Bo Zhao (he/him)

I identify myself as a humanistic scholar in geographic information and technology, committed to cultivating spatial perspectives that deepen our understanding of ourselves and the communities we inhabit—especially amid the grand challenges of our time. My work began with digital mapping projects in response to the Wenchuan Earthquake, helping the public visualize the disaster’s spatial impact. Later, I developed a web-based platform leveraging Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) to support street beggar children in reuniting with their families. These early experiences shaped my belief that geographic information is not only a technical instrument but also a moral and affective medium—capable of care, connection, and collective memory.

Over the years, I have extended this vision across diverse sociotechnical and cultural contexts. I examine how geospatial technologies can support the land claims of Sioux tribes, amplify the struggles and resilience of business owners of color affected by misinformation and pandemic disruption, and help reconstruct the long-silenced urban histories of LGBTQ+ communities. At the same time, I interrogate the broader societal consequences of emerging geospatial technologies. In an era often dominated by techno-optimism and algorithmic abstraction, I engage critically with phenomena such as deepfake geography, the collapse of GeoAI, and the reproduction of societal bias in geospatial big data.

For me, GIS encodes values, shapes visibility and invisibility, and reflects the uneven contours of power and privilege. I approach mapping as a practice of ethical reflection and social imagination—one that resists structural bias, attends to vulnerability, and aspires toward more inclusive human futures. Through research, teaching, and public scholarship, I continue to explore how geospatial technologies can serve not only as tools for representation, but also as instruments for empathy, justice, and human understanding.