Overview
I teach and research the design of interactive, online, and mobile maps. As a geographer, I view maps and mapping technologies as tools to help solve complex geographic problems, and I therefore am a proponent of both interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research in addition to basic research in cartography and visualization. Recent collaborative projects include intersections of cartography with climate change and adaptive climate management, environmental and social justice, globalization and situated learning, and sustainable development, among others.
Education
- PhD: Geography—Penn State University
- MS: Cartography & GIS—University of Wisconsin-Madison
- BS: Cartography & GIS—University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Areas
My research focuses on Cartography, Geovisualization, and Geovisual Analytics with specific emphasis on:
- interactive & web-based mapping
- human-computer interaction & UI/UX (user interface/user experience) design
- user-centered design & usability engineering processes
- visual storytelling & data journalism
- collaborative and community-engaged mapping
I encourage you to visit my Publications and Presentations pages to view my work; most resources are available as open pdfs.
Cartography at UW-Madison
Unlike most American Geography Departments, graduate students attending UW-Madison are able to earn either a Certificate or non-terminal Masters degree in Cartography & GIS. The Cartography Program at UW-Madison historically has been considered among the world's best and affords many unique opportunities and resources for students pursuing advanced degrees in Cartography, including the UW-Madison Cartography Laboratory, the History of Cartography Project, the Robinson Map Library, and the State Cartographer's Office.
Press about UW-Madison Cartography:
- Directions Magazine: Research Explores How to Keep Up with Changing Web Mapping Technology
- Scientific American: What Cartography Taught Me about Science Writing
- NBC News: One of a Kind Maps Put the World in Perspective
- Daily Cardinal: These Classes Will Change Your Views
Courses Taught
I am responsible for the four courses that contribute towards the Cartography portion of the Cartography/GIS programs; past syllabi and student final projects can be viewed on the course homepages:
- Geography 370: Introduction to Cartography
- Geography 572: Graphic Design in Cartography
- Geography 575: Interactive Cartography & Geovisualization
- Geography 970: Seminar in Cartography and GIS
Current Graduate Students (Primary Advisor)
Gareth Baldrica-Franklin
Alicia Iverson
Chelsea Nestel
Nick Underwood
Past Graduate Students
Marty Elmer (MS 2012)
Carl Sack (MS 2013; PhD 2018)
Vanessa Knoppke-Wetzel (MS 2014)
Brian Davidson (MS 2014)
Rashauna Mead (MS 2014)
Richard Donohue (PhD 2014)
Caroline Rose (MS 2015)
Robin Tolochko (MS 2016)
Kristen Vincent (MS 2017)
Zihan Song (MS 2017)
Ross Thorn (MS 2018)
Leanne Abraham (MS 2019)
Adrian George (MS 2020)
Perspective Students
I encourage prospective graduate students with interests in cartography and geovisualization to contact me directly with any questions you may have about the programs.
Contact Information
Robert Roth, PhD
Office: 375 Science Hall
Email: reroth@wisc.edu
Twitter: @RobertERoth