National Geographic Map Awards

National Geographic offers three awards to college students and new mapmakers:

- Association of American Geographers/Cartography SG award
- British Cartographic Society award
- Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS) award

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS

National Geographic Award in Mapping
Undergraduate students and master's-degree candidates are invited to apply for the National Geographic Award in Mapping. This award recognizes student achievement in the art, science, and technology of mapping and seeks to encourage student research.

The first place award consists of a cash prize of $900 (U.S.) and the second place award is $300 (U.S.). Winners will also receive National Geographic atlases or other map products.

Submissions may take a variety of forms, but must focus specifically on maps and mapping. The following types of submissions are welcome: map products in digital and paper format; web-based maps or cartographic services; dynamic, animated, and/or interactive geovisualization environments; or other cartographic projects.

This award is administered through the Association of American Geographers (AAG) Cartography Specialty Group (CSG). Judging will be by the National Geographic Award in Mapping committee of the AAG/CSG and will be based on the technical, aesthetic, and overall quality of the submission. The award winner, or winners, will be announced at the CSG meeting at the Annual Meeting of the AAG in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 22-27, 2009. Applying students do not need to be members of the AAG.

HOW TO APPLY:

We encourage submissions in standard digital formats (e.g. .pdf, .html, submissions accessible through conventional web browsers, etc.). Please include the following items with your submission:

A cover page that includes your name, institutional affiliation, degree program (e.g. M.A.), address, phone number, email, and cartography/GIS instructor's name.

A one page statement that provides some context of the submission, i.e. its purpose, how it may be used, how it was created, its limitations, etc.

A one page statement of how this award would help you with your educational plans.

Submissions must be received by February 15, 2009.

Please apply by sending all digital materials to Jeremy Mennis, Academic Director of the AAG Cartography Specialty Group. For more information contact Jeremy Mennis or David Miller of National Geographic Maps.

Submissions in paper format are also welcome. Paper submissions may be mailed to:

Jeremy Mennis
Department of Geography and Urban Studies
Temple University
1115 W. Berks St., 309 Gladfelter Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19122

Previous Winners:

2007 :: Zachary Johnson, University of Wisconsin-Madison

2007 :: Samantha Keehan, University of Wisconsin-Madison

2006 :: Cassandra Hansen, Humboldt State University, California

2005 :: Shannon Brassard and Jeff Wielki, Centre for Geographic Sciences, Nova Scotia

2004 :: John Nelson, Central Michigan University

2003 :: Rob James, University of Hawaii at Manoa

2002 :: Anthony Robinson, East Carolina University

The New Mapmaker Award recognizes the work of college students or new professionals starting a mapping career with a £500 cash prize. Students and professionals worldwide can apply for this award, and applicants do not need to be members of the British Cartographic Society. The deadline is April 25, 2009.

More information and application forms are at the British Cartographic Society website.

The 2008 winner was Wesley Jones, a student at the Centre for Geographic Sciences in Nova Scotia. He received $1000 (Canadian) and a National Geographic Atlas of the World.

CARTOGRAPHY AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SOCIETY (CaGIS)

Student Map Design Competition

National Geographic provides a cash prize and atlases for this map competition that evaluates map design and how a map meets its design objectives. College students can submit maps that are on paper, disc, or online. The deadline is January 16, 2009.

More information, application forms, and past winners are at the CaGIS website.