About the SCO

Spatial Data Clearinghouse:
The Wisconsin State Cartographer's Office (SCO) is a unit within the Department of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With an outreach mission, the SCO gathers, maintains and disseminates information about mapping and geo-spatial data in the state. We do little mapping ourselves and sell only a few experimental maps. Instead we provide information about available maps and related data, such as what is available or under development, who did the work, who maintains it, where is it kept and how to obtain it.

Our role as a spatial data clearinghouse for the state includes development and maintenance of a number of specialized Web resources including:

• WISCLINC- The Wisconsin Land Information Program clearinghouse and Wisconsin node of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.
• Wisconsin Catalog of Aerial Photography- a listing of aerial photos acquired by federal, state and local agencies from the late - 1930's to the present.
• OrthoFinder - map index to locating and identifying digital orthophotography projects across the state.
• ControlFinder - map index to locating and identifying geodetic control monuments established by federal, state and local agencies.

Finally, we are also one of the state's affiliates for cartographic information in the U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Science Information Center (ESIC) network.

Publishing:
To help advance the quality and quantity of mapping and map use in Wisconsin, we go beyond serving as a clearinghouse. We are active in educating map users in the state through printed and online publications and various one-day workshops.

The Wisconsin Mapping Bulletin, published on our website six times per year, covers a broad range of subjects related to mapping and land information. It contains articles on federal, state and local activities, interviews, announcements of publications, and Web mapping developments.

The SCO's educational mission is furthered by its series of guides, handbooks, and factsheets covering various topics, such as mapping, surveying, land information systems and other spatial technologies.

The SCO web site has all of this plus a series of links to breaking news stories, acronyms and terms, upcoming events, job openings, weblinks, names and addresses.

Presentations:
At conferences, meetings, workshops, and on-site visits we provide information on new types of maps or mapping processes, new sample products or computer-based demonstrations, and promote cooperative arrangements such as initiatives of the Wisconsin Land Information Program and a variety of other opportunities.

Participation/Leadership/Liaison:
SCO staff serve on numerous committees, task forces and boards and act as liaisons between the many agencies and both private and public organizations that produce or use maps and geo-spatial data in Wisconsin. Through leadership of the SIAC (Spatial Information and Analysis Consortium), we also coordinate presentations, activities and events related to Geographic Information Sciences on the UW-Madison campus.

Jobs at the SCO:
Occasionally the SCO has openings for graduate project assistants, graduate/undergraduate student hourly employees, and other staff. Positions are limited to enrolled students on the UW-Madison campus. Please see our job postings for open positions at this time. Return to Top