Interactive Alumnae Maps

Interactive Map Samples

Please Disable any Pop-Up Blockers before using the Interactive Maps

Some of the Map Services require browser plugins. Each map service indicates which plugins are required and includes instructions for downloading and installing.

Animation of the spread and distribution of Alumnae 1900-2002	Simpler, Less Interactive Mapping System
requires free flash plugin	click map to start see warning below
Robust Interactive Mapping System	Google Earth
click map to start (see movie and help files for assistance)	Click to download Google Earth file You will need the free Google Earth viewer application to view and interact with above data

Map Gallery

A glimpse at some of the other Alumnae map fiddling projects at the Spatial Analysis Lab

Map Keepsakes (download and enjoy)

Help Files

(pdf) Printable Help File [includes gis overview]

(pdf) Printable Toolbar Help

(ppt) Internet Map Service Anatomy Power Presentation

(avi) Video with Instructions

Background

The Smith Alumnae Association provided a database containing 38,636 Alumnae, living within the United States that graduating between 1900 and 2003. Only 1,143 of the records (3 %) did not match a US zip code area. Many of the unmatched records were in US Territories such as Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands in which mapped zip code areas are not currently available in our lab. Other unmatched records are the result of zip code changes that have not yet trickled down from the United States Post Office to our GIS database.

The 37,493 records that matched were summarized by zip code and then joined to a GIS database of zip code areas. For a large wall sized map, Alumnae locations were then mapped by zip code using a Natural Breaks classification scheme and normalized per 1,000 people. Normalizing by zip code population (# of alumnae\1000) accounts for and equalizes the influence of large zip code areas (e.g. zip codes areas in the western states).

The database can now be queried to show where Alumnae by Major Field of study are located. For example, where are all those Geologists? The data can also be queried by year of graduation. For example, are graduates from the ‘20s more dispersed than those who graduated during the ‘60s? You decide!

Disclaimer

These Map Services have ONLY been tested using Internet Explorer on PCs
(version 5x and above). However, most should work in Netscape 4.7 or higher. As always, use at your own risk, be gentle, and Enjoy!

Please feel free to provide FEEDBACK or suggest enhancements and modifications.

Warnings

1. Select NO if prompted with the following warning on the Simpler Map:

2. These Interactive Map Services are best viewed over a broadband connection.