Dr. Peter Kedron
Associate Professor of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara
“New Directions in Geographic Research on Replication”
Invited keynote
Waldo Tobler Distinguished Lecture.
A co-sponsored lecture with the GIScience journal Transactions in GIS honoring the legacy of Waldo Tobler. Each year a leading scholar delivers a keynote at a dedicated session during the AAG Annual Meeting.
2026 distinguished speakers
Dr. Shawn Newsam
Professor, School of Engineering (EECS), University of California, Merced
“Over 25 years of GeoAI: From the Alexandria Digital Library Project to Now”
About the award
If any one paradigm within cartography has an "intellectual leader," it is analytical cartography. Waldo Tobler originated (in the 1960s) and nurtured (in the 1970s and 1980s) the idea of mathematical, transformational, or analytical approach to the subject. Tobler laid out the agenda for an analytical cartography in his seminal 1976 paper, "Analytical Cartography," published in the American Cartographer. This paper, and Tobler's ideas, had a profound effect on American academic cartography" (A History of Twentieth Century American Academic Cartography: McMaster, Robert B, Susanna McMaster, American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, Cartography and Geographic Information Science, 29 305-320, 2002).
Each year, the AAG Geographic Information Science and Systems Specialty Group and the GIScience Journal Transactions in GIS collaborate to honor the legacy of Waldo Tobler by hosting a sponsored session, "The Waldo Tobler Distinguished Lecture in GIScience", featuring a leading light in the field of GIScience. Please join AAG-GISS this year for an exciting and informative talk by a driving force in the field of GIScience.
Past distinguished speakers
- Dr. Kathleen StewartProfessor of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park2025
- Dr. Song GaoAssociate Professor of Geography, University of Wisconsin–Madison2025
- Dr. A-Xing ZhuVilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Geography, University of Wisconsin–Madison2024
- Dr. Yao-Yi ChiangAssociate Professor of Computer Science, University of Minnesota–Twin Cities2024
- Dr. Shaowen WangProfessor of Geography, Director of CyberGIS Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign2023
- Dr. Christopher LippittProfessor of Geography, University of New Mexico2023
- Dr. Trisalyn NelsonJack and Laura Dangermond Chair in Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara2022
- Dr. Clio AndrisAssociate Professor of City and Regional Planning, Georgia Institute of Technology2022
- Dr. Robert RothProfessor of Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison2021
- Dr. Elizabeth DelmelleProfessor of Geography, Washington University in St. Louis2021
- Dr. Keith ClarkeDistinguished Professor of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara2019
- Dr. May YuanAshbel Smith Professor of Geospatial Information Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas2018
- Dr. Arthur GetisDistinguished Emeritus Professor of Geography, San Diego State University2017
- Dr. Alan MacEachrenEmeritus Professor of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University2016
- Dr. Elizabeth WentzDean of Graduate Education and Professor of Geographical Sciences, Arizona State University2015
- Dr. Matt DuckhamProfessor of Geospatial Science, RMIT University2014
- Dr. Dawn WrightChief Scientist, Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri)2013
- Dr. Andrew Frank and Dr. Nick ChrismanEmeritus Professor, TU Wien & Emeritus Professor, Université Laval2012
- Dr. Richard J. AspinallIndependent Scholar; formerly James Hutton Institute (Macaulay)2011
- Dr. André SkupinProfessor of Geography, San Diego State University2010
- Dr. David M. MarkSUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Geography, University at Buffalo (1947–2023)2009
- Dr. Marc P. ArmstrongEmeritus Professor of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, University of Iowa2008
2026 Waldo Tobler Distinguished Lecture
Event details
- Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
- Location: Imperial B, Ballroom Level, Hilton, Tower 1, 2, 3, San Francisco, California
- Format: In-person (Streamed and Recorded for virtual attendees)
Session agendas
Distinguished Lecture (2:30 PM – 3:50 PM PST)
| Presenter | University | Paper title |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Peter Kedron | Associate Professor of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara | New Directions in Geographic Research on Replication |
| Dr. Shawn Newsam | Professor, School of Engineering (EECS), University of California, Merced | Over 25 years of GeoAI: From the Alexandria Digital Library Project to Now |
Recent announcements
The Waldo Tobler and TGIS Distinguished Lecture in GIScience and Reception at AAG 2025
Dear geographers, colleagues, and friends, We are very excited to invite you to join the Waldo Tobler and TGIS Distinguished Lecture in GIScience and Award…