Resume
I AM ATLAS, A MAP EVANGELIST.
My Chinese name is Chenxiao Guo 郭晨曉, and I go by "Atlas". I am a Ph.D. Candidate in Geography (Cartography / GIS) with a doctoral minor in Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am a graduate student member of Spatial Computing and Data Mining (SCDM) Lab and UW Cartography Lab (CartLab).
My research direction includes spatiotemporal analytics, cartographic visualization, social media data mining, and natural disaster management, devoted to bridging GeoAI, cartography and social good. My doctoral dissertation is titled GeoAI-Powered Cartography for Natural Disaster Management. Before entering UW-Madison, I received my M.S degree in Geography from the University of Georgia, and B.S degree in GIS from the Sun Yat-sen University. I formerly interned at Apple Maps, UNDP, and ILSR.
As an award-winning cartographer and geospatial visualization developer specializing in static and web map design, I am experienced in translating complex geographic data into clear, compelling, and visually appealing products for public and professional audiences, and my work has been internationally recognized across various map competitions and publications.
Click to download my Resume, Full Curriculum Vitae, or Resume in Chinese (中文简历).
EXPERIENCE
Internship | Research | Teaching | Education
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sep 2017 - Present
(Madison, WI)— Ph.D. Candidate in Geography (Cartography/GIS)
— Doctoral Minor in Computer Science
— Spatial Computing and Data Mining Lab
and UW Cartography Lab (CartLab)
— Lectureship: Geog 370 (Cartography)
— TA Courses: Cartography, Graphic Design in Cartography, Interactive Cartography & Geovisualization, GIS, GIS Applications, Geocomputing, GIScience
— Advisor: Qunying Huang and Rob Roth
— GPA: 3.7/4.0 -
Apple Inc.
May 2025 - Aug 2025
(Cupertino, CA)— Cartography Intern at Apple Maps
— Developed a color refinement workflow for systematic and efficient design guidance
— Contributed to new feature development
— Authored three articles on cartographic design for internal educational newsletters -
UNDP Global Centre
Sep 2021 - Dec 2021
(Remote)— GIS Development Intern at
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Centre
— Major Project: Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Geospatial Dashboard -
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Feb 2021 - May 2021
(Remote)— GIS and Data Visualization Intern at Community Broadband Network,
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
— Multiple projects of cartographic visualization (static maps) -
UW-Madison GIS Professional Programs
Summer & Winter 2020,
(Madison, WI)— Project Assistant (Curriculum Upgrade) for UW-Madison GIS Professional Programs
— Revised Courses: Cartography,
Graphic Design in Cartography
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UGA Carl Vinson
Institute of GovernmentJan 2016 - Aug 2017
(Athens, GA)— Graduate Research Assistant,
App Development Group, Information Technology Outreach Services (ITOS), Carl Vinson Institute of Government
— Major Project: GNAHRGIS-Ecology
(Georgia Department of Natural Resources) -
University of Georgia
Aug 2015 - Dec 2017
(Athens, GA)— M.S. in Geography (GIS)
— Urban Geospatial Analytics Lab,
Community Mapping Lab
— Chair of Logistic Committee,
First Campus-wide UGA GIS Day
— TA Course: Transportation
Modeling and GIS
— Advisor: Xiaobai (Angela) Yao
— GPA: 3.7/4.0 -
SYSU Center of Integrated Geographic Information Analysis
Jan 2014 - Jun 2015
(Guangzhou, China)— Undergraduate Research Assistant,
— Multiple Projects Collaborating with Center for Historical Geography (Department of History), Big Data Communication Lab (School of Communication and Design) -
Sun Yat-sen University
Sep 2011 - Jun 2015
(Guangzhou, China)— B.S. in Geographic Information Sciences, Department of RS and GIS Engineering, School of Geography and Planning
— Excellent Student Scholarship
(2012, 2013, 2014)
— Excellent Graduate Award (2015)
— Advisor: Lin Liu
