Proposal

Digital Humanitarianism: Mitigating Crises with OpenStreetMap (30 Hours)

Community partner: UWEC Geography & Anthropology

Supervisor: Ezra J. Zeitler

Beginning date:
2026-01-26

Ending Date:
2026-05-15

Project Proposal Description

1.

Briefly describe the project and the community need to be addressed.

Answer When major disaster strikes anywhere in the world, thousands of Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) volunteers come together online and on the ground to create open map data that enables disaster responders to reach those in need. Join the ranks of HOT volunteers by participating in this community-engaged learning project! Volunteers will contribute to the HOT’s Missing Maps project. This project involves contributions to OpenStreetMap, a free and editable map of the world, that assists the needs of humanitarian organizations who are directly involved with disaster response, environmental change, refugee response, public health, gender equity, sustainable development, water and sanitation, clean energy, transportation, and other efforts. Learn more at hotosm.org

2.

What is the mission of the agency or organization?

Answer The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) is dedicated to humanitarian action and community development through open mapping. Contributors work together to provide map data which revolutionizes disaster management, reduces risks, and contributes to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. HOT's work is global in scale and contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The organization’s monitoring and evaluation framework is constantly evolving to ensure tangible and measurable impact. Core impact areas include disasters & climate resilience, displacement & safe migration, sustainable cities & communities, gender equality, and public health.

3.

What skills are required for this project?

Answer Skills required for participation in this project include: basic computer skills, communication skills, and map and air photo interpretation skills. Familiarity with identifying natural and cultural landscape features (i.e., roads, buildings, rivers) from satellite imagery is ideal. However, student volunteers can quickly acquire this skill during group mapping efforts hosted regularly by the Geography and Anthropology Club.

4.

What are the objectives for the student learning and service?

Answer Community-engaged learning objectives include improved understanding of the spatial dimensions of humanitarian crises incited by environmental change and/or human conflict, the role of humanitarian organizations in addressing these crises, and ways that geospatial technologies are used to plan for and mitigate them.

5.

What are the availability requirements for the student?

Answer Community-engaged learning volunteers will enhance their knowledge of geospatial technology and the ability to demonstrate this knowledge through contributing to Humanitarian Open Street Map projects. Student volunteers will explore a personal sense of responsibility to the global community through this service experience. Volunteers who work independently are expected to provide weekly status updates (supplemented with statistics provided by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMaps Team dashboard) and attend monthly Humanitarian OpenStreetMap “Mapathons” hosted by the Department of Geography & Anthropology.

6.

Additional information (not required).

Answer All students are welcome to join this community-engaged learning project. Student volunteers will identify Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) projects in need of volunteers and contribute to their humanitarian, relief or development efforts by mapping areas in need. By participating in this project, student volunteers will learn to identify natural and cultural features from aerial imagery, develop an awareness of the frequency and impact of environmental disasters and humanitarian crises in our world, and make real and direct contributions to relief efforts. Student volunteers are expected to attend the first Geography and Anthropology Club map-a-thon of the semester for orientation and training, maintain a project journal that includes the names and locations of their HOT contributions, and communicate with the project coordinator about their progress on a weekly basis. To complete this community-engaged learning project, student volunteers must submit a paper that includes the names and locations of HOT contributions, the environmental or cultural origins of the crises they contributed relief efforts towards, and a personal reflection of their efforts during the project. Feel welcome to e-mail Ezra Zeitler (zeitleej@uwec.edu) with any questions.

UWEC

UWEC

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Proposal

Digital Humanitarianism: Mitigating Crises with OpenStreetMap (30 Hours)

Project Proposal Description

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