Xihan Yao

Xihan Yao

Ph.D. Student
UT Austin

Connecting the Dots: A Geospatial Journey Through Place and Space

1 minute read

Published:

As part of my final project for the Issues in Geography class, I created an interactive globe visualization that traces my personal and academic journey across different places. This project, titled “Connecting the Dots,” explores the relationship between place and space through my own experiences.

Project Concept

The interactive map allows viewers to explore the places that have shaped my academic and personal growth. Each location on the globe is marked with a clickable point that reveals a story about my connection to that place—where I’ve studied, lived, worked, and grown.

This visualization represents more than just geographic coordinates; it’s a narrative map of experiences, relationships, and the places that have influenced my perspective as a geographer and researcher.

Interactive Map

You can explore the full interactive map on the Connecting the Dots page.

Technical Approach

The map was built using Python with Plotly for interactive 3D globe visualization. Each marker represents a significant place in my journey, with popup stories that describe:

  • Academic experiences and institutions
  • Research projects and fieldwork
  • Cultural experiences and personal growth
  • Connections to local communities and environments

Reflections on Place and Space

This project reinforced how geography is deeply personal. Each place marker represents not just a location, but a web of relationships, experiences, and transformations. As geographers, we often study human-environment interactions at scale, but this project reminded me that every point on a map contains countless individual stories.

The process of creating this map made me reflect on:

  • How different places have shaped my research interests
  • The privilege of mobility and access to diverse geographic contexts
  • The importance of place-based knowledge in understanding global phenomena
  • How personal narratives can illuminate broader geographic concepts

Explore the Map

Head over to the Connecting the Dots section to interact with the globe and explore my geospatial journey!

Course: Issues in Geography (Fall 2025)
Project Type: Interactive Visualization
Tools: Python, Plotly, HTML/JavaScript

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