The State of the Map scholar experience

We were delighted to welcome 15 scholars to Japan for State of the Map 2017. Scholars help make State of the Map one of those unique moments in our community when we come together and share our mapping experiences in person, from literally every corner of the globe.

With the generous support of our sponsors and the tireless effort of the organizing team, for the first time at a State of the Map we achieved 100% success in visas and scholar attendance. Visas can be long and bureaucratic ordeals! Extra special thanks for Dorothea for going above and beyond in supporting this work — including calling up Japanese consulates around the world!

We asked the scholars to share a few words on the experience. We love reading about the experience and what it’s inspired for the future — required reading if you love OpenStreetMap! Here’s a few excerpts…

Anisa Kuci – full post
“After answering the questions that were kindly asked by the audience, I was ready to enjoy so many great talks, workshops and lightning talks I spotted on the agenda for the next three days, and a very productive meet-up that happened the third day of the conference, where everyone shared thoughts about how local chapters and OSM Foundation can help each-other grow bigger, and we had the opportunity to share the wish of the Albanian speaking community to become a chapter.”

Georgia Marina Andreou – full post
“The scholarship gave me the chance not only to raise awareness on the impact of natural processes on cultural heritage, but also to understand through an array of examples the truly empowering capacity of mapping. As such, I left the conference with a long list of ideas for future mapping.”

Jaisen Nedumpala – full post
കോണ്‍ഫറന്‍സില്‍ പങ്കെടുക്കുന്നതിലുപരി, ഒരു വികസിത രാജ്യത്തെ സ്ഥിതിഗതികള്‍ നേരിട്ടു കണ്ടു മനസ്സിലാക്കണമെന്ന ആഗ്രഹം കൂടിയുണ്ടായിരുന്നു മനസ്സില്‍.

Marco Minghini – full post
“Another indelible memory from SotM 2017 is the official announcement I gave during a Plenary Session about the next State of the Map conference, that my university (Politecnico di Milano) will host on July 28-30, 2018 in Milan, Italy! It was amazing to make this announcement and get that long, long applause :)”

Samaila Alio Mainassara – full post
“Cette participation m’a permis de découvrir l’écosystème OSM à travers les échanges et le partage d’expériences avec les différents participants.”

Selene Yang Rappaccioli – full post
“El espacio de discusión que se realizó durante ésta última edición del SOTM Internacional, contribuyó a crear diálogos, conocer perspectivas y esclarecer dudas sobre la necesidad de construir, no sólo el mapa más completo, sino también la comunidad más completa, donde se abarquen las diferencias, multiplicidades, diversidad de miradas y diferentes relatos y experiencias.”

Sidorela Uku – full post
“I saw that maps were more than a visualisation of our world, there is humanity, they can be as important as saving lives. This conference really affected me emocionally and also inspired me a lot. Now I want to do even more, have many things in my mind, need to set up a plan and continue contributing.”

Suthakaran Sundaralingam – full post
“I also plan to become a member of the OpenStreetMap Foundation, and form an OpenstreetMap foundation in Sri Lanka.”

Tommy Godphery Davian Charles – full post
“getting acquainted with each other was a walk over, this was possible because we all spoke a common language which is ‘Maps and Development’.”

State of the Map Working Group

This post is also available in: Japanese