Hi, I'm Chelsea Nestel (they/she!)

I am a cartographer, artist, and educator. I am completing my Ph.D. in Cartography and GIS at the University of Wisconsin Madison, studying cartographic aesthetics. You can read more about my research or check out my CV below!

I’m a parent to a little boy, and I enjoy family time outdoors! When I'm not making or researching maps, I can be found at Newport State Park looking up at the band of the Milky Way with my family. On cloudy nights I'm at home reading, crocheting, playing video games and tabletop roleplaying games.

Want to connect? Say hello to me on LinkedIn or send me an !

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Curriculum Vitae

Chelsea Nestel curriculum vitae

Cartographic Aesthetic Theory | Cartographic Education| Art and Cartography | Emotion and Mapping | Experiential Graphic Design (XGD)

Teejop, Ho-Chunk Land | 550 N Park St. Madison, WI 53706

www.nestelmaps.net

Education

Ph.D., Cartography | Art Minor | University of Wisconsin – Madison Fall 2016 – Spring 2023

Dissertation Title: Theorizing “Really Good Maps” Aesthetics in Cartographic Epistemology

Committee: Dr. Robert Roth, advisor (Geography/Cartography), Dominic Lopes, F.R.S.C. (Philosophy/Aesthetics), Dr. Mark Monmonier (Geography/Cartographic History), Dr. Keith Woodward (Geography/Social Theory), Dr. Daniel Spaulding (Art History)

M.S., Cartography | University of Wisconsin – Madison Fall 2013 – Spring 2016

Thesis Title: Designing an Experience: Maps and Signs at the Archaeological Site of Ancient Troy

Committee: Dr. Robert Roth, advisor (Geography/Cartography), Dr. William Alyward (CAMS/Archaeology), Dr. Ian Muehlenhaus (Geography/Cartography)

B.S., Geography (GIS) | B.A., Anthropology (Archaeology)| B.A., Classics | History Minor Fall 2009—Spring 2013

Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude

Dual Honors in Geography and Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies (CAMS)

Honors Thesis Title: Anthrographic: A Humanities Visualization Program

Advisors: Dr. Roger Downs (Geography), Dr. Paul Harvey (CAMS), Dr. Mary Lou Zimmerman-Munn (CAMS/Archaeology)

Publications and Presentations

Peer-reviewed Publications

Nestel, C. 2022. Theorizing “Really Good Maps”: Cartography and Aesthetic Philosophy. International Journal of Cartography (invited MS under review)

Bley, K., Caldwell, K., Kelly, M., Lloyd, J., Roth, R.E., Andersen, T., Bonds, A., Plevin, J., Madison, D., Spencer, C., Sims, T., Archuleta, C., Ellner, Z., McDowell, T., Nestel, C., Noterman, E., Smith, N., Velednitsky, S., Underwood, N., Darlington, R., Gao, Y., George, A., Miller, L., Prestby, T., Vongkusolkit, J., 2021. “A Design Challenge for Transforming Justice.” GeoHumanities 8 (1), 344-365. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2373566X.2021.1986100

Roth, R.E., Nestel, C. et al. 2020. “Madison and Vicinity: A Tangible Map Quilt.” Cartographic Perspectives, 95, 50-56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14714/CP95.1615

*Nestel, C. 2019. “Designing an Experience: Signs and Maps at the Archaeological Site of Ancient Troy.” Cartographic Perspectives, 94, 25-47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14714/CP94.1504

Nestel, C. 2019. Aesthetics and Design. The Geographic Information Science & Technology Body of Knowledge(1st Quarter 2019 Edition), John P. Wilson (Ed.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.22224/gistbok/2019.4.14

Roth, R.E., Young, S., Nestel, C., et al. 2018. “Global Landscapes: Teaching Globalization through Responsive Mobile Map Design.” The Professional Geographer, 395-411. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00330124.2017.1416297

* Awarded Best Cartographic Perspectives Student Paper 2019

Map Publications

Nestel, C. 2016. Monsters of the United States . In the Atlas of Design, Volume 3., eds. S.V. Matthews, M.E. Elmer, and V.W. Mason. NACIS.

Dooley, M., Bergs, D., Bergs, M., Blatz, J., Brewer, C., Ferzoco, J., Genzmer, D., Glowa, K., Harling, S., Henrick, C., Hoover, D., Kallusky, B., Link, A., Martinelli, N., Nepp, A., Nestel, C., Rader, C., Stallman, T., Valadares, D., Wolf, S., Wood, P., 2016. Mississippi River . In the Atlas of Design, Volume 3., eds. S.V. Matthews, M.E. Elmer, and V.W. Mason. NACIS.