— GPA: 3.8/4.0
(Hidden)
MAP AWARDS
• CaGIS (Cartography and Geographic Information Society) Map Design Competition: 1× Winner and 1× Honorable Mention of Arthur Robinson Static Print Map Award, 1× Winner and 2× Honorable Mention of David Woodward Digital Map Award (2021, 2023, 2025, 2026)
• NACIS (North American Cartographic Information Society) Student Map and Poster / Dynamic Map Competition: 1× Winner in Design (tied), 1× Winner in Research (sole),1× Winner in Individual Dynamic Map (sole) (2023, 2024, 2025)
• BCS (British Cartographic Society) Annual Award: 1× Winner (Ordnance Survey Student Award) (sole), 2× Highly Commended (Avenza Award for Electronic Mapping; Collins Bartholomew Award for Thematic Mapping), 1× Commended (Garsdale Design Award for 3D Mapping) (2024, 2025)
• Esri User Conference: 2× Maps featured in Mappy Hour (2024, 2025); 1× Map featured in Map Art Wall (2024)
• Esri UC Plenary Session: 4× Maps featured by President Jack Dangermond (2023, 2024, 2025)
• Esri UC Map Gallery: 2× Most Innovative Map (1× sole; 1× first place), 1× Best Cartography (sole), 1× Best University and Postgraduate Student Map, 2× Cartography Special Interest Group Excellence Award (1 of 3 recipients), 3× Maps in finalist (Map with a Message, Innovative, Interactive) (2024, 2025)
• WLIA (Wisconsin Land Information Association) Map Contest: 6× First Place (Reference Map; Thematic Map; Mapping Poster; 2× Black and White Map; Unique Map), 5× Second Place (Interactive Map; Reference Map; Mapping Poster; 2× Thematic Map), 2× Best Student Map (sole), Keynotes Choice of Static Map (sole); President’s Choice (sole); People’s Choice (sole) (2024, 2025, 2026)
• IIB (Information Is Beautiful) Award: 4× Maps on Longlist (Places, Spaces & Environment; Unusual) (2025)
• Digital Salon by UW-Madison: 1× Best in Show (2025), 2× Honorable Mention (2023, 2024), 8× Maps admitted (2021 – 2025)
• Other Competition: 3× Winner in state-level student map competitions (2024); Third Place in Student Category, GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) Map Contest (2023); First Prize in Web/Mobile Group, Esri Chinese College Student GIS Development Contest (2014)
IMPACT
• Publication Inclusion: 8× Atlas of Design (Vol. VII), Esri Map Book (Vol. 39; 2× Vol. 40, Vol. 41), Cartographic Perspectives (cover page of Vol. 105), Atlas at a Conference: Flow, ArcUser (Winter 2026)
• Library Collection: 4× maps by Library of Congress, American Geographical Society Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Robinson Map Library, University of Georgia's Map and Government Information Library
• Media Feature: 16× maps on reports (×11, reprints excluded), TV news (×2), and online articles (×7)
• Public Display: 14× maps/collections in local libraries, bookstore, museum in Wisconsin, Florida, and Georgia
ACADEMIC
• Trewartha-Odebolt Conference Travel Award, UW-Madison Geography Department (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019)
• Travel and Participation Grant, North American Cartographic Information Society (2024, 2023, 2021)
• First Place of Most Downloaded Paper Award as Co-author, Annals of GIS (2022)
• Third Place of Best Paper Award as Co-author, Annals of GIS (2022)
• Student Travel Award, AAG Spatial Analysis and Modeling (SAM) Specialty Group (2021)
• Grant for Virtual Conference, Holtz Center for STS (2020)
• Student Research Conference Travel Award, UW-Madison (2019)
• Excellent Graduate Award, Sun Yat-sen University (2015)
• Second-Class Excellent Student Scholarship, Sun Yat-sen University (2014, 2013)
• Third-Class Excellent Student Scholarship, Sun Yat-sen University (2012)
SKILLS
• Design: Illustrator | Photoshop | BrickLink Studio | Sony Vegas | Blender | After Effects | Flash
• GIS & RS: ArcGIS (Pro/Server/Engine) | QGIS | GeoDa | TransCAD | ENVI | ERDAS | Google Earth Engine
• Programming: JavaScript/HTML/CSS | ASP.NET MVC | Java (Android) | C# | C++ | VB | C | Pascal
• Analysis: Python | R | Java | PostgreSQL | SQL Server | SPSS | Gephi | MongoDB | AWS | MATLAB