Our Publications
Here you can see some showcased work coming out of the Accessible Mapping and Mobilities Research Lab!
Selected Publications and Work
GIScience I: The rise, fragmentation, and future of VGI
by V. Fast
Since the inception of volunteered geographic information in 2007, this area of study has seen a proliferation of terms and concepts representing diverse forms of user-generated geographic data and systems. Despite the rich development of VGI (volunteered geographic information) in geography, recent trends indicate a disjointed research field.
GIScience II: Disability GIS
by V. Fast and S. Deitz
This second progress report critically reviews the intersection of GIS and disability, tracing its evolution from a few isolated studies toward modest growth in recent scholarship. Through a contemporary literature analysis (N = 240) structured around four themes—wayfinding, spatial accessibility, cartography, and spatial epidemiology—we identify persistent conceptual and methodological gaps, including differing terminology and limited representation in leading journals.
Mapping Our Cities for All: A participatory baseline of business accessibility in Canada
by V. Fast, M. Jahanbani, R. Copley, and M. Ziv
Canada has committed to eliminating accessibility barriers by 2040, yet municipalities lack clear, comparable evidence on where building access breaks down. To address this gap, we set out to produce and test a participatory, city‐scale method to measure building accessibility of businesses.
Mapping for access: A methodology for improving inclusion on university campuses
by V. Fast, Z. Lamoureux, and L. Derksen
Maps are useful for university campuses, as they help people navigate the often-scattered array of buildings that have grown over time. However, most campus maps do not contain critical pedestrian-level navigation information such as sidewalks, stairs, and entrances. Using Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo, BC campus as a case study, we present a methodology for creating an access map and discuss the impact the map, data, and project overall has had on the campus community and facilities services.
Open Data
Disability GIS Zotero Library
by V. Fast, S. Deitz, and H. Drew
The published Progress Report on “Disability GIS” (Fast and Deitz, 2025) uses a contemporary literature analysis (n=240) structured around four themes—wayfinding, spatial accessibility, cartography, and spatial epidemiology. The purpose of this dataset is to provide a bibliographic file (.ris) containing all the citations and supplemental material including a full reference list. In addition to full citation information for each article, the .ris database contains tags for the theme and disability type for each article.
UCalgary Inclusive Map: Web Map, Data Typology, and Data Dictionary
By H. Falahatkar and V. Fast
The "UCalgary Inclusive Map" is designed based on a Feminist GIS framework that bridges diverse needs by combining multidisciplinary ideas from feminism, urban design, accessibility research, and GIS functionalities. This map includes features and attributes representing micro-amenities within the University of Calgary's campus open spaces that influence campus accessibility, safety, diversity, and spatial awareness for everyone.