At the 2015 Summer Faculty Institute at UD this month, I am presenting on my efforts to create a new course/curriculum that integrates geo-spatial visualizations of social science phenomena for non-social science, non-geography students. This course will use PolicyMap – cloud-based software with a geographic information systems (GIS) underpinning – that has powerful mapping tools that can analyze a variety of sociological issues. The students do not need any prerequisites, nor a social science/GIS background to take the course, and will ultimately come out with deep insight into how spatial context is an integral component of understanding complex social issues. My presentation at the Summer Faculty Institute will focus on creating layered maps that exemplify environmental justice issues, examining residential areas with disproportionately high levels of environmental burdens, high levels of poverty, and concentrations of people of color. Here’s a link to the webpage for the Institute: