The Presidential Medal of Cartography

Kamala Harris' Vice-Presidential pick Tim Walz loves maps. As a former high school geography teacher it should come as no surprise that Walz has an interest in cartography, but it appears that he is in act a full blown GIS nerd who only last year called for November 15th to be 'GIS Day'. According to Politico Tim Walz has also "addressed the geographic information systems software company Esri’s annual conference for the past three years."

With such a self-declared interest in all things cartographical I would like to propose that the next administration should establish a new Presidential Medal of Cartography - an award to be presented to the creators of outstanding maps. If you watch Tim Walz's 2024 address to the Esri conference you can get an insight into the kinds of maps which might win my proposed Presidential Medal of Cartography.

In his address Walz talks about how it is possible to increase our understanding of "an interconnected world through graphic representation of data". He says that maps are a means to an end and that 'the end product of these maps is a more sustainable economy, a more sustainable environment, and lifting up of people's lives in a way that they can thrive". Later in his Esri speech Walz also explains how "conveying data to people (using GIS)  helps to build trust." It is clear that Walz believes that maps can both increase our understanding of the world and can help drive positive social outcomes.

The new Presidential Medal of Cartography could therefore be awarded to maps which make a significant contribution to our understanding of the world and promote sustainable economies, environments and improve people's lives.

During Walz's Esri presentation it is clear which maps he thinks meet these criteria. As Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz was able to use "what I knew about mapping and the visual display of data to convey complex issues." He says that the reason that the John Hopkins's Covid-19 Map is the most viewed interactive map in history is because people wanted to know "where we were having (the) highest level of transmission".

The Minnesota Executive Map Portfolio has numerous examples of the kinds of maps which Walz believes convey complex data, enhance understanding and improve lives. In his speech he highlights the Universal School Meals Map (showing the increase in the number of students who can get free school meals under the Minnesota Free School Meals Program), the Potentially Restorable Peatlands Map (showing where peatlands can be protected) and the Broadband Speed Map (showing where broadband infrastructure need more development in Minnesota).

Watching Tim Walz's Esri speech you can begin to understand why Kamala Harris chose this former geography teacher as her running mate. You can also begin to understand the likely criteria that the possible next Vice-President might introduce for a future Presidential Medal of Cartography.

Before I get accused of being completely partisan in proposing a Presidential Medal of Cartography I would like to remind you that Donald Trump also likes to use maps to help convey complex information. For example in September 2019 the then President used a NOAA hurricane map to explain how he hadn't made a mistake when he warned that Alabama was in danger from the approach of Hurricane Dorian. On this map Donald Trump used a sharpie pen to extend the cone of uncertainty into Alabama to prove that he knew more about the hurricane's forecast path than the experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.