Geography alum spots NIU-produced maps
on display at Library of Congress in Washington

NIU alumnus Matthew Van Eck ('02) recently was reminded of the widespread influence of his alma mater during a visit to the Library of Congress in Washington , D.C.

Van Eck, who holds a degree in geography, naturally stopped by the new “Maps of our Lives” exhibition, where he spotted two maps produced by the NIU Cartography Lab. One satellite-image map depicts landscapes of northern Illinois, while the other map shows the Rockford mass transit system.

Van Eck said NIU is the only university to have two of its cartographic products featured in the exhibit, which will run through Jan. 7, 2007.

The cartographic section of “Maps in Our Lives” highlights more than 40 items selected from the annual map design competition of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM). The exhibits demonstrate notable advances in cartographic interpretations, design and production during the last 22 years.

Van Eck is a certified Geographic Information Systems professional who works for Texas-based BDS Technologies. While at NIU, he won the ACSM's annual map design competition for students. That map, related to WWII bombing missions, is part of the Library of Congress collection.

3-6-06