15 Minute Maps
15 Minute Maps
Podcast Description
This podcast is dedicated to those people making positive change in the world using GIS, mapping and cartography. Each guest is given 15 minutes to describe their dream map, and how it could impact the work they do.Hello and welcome to 15 Minute maps, where I ask my guests to let their minds roam free and come up with a new idea for their dream map. The first known map of the world was created three thousand years ago, (of a flat disc-like world surrounded by water,) and today we are making maps of the furthest reaches of the known universe. In between lie a myriad of mapping possibilities. What if we could do away with resource limitations… think beyond the conventions of time, space and political boundaries? What new kinds of map could we dream up?
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers themes such as humanitarian GIS, innovative cartography, and the societal impacts of mapping. Example episodes include discussions on user-driven mapping with Olivier Cottray, who envisions a needs-based mapping system for humanitarian efforts, and Jessie Pechmann, who proposes a world map incorporating cultural and physical barriers.
This podcast is dedicated to those people making positive change in the world using GIS, mapping and cartography. Each guest is given 15 minutes to describe their dream map, and how it could impact the work they do.
Hello and welcome to 15 Minute maps, where I ask my guests to let their minds roam free and come up with a new idea for their dream map. The first known map of the world was created three thousand years ago, (of a flat disc-like world surrounded by water,) and today we are making maps of the furthest reaches of the known universe. In between lie a myriad of mapping possibilities. What if we could do away with resource limitations… think beyond the conventions of time, space and political boundaries? What new kinds of map could we dream up?
In this episode of 15 Minute Maps, I speak with David de Ridder, Senior Research Fellow at the University Hospital of Geneva (HUG), who specializes in spatial epidemiology and digital public health.
David shares his dream map: a next-generation routing system that doesn’t optimize for speed, but for health.
Think: a navigation app that automatically guides you through routes with less air pollution, lower noise, fewer allergens, and greater safety — subtly improving your daily environment without adding friction to your life.
Together, we explore:
• How spatial data helped track and respond to COVID-19 in Geneva
• Why tiny differences between neighbourhoods matter for public health
• The concept of exposomics — the full range of environmental factors shaping our bodies
• The promise and challenges of “passive” digital health tools
• How smarter maps could reduce stress, prevent disease, and promote healthier cities
If you're curious about the future of mapping, digital health, or how your environment shapes your well-being, this episode is packed with insights.
Disclaimer
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