Challenge
Vanderbilt, which does not have a dedicated geography department, has historically relied on standalone GIS tools like ArcGIS and QGIS. Libraries are a natural fit for accessing data and technology for research. Under the leadership of Dr. Stacy Curry- Johnson, Director of Research Strategy and the GIS Lab in the Vanderbilt Library, the lab has evolved into a central resource for students and faculty, providing instructional support for exploring and analyzing geographic and population data. While these tools offered powerful spatial analysis capabilities, they required significant time and expertise to use effectively. Dr. Curry-Johnson observed that many patrons, including educators and researchers, lacked the time to invest in mastering complex GIS software. In addition, faculty and students often struggled with cobbling together data from disparate sources, creating inefficiencies and barriers to adoption for those new to GIS.
Vanderbilt needed a campus-wide solution to streamline access to social data that was spatial, extensive, and easy to use in the data website and for download into standalone GIS platforms.
Solution
PolicyMap emerged as an essential resource for Vanderbilt and its GIS Lab, providing an intuitive platform that complemented more advanced GIS tools. Its ready-to-use mapping capabilities and comprehensive data library addressed the lab’s dual needs for ease of use and reliability.
Impact and Use Cases
Enhancing Teaching and Curriculum:
Dr. Curry-Johnson has integrated PolicyMap into various courses, including her class on GIS and Social Impact (HOD 3890: Special Topics in Human and Organizational Development: GIS for Social Impact). Students new to GIS use PolicyMap to explore spatial data, identify patterns, download essential data, and create maps for their final projects. The platform’s accessibility helps students quickly grasp fundamental GIS concepts, easing their transition into more advanced spatial analysis tools like ArcGIS. PolicyMap remains a source for reliable data to use in ArcGIS and QGIS.
Supporting Education Doctorate Programs:
In an Education Doctorate course, future educators used PolicyMap to investigate Promise Zones, analyzing social determinants of health, education access, and demographics. The ready-made maps and reports enable doctoral candidates to produce impactful policy recommendations without GIS expertise.
Driving Health Research and Publications:
PolicyMap was a crucial resource in a nursing PhD student’s dissertation on school-based healthcare for asthma patients in Connecticut. The platform provided demographic and healthcare access data, saving the researcher hours of time collecting and standardizing data from disparate sources. The PhD student then seamlessly incorporated the data into an ArcGIS dashboard for interactive analysis. This research contributed to a forthcoming publication and highlighted PolicyMap’s utility in health-focused academic projects.
Engaging Future Undergraduates:
The School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt (SSMV) is a joint venture between Vanderbilt University and Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS). The SSMV offers high school students an interdisciplinary, research-centered learning experience. Recently, students attending the SSMV program used PolicyMap to map and analyze environmental justice issues in Grundy County, Tennessee, such as disparities in water quality and rural healthcare access. Their enthusiasm for the platform underscored its potential to inspire the next generation of researchers and policymakers.
Ongoing Engagement:
The GIS Lab extends PolicyMap’s impact through regularly held workshops open to students, faculty, and staff across the university. The sessions introduce new users to the platform’s capabilities and encourage faculty to integrate PolicyMap into their courses. The lab is also developing video tutorials to further reduce barriers to adoption and expand access.
