GIS Day - November 20th, 2024

Happy GIS Day! This day is meant to celebrate the field of geographic information systems (GIS) and its users, promote awareness of GIS technology, and to start discussions of the many applications of GIS across many different industries and issues. I chose to celebrate on a smaller scale with my fellow GIS coworker by creating a homemade, map-themed gift to show my appreciation for her help and guidance in all things GIS. I wanted to make something that could be useful, so I decided to make a keychain and decorate it with a world map design. I chose the most interesting parts of the map to cut out and glue to the keychain surface. The process of creating this gift reminded me of map projections, which attempt to create a flat representation of a round earth, and also just the art of making maps that are visually pleasing. My keychain surface was flat and might not be the most visually pleasing creation, but both me and my coworker appreciated the result. I'll look forward to celebrating again next year!