Venturing from the frosty landscapes of Canada to the buzzing world of hackathons, Mark is on a mission. His commitment? To use digital maps as a force for global awareness and positive change. Dive into Mark’s inspiring journey where tech meets passion—shaping a better world, one map at a time.
Tell us about your background in tech and your passion for using maps to make the world a better place.
I started my career working as jordan telegram screening a forester in the cold Canadian forest. Needless to say, I needed an office job. At that time, using computers to make maps was a novel concept, but evolving quickly. I started to create forestry maps using digital mapping technology. This got me out of the frost and into the office. This transition kicked off a lifetime goal of figuring out ways digital mapping could solve problems, not only in the natural resource field, but anywhere maps could help.
What motivates you to participate in hackathons?
Well, I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say prize money is a great motivator. That being said, hackathons provide me with an excuse to explore new technology and figure out ways to solve, or bring awareness to, global problems that society might not be aware of.
Can you share the details of your recent winning project, "The World is Flooding," and its unique approach to displaying flood data?