Presentations

Peer Reviewed Extended Abstracts

“Theorizing “Really Good Maps” : Cartography and Aesthetic Philosophy.” | Eurocarto 2022

“Aesthetics in Cartographic Epistemology.” | ICC 202I

Designing an Experience: Maps and Signs at the Archaeological Site of Ancient Troy.” | ICC 2017

General

“Art as Experimental Cartographic Method: Seeing and Unseeing.” | AAG 2023 Panel Submission

“Designing WI Standards and Curriculum for K-5 Cartography Education.” | AAG 2022 Presenting Author

“Mapping is for Everyone.” | ICC 2021 Art and Cartography ‘Future of Art and Cartography’ Pre-Conference Workshop

“Design and Aesthetics in the GIS&T Body of Knowledge.” | NACIS 2018

“Sum.” | ICC 2017 Art and Cartography Pre-Conference Workshop

“Cartography as ‘Self-Ethnography’: Mapping Memory and Emotion.” | AGS 2017 Invited Presentation

“Designing an Experience” Maps and Signs at Troy.” | AAG 2016

“The Maps and Geographies of Comic Books, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature”| AAG 2016 Panel Discussant

“Designing an Experience: Maps, Signage, and the Tourist Path through Troy.” | NACIS 2015

“Global Madison.” | NACIS 2014 Presenting Author

“The Romanization of the Etruscans: A Geography of Cultural Assimilation.” | AAG 2013

“The National Map: Proposed Updates to Parks and Cultural Layers.” | USGS 2012

“Placement of You-Are-Here Maps: An Empirical Study using Multiple Approaches.” | NACIS 2012 Presenting Author

Posters and Gallery Maps

“The National Map: Proposed Updates to Parks and Cultural Layers.” | NACIS 2013

“Irumani” | NACIS 2013

“Wall Paintings, Wealth and Status in Pompeii.” | AAG 2012

“Mapping Around the World.” Joint poster with K. Martz, E. Aspril, and C. Brewer | PGS / AAG Mid Atlantic Joint Meeting 2012

Map Design Awards and Library Acquisitions

“Monsters of the United States” acquired by the American Geographical Society Map Library| 2017

“An Exploration of Paranormal Madison” acquired by the Arthur H Robinson Map Library| 2017

“Monsters of the United States” featured in the Atlas of Design vol 3| 2016

“An Exploration of Paranormal Madison” awarded second place for “most unique” at WLIA| 2015

“Choose your own Haz-Mat Adventure” winner UW-Madison Design Challenge ($300.00)| 2015

“Monsters of the United States” awarded People’s Choice & 2nd for “most unique” at WLIA| 2014

“The Places We’ve Been!” awarded Honorable Mention in the Atlas of Design vol 2| 2014

Press

Featured in “Field Truthing a Dream” | Hidden Compass 2021

Interviewed in “The future of maps: Cartography in the 21st century” | CNN 2018

Profiled in “4 Amazing Mapmakers who are Redefining Cartography” | Design Inspiration 2018

Featured in Cartographic Gems from Women | Map of the Week 2017

Featured in “The Best New Maps, according to Cartographers” | National Geographic 2016

Grants, Awards and Associations

Research Awards

Cartographic Perspectives Best Student Paper Award: $1,350| 2019

Teaching Awards

UW-Madison L&S University Teaching Fellow: $1,000 |2019

University-wide award for teaching excellence; trained incoming UW L&S TAs as part of award

Research Grants

Trewartha Dissertation Research Grant: $600 | 2020

Molecular Archaeology Group Research Grant: $1,500 | 2014

Trewartha Master’s Thesis Research Grant: $500 |2014

Schreyer Honors College Research Grant: $1,500 | 2011

Academic Fellowships

Phi Kappa Phi National Fellowship: $5,000 | 2013

Phi Kappa Phi Campus Fellowship: $500 | 2013

Academic Awards

University-wide

Student Marshal (highest achieving student), Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Science | 2013

Graduating GPA 3.98

Penn State Evan Pugh Junior Award, given to students in the top .05% of class | 2012

Penn State Brandywine student scholarship: $2000 | 2009

Geography

Penn State EMSAGE Laureate Graduate | 2013

given to the most well-rounded students in the college of Earth and Mineral Sciences

