News and Updates
Updates on the research and events completed by our team
Featured News
Disability GIS, for Poppa
by Dr. Victoria Fast - November 2025
A decade ago, my dad (Poppa) asked me to make him a map so he could stop getting stuck in his wheelchair. I thought: easy. I do GIS, spatial analysis, cartography.
I was wrong. The issue wasn’t his chair—it was the way our maps, datasets, and “accessibility” metrics were designed without disabled people in mind.
Today, that realization has grown into a field-shaping contribution. With Dr. Shiloh Deitz, our open access paper “Disability GIS” is published in Progress in Human Geography. We reviewed 240 studies and argue that we don’t need a retrofit; we need a redesign of geospatial tools and standards with disabled people leading.
This one’s for Poppa. And for the geographic information scientists who want to support data, analysis, and technologies that work for everyone.
Fast, V., & Deitz, S. (2025). GIScience II: Disability GIS. Progress in Human Geography, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/03091325251385569
A word cloud generated by attendees of the event.
Accessible Cities and Societies Showcase
by Tyseer Hima - June 2025
The Accessible Cities and Societies Showcase, held on April 24, 2025, at the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning in Calgary, brought together participants from diverse disciplines, including researchers, academic staff, community members, and practitioners. Hosted by the University of Calgary Accessibility Network (UCAN) and the Institutes for Transdisciplinary Scholarship, the event fostered knowledge exchange and collaboration to break down accessibility barriers through transdisciplinary collaboration.
Morning sessions: The day opened with a lively breakfast and registration, where attendees shared their valuable insights and professional experiences, sparking meaningful conversations. The "Getting to Know UCAN" session kicked off with roundtable discussions, highlighting the network’s welcoming, decentralized, and community-driven nature. This was followed by the "Asset-Based Community Development" workshop, where participants used whiteboards and sticky notes to identify accessibility gaps and resources. Key themes that emerged included disability justice, community engagement, inclusive design, education and literacy, technology innovation, and intersectionality and neurodiversity. These insights were synthesized into a shared digital document for future action.
Afternoon Sessions: A networking lunch provided opportunities for deeper connections, while the mentorship roundtable offered a space for students to connect with professionals and discuss research ideas. Remote attendees joined via Zoom, contributing to live polls and discussions.
Art Corner: The UCAN Art Corner featured a beautiful collage of business cards, stickers, and handwritten visions for accessible cities, emphasizing the collective commitment.
Impact: The showcase moved beyond talk to action, with participants drafting strategic plans for UCAN’s next year. Its success proved that a transdisciplinary approach is key to bringing people together to develop insightful solutions for building accessible cities where everyone thrives.