Dalton Inman

Hi everyone! My name is Dalton Inman, I'm a full time marine bio undergraduate at UWF, and just switched from the minor to the certificate in GIS and will be graduating this December! I really enjoyed the introductory classes and wanted to dive deeper into understanding and using GIS for marine conservation and rehabilitation. My aim in taking these GIS Courses for my certificate is to add to my current GIS skill set. I noticed some LiDAR labs later in this course which makes me excited since I've been interested in learning about it. I am currently an intern at the Escambia County Marine Resource Division where I help organize data in Excel and create maps from Boat Data and deployed artificial reef condition data. When I'm not spending time outdoors flying drones or snorkeling in the ocean, I typically spend it inside with my now fiancé!! and my three cats: Kiwi, Pumpkin, and Mango. I hope to learn a bunch from this course and from everyone I meet in GIS!  If you want to ...

For the last and final lab, we explored the capabilities of Google Earth as a platform for visualizing and sharing geographic data. The goal of the module was to convert GIS data from ArcGIS Pro into KMZ format ( Keyhole Markup Language) and use it to create an interactive and accessible map of Southern Florida. Along with the map, we were also tasked with creating a recorded guided tour to help viewers navigate major urban areas.   The map I created features a detailed dot density representation of the population across Southern Florida that was provided to us, which appears above all other layers for clear visibility. Additional elements include hydrography layers categorized by waterbody type, county boundaries that include interactive pop-up attributes, and a custom legend image overlay to assist with map viewer interpretation. A recorded tour in Google Earth that guides viewers through several major metropolitan areas. The tour includes stops at the Miami metro area, Downtow...

For this module, we explored the principles and techniques of isarithmic mapping; a method used to visualize continuous spatial phenomena like elevation, temperature, and precipitation. The goal for this assignment was to learn how to represent continuous raster data using hypsometric tints, contour lines, and hillshade effects to create a well designed map. We also covered the use of PRISM interpolation method, spatial analyst tools, and key cartographic design principles to design our map. The map I created for this module shows the average annual precipitation across the state of Washington state using isarithmic symbology. The base precipitation data was provided by the USDA Geospatial Gateway and represents a 30-year climate average, interpolated using the  PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model) method. This model accounts for elevation, topographic orientation, and coastal proximity, which makes it especially effective in mountainous and coastal...

For this module, we had the opportunity to combine choropleth and graduated symbol mapping techniques to explore two variables across Europe which were  population density and wine consumption per capita . The goal was to show a pattern in wine consumption while accounting for population distribution using the spatial analysis tools in ArcGIS Pro . The map was developed using  ArcGIS Pro.  The process began with acquiring the appropriate datasets from the designated drive and exporting them into my project. I explored the attribute tables for both population density and wine consumption fields, which allowed me to identify key outliers such as Monaco and Malta. Since these two had extremely high population densities and the potential to distort the choropleth classification, I utilized SQL queries for data exclusion to remove them from the display, ensuring a more balanced visual representation (which wouldn't be the only time I use data exclusion). I tested multi...

For our Module 4 assignment for Computer Cartography, we explored how data classification methods influence spatial data interpretation in GIS. This lab introduced us to four types of classification schemes: Equal Interval, Quantile, Standard Deviation, and Natural Breaks. Our task was to apply them in two contexts: percent-based and area-normalized data of seniors aged 65 and older in Miami-Dade County, Florida using ArcGIS Pro.  Our dataset was specifically focused on the 2010 U.S. Census tracts in Miami-Dade County and included both the percentage of population aged 65 and up,  and the number of seniors normalized by square mileage . We created two map, showing the four classification methods for each context (percent and area-normalized). This map shows the percentage of seniors in each census tract. Equal Interval was e asy to understand but hides variation in areas with similar percentages. Q uantile mad e the map look balanced, but was misleading by placing very differe...

For Module 3, our goal was to design a map of public schools in Ward 7, Washington D.C.. To do this we followed Gestalt’s principles of visual hierarchy, contrast, figure-ground, and balance to create a map that would both be informative and visually appealing.  Using ArcGIS Pro, I clipped data given to us by UWF, from District of Columbia Open data, for Ward 7. I symbolized elementary, middle, and high schools with visually distinct icons and colors, and added essential map elements including a inset map for the state and states around it, a title, scale bar, north arrow, and legend (the essential map elements).  I emphasized visual hierarchy by using bold, vibrant symbols for schools and subtler tones for base layers and features, making sure that the most important features popped while background data faded into the context of the map. I wanted to make sure the map users would first know what location they are reading from, then understand the context (symbols) for the sch...

In this module, we explored map elements and focused primarily on typography in cartography. Typography is the art of arranging, designing, and using words in a map to allow better readability for the map user. This exercise aimed to strengthen our skills in labeling geographic features like cities, rivers, and regions with intention and clarity. Ultimately, it isn’t just about putting words on a map but more about making visual decisions that help communicate geography effectively. For the map, we were given feature layers for rivers, swamps, populated places, and county seats in Florida, and tasked with creating label classes for each feature. Using ArcGIS, I used the base layer of Florida to add these feature classes to, them moved on to labeling these features. All of the details for the map work together to make a cohesive and understandable, though specifically, I made the county seats notably larger since they were of more importance and crowed the map less than the populated ...

As this is the start of this Cartography course, understanding map aesthetic and principles is the building block to creating your own cartographic maps.  For the first Module, we were tasked with evaluating and critiquing maps that we can personally choose. Two maps were chosen, one being a well-designed map, and the other being a poorly-designed map. In analyzing these chosen maps, we should start to think about and shape our own cartographic style, while also learning the principles that make maps "well-designed". The principles that we are following and using to critique our maps are the "20 Tufteisms from The Visual Display of Quantitative Information".  In the process of finding the maps I wanted to evaluate, I first found this hand drawn map of Todilto Park By Norton Allen from 1952.  Source: David Rumsey Collection I really enjoyed this map, I thought it looked beautiful and was ready to make it my well-designed map to talk about. Though after looking furthe...