Willard Miller Award for Best Undergraduate Geography Paper | 2013

National Geographic Student Achievement Award | 2013

Balmat Family Fund in Geography for Honors Scholars | 2012

Marie J. and Joseph N. Hedding Scholarship | 2012

Jeff Gockley Memorial Award, given to top rising student in Geography (GIS): $1000 | 2011

Geography Alumni Scholarship: $500 | 2010

Classics

Bermingham Memorial Scholarship for excellence in the study of Latin: $1,300 | 2012

Conference Travel Grants

UW Madison Student Research Grants Competition travel grant: $1200 | 2022

ICA US National Committee NSF travel grant: $1000 | 2021

ICA travel grant: €500 | 2021

UW-Madison Trewartha conference travel grant: $500: | 2021, 2022

NACIS travel grant: $150 | 2013, 2015

UW-Madison Trewartha conference travel grant: $300 | 2015, 2018

Penn State Geography Undergraduate conference travel grant | 2010, 2011, 2012

Professional Memberships

International Cartographic Association (ICA) Art and Cartography Commission

North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS) Student Director at Large 2022-2023

American Association of Geographers (AAG) Cartography Specialty Group, Education S.G.

American Society for Aesthetics (ASA)

Academic Honor Societies

Phi Beta Kappa (liberal arts) | Phi Kappa Phi (general studies) | Gamma Theta Upsilon (geography) | Phi Alpha Theta (history)

Teaching Experience

Starting as an undergraduate, I have taught, tutored and graded cartography, GIS and human geography for twenty semestersonline and in-person modalities and my students have ranged from undergraduate freshmen to advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and professional students. My students have won major cartography awards from NACIS and CAGIS and become professional cartographers.

University of Wisconsin – Madison, Department of Geography

Graphic Design in Cartography | Geography 572 Photoshop, Mapbox Studio, ArcGIS Storymaps, Web Coding

Lecturer (Online): Spring 2018, Spring 2019

Teaching Assistant (Resident Labs): Fall 2015, Fall 2018, Fall 2020

Continue professionalizing students through lab instruction in graphic design and perception to design considerations, including when to break ‘the rules.’ Students learn storytelling in online mapping and develop a portfolio website to show employers.

Introduction to Cartography | Geography 370 Adobe Illustrator, ArcGIS

Teaching Assistant (Resident Labs): Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2019

Teach professional cartographic design processes to students, from finding, creating and evaluating data to assembling and revising maps, with heavy emphasis on feedback. Map types covered reference and thematic mapping.

Our Digital Globe: An Overview of GIScience and Its Technology | Geography 170 Online ArcGIS Online

Lecturer (Online): Spring 2020. Teaching Assistant (Online): Spring 2017, Summer 2017

Very large enrollment course (250-400 students) providing an overview of geospatial technologies including GPS, GIS, Remote Sensing and Cartography. Labs give students hands on experience with image analysis, GIS, and cartography and draw new students into the Geography major.

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | Geography 377 ArcGIS

Teaching Assistant (Resident Labs): Spring 2015

Introductory course in Geographic Information Systems covering GIScience and practice, from data creation to spatial data analysis.

Introduction to Human Geography | Geography 101

Teaching Assistant (Online): Spring 2021. Reader / Grader: Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2017

A ‘Comm-B’ course developing written and oral communication skills through writing two research papers and presenting in lab. Discussion sections taught research and writing skills and exploring socio-spatial relations, processes and representations through discussing some of the most pressing issues of the day.

Pennsylvania State University, Department of Geography

Introduction to Cartography | Geography 361 ArcGIS

Teaching Intern (Resident Labs): Spring 2013

Act as a ‘second TA” to answer student lab questions and provide tutoring as needed; find data to help with student labs.

Mapping Our Changing World | Geography 160 ArcGIS, Garmin GPS

Teaching Intern (Resident Labs): Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012

Act as a ‘second TA’ to answer student lab questions and provide tutoring as needed.

Penn State Brandywine 30 – Hour Tutoring Program | Math and Writing Freshman Preparatory Program

Tutor (In-Person Students): Summer 2010

Review basic arithmetic and writing to prepare incoming freshmen for success in college-level courses.

Introduction to Human Geography | Geography 124

Teaching Intern (Online): Spring 2010

Develop weekly discussion questions based on class content, including additional resources, and lead online message board discussions.