Historical Economic Geology Education Atlas
A geospatial research project that converts historical academic records into an explorable map-based dataset showing the spread of economic geology education across institutions and time.
Project Summary
- Status
- Completed
- Timeline
- April 2026
- Visual proof
- Archival Records -> Geocoding -> Atlas
Placeholder visual
Featured case-study visual
Placeholder visual: U.S. map with historical institution markers and timeline strip.
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Problem
Historical education records are scattered across documents and institutions, making it difficult to see geographic and temporal patterns.
Approach
Extract institution/program records, geocode locations, normalize time periods, aggregate spatially, and create visual outputs for research interpretation.
Architecture
System flow and processing stages.
Stage 1
Catalog records and archival sources
Stage 2
Institution and program extraction
Stage 3
Geocoding
Stage 4
Temporal normalization
Stage 5
Spatial aggregation
Stage 6
Interactive atlas
Stage 7
Research interpretation
Data Sources
- Historical course catalogs
- Institutional records
- University locations
- Extracted program data
Methods
- Geocoding
- Spatial aggregation
- Data cleaning
- Timeline construction
- Geospatial visualization
Technologies
- Python
- GeoPandas
- Geocoding tools
- QGIS
- Visualization libraries
Evidence and Screenshots
Visual assets to replace placeholders.
Placeholder visual
Historical atlas map
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Placeholder visual
Timeline view of programs over time
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Placeholder visual
Institution detail popup or panel
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Results
- Created a geospatial dataset for historical education research.
- Mapped institution/program patterns over time.
- Produced visual artifacts that make archival records easier to explore.
Metrics and Evaluation Needed
- Institutions mapped over time
- Programs by decade
- Geocoding confidence table
- Source coverage by institution/year
Challenges
- Historical institution names and locations can change over time.
- Source coverage varies by year and institution.
- Geocoding requires careful validation and provenance.
Lessons Learned
- Historical datasets need context and confidence indicators.
- Maps can reveal patterns that are difficult to see in tables.
- Research visualization should preserve source traceability.
Future Work
- Add a timeline slider.
- Add institution detail panels.
- Add source confidence indicators.
Interactive Demo Ideas
- Timeline map by decade
- Institution explorer
- Source evidence panel
What This Demonstrates