Syracuse Community Geography

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Welcome to Syracuse Community Geography!
Working with local nonprofit agencies and community members of Syracuse and Central New York, the Community Geographer uses geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analyses to create maps that:

Raise awareness about important community problems and resources;
Inform community and neighborhood planning processes;
Support community organizing; and
Advocate important community concerns.

The Community Geographer and her steering committee are committed to addressing community challenges that relate broadly to the themes:

Community and economic development;
Social, environmental, and transportation justice; and
Health inequalities and disparities.

Creating the community geographer position
Community-based mapping of societal problems often provides fresh insight into the nature of community challenges and problems and allows for better targeted solutions. The experience of the Syracuse Hunger Project showed that GIS mapping and spatial analysis shed new light on the problem of hunger in Syracuse and indicated areas where innovative, collaborative solutions are possible. At the conclusion of its first phase of work, the steering committee of the Syracuse Hunger Project recommended that Syracuse University create the “Community Geographer” position. With funding from The Gifford Foundation, the SU Chancellor’s Office and the SU Geography Department, the Community Geography position was created in September 2005.

Our mission
The Community Geographer (CG) provides a service to, and serves as a resource for, community groups, social service agencies, faith-based agencies, and nonprofit organizations that would like to use GIS to address a community concern but lack the resources or technical capacity. The CG helps to circumvent barriers to using GIS software including staff, time and financial constraints, and assists with geographic data creation, collection, and management. The CG also aims to increase GIS data sharing. Thematic maps and GIS datasets are available to the public.

Our long term goal is to increase pubic access to digital spatial data through the development of a data repository and the creation of an online, interactive mapping application that enables users to query and map a wide range of city and county information at multiple scales and resolutions.

The community geography steering committee
Projects and activities are guided by a voluntary steering committee. The nine-member committee consists of Syracuse community members, community agency and local foundation representatives, SU Geography faculty, SU staff, and student.

The Steering Committee meets monthly to:

Encourage and establish contacts between community groups who might benefit from the skills of the Community Geographer;
Prioritize projects and evaluate project proposals;
Evaluate the work process to assure strong and continuing community involvement;
Suggest means to improve the ability of the Community Geographer to serve community needs;
Assist community partners to translate analysis into strategic plans and policies for action.

Learning opportunities
The Community Geographer works with Syracuse University’s Mary Ann Shaw Center for Public and Community Service, the Geography Department, the Community Benchmarks Program, and other departments throughout The Maxwell School and SU to coordinate student involvement in community-driven research projects. To learn more about student involvement visit the courses and students page.

Community geography website
Follow the links to the left to learn more about our projects, to download maps, or to request assistance with a community-based, GIS mapping project.

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