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É«½ä³ÉÈËÖ±²¥'s Geography Department is calling for maps that capture life affirming geographies  - following Cindi Katz’s invitation for imagining Topographies of Hope (2001) and Sarah Elwood’s (2021) invitation for reading how social movements enact thriving otherwise, this Mapathon is an exercise in the active enactment of hope.

Link to the event website: (https://sites.google.com/view/cu-geography-mapathon/home?authuser=0) 

Frequently Asked Questions

(FAQ pulled directly from the event website)

• Cindi Katz Colloquium Lecture, March 7, 2025, Benson Earth Sciences Building, Room 180.

• Mapathon Contest, submissions close March 12.

• Colorado Geographies Panel, March 14, 2025, Benson Earth Sciences, Room 180.

Conventional, creative, drawn, digital, and abstract representations of geographic spaces or places are all acceptable. See this link for examples. Both digital and analog maps are accepted. For analog or drawn maps, please take a picture of your map and submit the picture to the .

Winning and honorable mention maps in the below categories will be displayed in the Maps Library on March 14, 2025.  At a reception following the Colorado Geographies Panel on March 14, attendees can vote on their favorite Map (People’s Choice Award). Two winners (Best Overall Map and People's Choice Map) will recieve a cash prize, given out during that reception!

Categories:

• Grand Prize: Best Overall Map

• People’s Choice:  Voted on by attendees

• Thematic Awards:

  • Sustainability & Environmental Justice

  • Innovation

  • Social Justice

  • Inclusivity & Diversity

  • Relationality & Community Engagement

  • Personal Exploration & Storytelling

Honorable mentions will be acknowledge for Creativity, Design, and Cartographic Expertise.

Once you submit your map it will be reviewed by a panel of CU Geography Faculty and Graduate Students based on the following criteria:

• Evident engagement with the Mapathon theme

  1. Does the map clearly relate to the theme of geographies of hope and the making of life affirming geographies?

  2. Does the map answer the question: what does hope look like to you?

• Creativity and Originality

  1. Is the theme presented in a unique way? Is it original?

  2. Is the result distinctive? Does it leave an impression?

• Educational and learning potential

  1. The basic functionality of a map is to convey information. Does this map offer a way of understanding the topic?

• Mapping Proficiency

  1. Does the map show evidence of a mastery of the tools and techniques utilized, as appropriate for the student’s level?

  2. Are the use of tools and techniques well executed?

• Overall Quality

  1. What is the effect of the map in general and as a whole?

  2. Overall, does the map stand on its own as a complete and outstanding work of mapping?

Yes! Those outside of É«½ä³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ are welcome to submit to the Mapathon and will be evaluated with their academic background in mind.  For example, if you are a K-12 Educator, we encourage you to submit your students' maps and they will not be judged against PhD-level submissions.