EDUCATION

Ph.D., May 2009, Department of Geography, University of Southern California
Dissertation: “Urban revolution: Rethinking the American small town”; supervisor, Michael Dear

M.S., May 2005, geography, Pennsylvania State University
Thesis: “Hating to love the big-box: Consumer choice and the changing structure of small-town retail”; supervisor, Deryck Holdsworth

B.A., May 2000, geography and international relations, summa cum laude, SUNY Geneseo
Honors thesis: “Education, elitism, and inequality”; supervisor, Darrell Norris

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Project assistant, Vision 2030, Steamboat Springs, CO, June to August 2008
• Coded and analyzed community visioning survey of 800 residents

Research assistant, USC Center for Sustainable Cities, Summer 2007
• Supervised surveys of 300 alleys in Los Angeles

Researcher and co-author, USC Center for Sustainable Cities, Summer 2006
• Created critical survey of new 'sustainable' communities

Interviewer, Puente Hills Habitat Authority, Fall 2005
• Surveyed users of conservation area

Research assistant, Pennsylvania State University, Summer 2004
• Created database of banker, lawyer, and other proprietor locations in 1906 Philadelphia

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Graduate teaching assistant, University of Southern California, August 2006 to May 2009
• Sustainability Science and Society
• Natural Hazards
• Los Angeles and the American Dream

Graduate teaching assistant, Pennsylvania State University August 2003 to May 2005
• Cultural Geography
• The Developing World
• The American Scene

Guest lectures
• “Google mapping tools,” Map design and analysis, USC, January 2009
• “From pueblo to metropolis: Mapping an ideology of growth in Los Angeles,” Resource Management Colloquium, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, October 2007
• “Archival research for geographers,” Geographical Analysis, USC, March 2007
• “Mapping Los Angeles: 100 years of expansion,” Los Angeles and the American Dream, USC, February 2007, October 2006
• “The cultural history of suburbanization and sprawl,” Environmental Issues, Walsingham Academy, Williamsburg, VA, October 2004

INTERACTIVE MEDIA & VISUALIZATION

Graphic designer, Vision 2030, Steamboat Springs, CO, June 2008 to May 2009
• Designed and consulted for final report of community visioning committee
• Created illustrations for interim report of community visioning committee
• Created interactive map of “special places” as reported by 800 residents

Graphic designer, Yampa Valley Partners, Craig, CO, August 2008 to January 2009
• Created design template for Community Indicator Project Report
• Created descriptive illustrations for indicator report

Cartographer, Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, June 2006 to July 2008
• Conducted field survey of approximately 750 historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles
• Created photos, web portal and interactive map of historic building locations
• Created poster-sized map of historic buildings for distribution to residents

Web designer, Downtown Los Angeles Walking Tour, USC, January-June 2007
• Created interactive map for Department of Geography website
• Redesigned and updated photos and text for 100 downtown locations

Writer/editor, National Geographic News, Washington, D.C. December 2000 to April 2001
• Wrote and managed publication of daily online news stories

Intern, National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. September to December 2000
• Wrote and researched online educational features

PRINT MEDIA

Reporter and copy editor, The Saratogian, Saratoga Springs, NY, June 2001 to August 2003
• Wrote ten stories a week on topics including planning, politics, and education
• Designed news and business sections, created maps and graphics for local news stories

Intern, The Saratogian, June to August 2000

News Editor, The Lamron, Geneseo, NY August 1998 to May 2000

PUBLICATIONS

Mapes, J. and J. Wolch, ‘Living green’: The promise and pitfalls of new sustainable communities, Journal of Urban Design, submitted for review.

"National Geographic Society," Encyclopedia of Geography. B. Warf, ed., SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, Calif., forthcoming.

"Mapping for the masses: Google mapping tools" 2008. Visual Studies. 23 (1): 78-84.

Book review: “Suburban Sprawl: Culture, Theory, and Politics,” (M. Lindstrom & H. Bartling, eds.) 2004 Regional Studies 38(6): 728-729.

Book review: “The Struggle for a Livable City: The Next Los Angeles.” (Robert Gottlieb, Mark Vallianatos, Regina M. Freer, and Peter Dreier) 2006 Journal of Cultural Geography, 23(3): 122-123.

Book review: “Lots of Parking: Land Use in a Car Culture,” (J. Jakle & K. Sculle) 2006 Material Culture: Journal of the Pioneer America Society, 38(2): 100-102.

ACADMEIC PRESENTATIONS

2009 Association for Study of Literature and the Environment, Victoria, BC
Paper: “Deconstructing/reconstructing the ecological dream in the American small town”
Organizer: Beyond Ecotopia: Reconciling the ideal with the real

2009 Association of American Geographers annual meeting, Las Vegas,
Paper: “The promise of the creative economy in American small towns: a critical assessment”

2008 Association of American Geographers annual meeting, Boston,
Paper: “From outpost to exurb: The mythology and reality of American small towns”

2007 Association of American Geographers annual meeting, San Francisco
Paper: “Exploring 'sustainable' new communities”
Organizer: From theory to practice — Can new planned developments be sustainable? (I&II)

2005 Association of American Geographers annual meeting, Denver, CO
Paper: “Hating to love the big-box: Consumer choice and the changing structure of small-town retail”

2004 Association of American Geographers annual meeting, Philadelphia, PA
Paper: “Death of a small town supermarket: The changing role of chain stores in the American landscape”

2000 Association of American Geographers annual meeting, Pittsburgh, PA
Illustrated poster: “Education, elitism, and inequality”

1999 Association of American Geographers East Lakes meeting, Loudonville, OH
Paper: “The rise and decline of Schuylerville’s Broad Street”

1998 Association of American Geographers annual meeting, Boston
Poster: “Education in Catholic and Islamic developing counties”

1998 Third World Conference, Chicago, IL
Paper: “Education in Catholic and Islamic developing countries” (co-presenter with Darrell Norris)

HONORS, AWARDS & RECOGNITION

College Graduate Merit Award (fellowship/assistantship), USC, August 2005 to present

Second place, Best Environmental Coverage, Suburban Newspapers of America, January 2004

Third place, In-Depth Reporting, New York Associated Press Association, September 2003

Third place, In-Depth Reporting, Suburban Newspapers of America, January 2004

Second place, In-Depth Reporting, New York Associated Press Association, September 2002

National Tropical Botanical Gardens Environmental Journalism Fellowship, June 2001

Gamma Theta Upsilon award for highest GPA in geography, SUNY Geneseo, June 2000

Geography Department award for community service, SUNY Geneseo, June 1999

History Department award for best undergraduate research paper, SUNY Geneseo, June 1998

SUNY Geneseo college honors program, September 1996 to May 2000

ACADEMIC SERVICE

President, USC Geography Graduate Society, January to September 2007; September 2008 to May 2009

Organizer, USC, interdisciplinary workshop, "More than just a picture: Creating and using visuals to enhance social science research," April 2007

Geography representative, USC Graduate and Professional Student Senate, August 2006 to May 2007

Secretary, USC Geography Graduate Society, August 2005 to August 2006

Co-President, Penn State Chapter of Supporting Women in Geography, January 2004 to May 2005