developing novel multi-sensory tools to promote access to geographic information. Land Minds: 100 Geographic Solutions to Saving Planet Earth (eds) Warf, B., Hansen, K, and Janelle, D. Kluwer.
Jacobson, R.D. Kitchin, R.M., and Golledge R.G. (2002) Multimodal virtual reality for presenting geographic information. In Fisher, P. and Unwin, D. (eds) Virtual Reality in Geography. Taylor and Francis, London, pp. 382-400.
Cheesman, J., Dodge, M., Harvey, F., Jacobson, D., and Kitchin, R. (2002) ‘Other’ Worlds: Augmented, Comprehensible, Non-Material Spaces. In Fisher, P. and Unwin, D. (eds) Virtual Reality in Geography. Taylor and Francis, London, pp. 295-304.
Jeong, W. and Jacobson, R.D. (2002) Exploratory user study of haptic and auditory display for multimodal information systems. In McLaughlin, M. L., Hespanha, J.P., and Sukhatme, G.S. (eds) Touch in virtual Environments: Haptics and the design of interactive systems. IMSC Series in Multimedia. Prentice Hall, New York, pp. 194-204.
Current Graduate Students
Nidhi Bishnoi
Geoff Ghitter
Daniel Graham
Ryan Macveigh
Christopher Moxham
Shawn Mueller
Kyle Peterson
Derrick Plotsky
Sumeet Sekon
Susan Tang
Ekaide Ukat
Ahmed Yousif
Xueyu Zhang
Courses Taught
Geog 231: Introduction to Geospatial Methods
An introduction to cartography, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and descriptive spatial statistics.
Geog 437: Applied Mapping Techniques
Geography 437 covers production of maps from start to finish, including both rough and precision surveying, digital data compilation and manipulation working with Geographic Information System software (ESRI’s ArcView, ArcGIS), Adobe Illustrator and other software, thematic map design theory and practice, communication theory for both physical and human geography, and final computer-based map production, including website development. The course is primarily project based, and includes hands-on map work in most sessions. This course focuses on the communication, theory, power and visualization aspects of mapping,
Geog 557: Advanced Geographic Information Systems: Urban
The role of GIS in the urban realm is explored both theoretically and practically. Topics will relate to urban management, design, planning, and research drawn from a broad spectrum of socio-economic issues facing urban areas. Advanced analytical approaches will be critically examined within lectures and laboratories. A widely used GIS package will be used for laboratories and student projects.
Geog 647: Advanced Research and Applications in Geographic Information Systems
Focus on advanced GIS applications in core areas; methodological developments in GIS, and current research directions in GIS.
Geog 681: Geographic Information Systems Project: Theoretical Issues
A critical and comprehensive review of information and literature on a GIS research topic This course provides the conceptual basis for Geography 683.
Geog 683: Geographic Information Systems Project: Application
Implementation of a project on a GIS topic which will involve demonstrating mastery of GIS project design and the implementation and presentation of results commensurate with graduate level work. This topic will relate to material covered by the student in Geography 681.
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