USC Spatial Sciences Institute student wins top honors in Esri’s StoryMaps Competition and Esri UC Map Gallery Awards
USC SSI student Juan Sebastian Cortes won the student prize in Esri’s StoryMaps Competition for “From Ashes to Action,” a project documenting Altadena’s water infrastructure recovery after the Eaton Fire and connecting residents to FEMA and state funding resources. Cortes also received the Esri User Conference (UC) Map Gallery Award in the Interactive Web Map category for his project “Colombia Amphibian Explorer,” further demonstrating his excellence in cartographic design, web mapping, and geospatial storytelling.
From Ashes to Action: Documenting Altadena’s Water Infrastructure Revival
Juan Sebastian Cortes, a student in USC SSI’s Master’s of Science in Geographic Information Science and Technology (M.S. GIST) program, has been named the student winner in infrastructure category of Esri’s 2025 StoryMaps Competition for his project, From Ashes to Action: Documenting Altadena’s Water Infrastructure Revival.
His StoryMap traces Altadena’s path from disaster after the Eaton Fire of January 2025 to recovery, pairing archival imagery with interactive, user-friendly tools that help residents and officials navigate FEMA and state funding applications for water infrastructure repair. The judges highlighted the project for showing how geospatial platforms can directly support community resilience and long-term sustainability planning, rather than simply illustrating it after the fact.
Cortes’s work was recognized for excelling in three core elements of geospatial storytelling: attention to detail, narrative structure, and geographic approach. That combination allowed the project to move beyond a static record of damage and recovery, becoming a functional resource that links historical context to present-day decision-making.
“Sebastian is an absolutely outstanding student who exemplifies the role of creativity in the spatial sciences,” said Katherine Lester, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Spatial Sciences and the Director of Master’s Programs at USC’s Spatial Sciences Institute. “Bridging a variety of life experiences, he has created fascinating, personal, and relevant research projects. He blends art and science to build compelling narratives, highlighting the critical importance of clear communication. I am proud but not surprised to hear about this award.”
Colombia Amphibian Explorer
Cortes’ “Colombia Amphibian Explorer” project won the Esri User Conference (UC) Map Gallery Award in the Interactive Web Map category.The award-winning application was developed as a course project for SSCI 589: Cartography and Visualization, taught by Professor Guoping Huang at USC’s Spatial Sciences Institute.
The custom-built interactive web map visualizes the spatial and temporal distribution of 24 endemic and threatened amphibian species across Colombia using volunteered geographic information (VGI) observation data exported from iNaturalist. Developed with the ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript (ArcGIS JavaScript API) and published through GitHub Pages, the application integrates community-contributed biodiversity observations with authoritative reference datasets, including IUCN Red List conservation status, IGAC land cover classification, Köppen-Geiger climate zones, annual precipitation data, and Colombia’s protected areas network. Together, these datasets provide users with a comprehensive, multi-dimensional perspective on species distributions, environmental conditions, and conservation priorities through an engaging interactive mapping experience.
“This project embodies the idea that cartography is the combination of art and science. Sebastian artistically integrates comprehensive spatial data to enhance storytelling, demonstrating how thoughtful cartographic design can transform complex geographic information into an engaging and meaningful experience. Colombia Amphibian Explorer illustrates how effective visualization not only communicates scientific knowledge but also inspires greater awareness of biodiversity conservation.” says Professor Guoping Huang, who teaches SSCI 589: Cartography and Visualization
These accomplishments highlight the USC Spatial Sciences Institute’s commitment to preparing students by combining rigorous spatial analysis, technical innovation, visual communication, and creative design to address real-world environmental and societal challenges. Cortes’ success in both the Esri’s StoryMap Competition and the Esri User Conference (UC) Map Gallery Awards exemplifies the program’s emphasis on producing geospatial professionals capable of transforming data into meaningful, impactful stories and decision-support tools.