Alejandra Coll Escanilla
PERSONAL DETAILS
Date of Birth : 20th July 1956
Nationality : Chilean
Profession : Cartographer
Academic Rank : Associate Professor
Home Address : Los Aliaga 595 casa O, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile
Work Address : Dieciocho 414 - 2º piso, Santiago Centro, Chile
Telephone/Fax : (56) – 2 – 7877361, (56) – 2 – 7877388
E-mail : acoll@utem.cl
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
2003 Post-Graduate
• Degree in Information Management, Faculty of Library Sciences and Documentation, University of Granada.
1979 Cartographer
• University of Chile, Human Sciences Faculty, Geography Department.
TEACHING OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS
Metropolitan Technological University (UTEM)
1997 to date
• Management of various graduation projects by students oriented at qualifying as a Cartographer and involving disciplines such as topographic cartography, geological mapping and the area of visual and aural handicap.
• Teacher of the General Cartography and Systematic Cartography course components
• Coordination and supervision of the professional internships of Metropolitan Technological University (UTEM) Cartography School students.
ACADEMIC DUTIES
2003 to date
• Director of the Tactile Cartography Center in the Faculty for Humanities and Social Communication Technologies at the UTEM.
April 2000 – November 2003, April 2010 to date
• Director of the Cartography Department in the Faculty for Humanities and Social Communication Technologies at the Metropolitan Technological University - UTEM.
1981 to date
• Full time teacher of the School of Cartography, Cartography Department of the UTEM.
RESEARCH
Current Research:
2009-2012
• Co-researcher in the project of the Pan-American Institute for Geography and History (PAIGH) titled “Creation of tactile cartography and teaching material for understanding global warming and its relation to natural disasters”. This project is supported by the PAIGH Cartography Commission (as project Nº 2.1.1.7.2), the PAIGH Geography Commission (as project Nº 2.1.2.9.4.), PAIGH National Sections of Argentina, Brazil and Peru, the Cartography and Design Departments of the UTEM, the “San Francisco de Asís” school for deaf children and the Geography Department of the University of Chile.
Research completed during the last ten years:
2006-2009
• Co-researcher in the PAIGH Project N° 2.1.1.14.2 titled “Integrating the senses in the handling of geo-spatial information through tactile cartography, with special emphasis on blind and deaf persons in Latin America”.
• Researcher responsible for the project titled ”Design and production of blind persons in Latin America”, approved by the Inter-American Council for Integrated Development (CIDI) of the Organisation of American States (OAS) as project Nº ME/143-01-04. Argentina and Brazil participate, while 36 countries of the OAS are to benefit.
2006
• Researcher responsible for the project titled “Network for remote support: trial in comprehension of the environment”, approved by the National Fund for the Handicapped (FONADIS) as project N° 2564-2006 for the year 2006.
2002-2005
• Researcher responsible for PAIGH project N° 3.1.14.1 titled “Tactile Cartography in Latin America: training, society and multimedia technology for blind people in the 20th century”.
• Co-researcher and researcher responsible for project N° ATN/SF-5750.RG of the BID / PAIGH titled: “Digital mapping and trial project for the geographic information system of the tactile atlas of Latin America”, in framework of the continental atlas.
1998-2001
• Researcher responsible for PAIGH project N° 3.1.2.22/42/98 titled: "Tactile cartography as a means of support for the spatial mobility of the blind". The project was presented within the PAIGH Cartography Commission in 1997, began work in 1998, and continued until 2001, with Argentina, Brazil and Chile participating. The Chilean contributors were the “Luciérnaga” infants school, the University of Chile and the Cartography, Information Management, Design and Humanities Departments of the UTEM.
1994-1997
• PAIGH project N° 3.2.1.14/94: “Three-dimensional cartography for use by and training of the visually handicapped”, presented to the PAIGH Cartography Commission. Argentina, Brazil and Chile participated. The Chilean contributors were the “Hellen Keller” school, the University of Chile and the Cartography, Librarianship, Design and Humanities Departments of the UTEM.
PARTICIPATION IN COURSES, SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS
2012
• Meeting of the Commission on Maps and Graphics for Blind and Partially Sighted People of the International Cartographic Organization (ICA), held at the Tactile Cartography Center of the UTEM, on the 27th and 28th of August. The President, the Vice-President and the Technical Secretary of the Commission participated together with the Coordinator of the PAIGH Tactile Cartography Working Group and a cartography student as assistant.
• 77th and 78th Meetings in June and November of 2012, of the authorities of the Pan American Institute of Geography and History (PAIGH-OAS) and 44th meeting of the PAIGH Council. At these meetings the annual report of the Cartography Commission was presented, research projects from the 21 PAIGH member countries were justified and the tasks to be carried out within the last year in this position as a PAIGH leader were agreed upon. The meetings were hosted by the PAIGH National Sections of the United States (77th meeting) and of Argentina (78th).
2011
• As President of the ICA Commission on Maps and Graphics for Blind and Partially Sighted, participation in the technical meeting on tactile cartography held at the University of Barcelona, from 28th November to 16th December, 2011.
• Participation in the 75th and 76th meetings in June and November 2011 of PAIGH leaders, 2nd joint technical meeting of all four PAIGH Commissions, and 43rd meeting of the PAIGH Council. At these meetings the annual report of the Cartography Commission on Cartography, was presented, research projects from the 21 PAIGH member countries were justified and the work plan to be carried out over the following two years was discussed. The meetings were hosted by the PAIGH National Sections of Panama (75th meeting) and the Dominican Republic (78th).
2010
• Meetings of the Council and leading authorities of the Pan-American Institute for Geography and History (PAIGH – OAS) in Lima, Peru, over the 7th to the 13th of November 2010. The report titled “Final Report on the activities of 21 countries participating in the PAIGH Cartography Commission” was presented.
• Presentation: “Tactile Maps for Teaching Geography”, at the event titled “Outing with Maps: Exploring key aspects of Latin America” at the National Library of Chile, on the 7th of October, in Santiago, Chile.
• Meeting of the leading authorities of the Pan-American Institute for Geography and History (PAIGH – OAS) in Mexico City, Mexico, over the 29th of June to the 2nd of July 2010. The report titled “Preliminary Report on the activities of 21 countries participating in the PAIGH Cartography Commission” was presented, committees and work groups were set up in terms of the Cartography Commission’s plan for the 2010 – 2020 period and projects for research and technical cooperation proposed by the 21 PAIGH member countries were presented.
• International meeting of FEMCIDI, an organisation attached to the OAS, in Washington DC, USA. The project “Design and Production of Cartography for Blind Persons in Latin America” and the work of the UTEM Tactile Cartography Center were presented.
2009
• Meetings of the leading authorities, the Cartography Commission and the 19th General Assembly of the PAIGH in Quito, Ecuador, over the 26th to the 30th of November 2010. The Commission meetings were chaired and report titled “Final Report on the activities of 21 countries participating in the PAIGH Cartography Commission” was presented.
• Meeting of the leading authorities of the PAIGH in Quito, Ecuador, over the 26th to the 27th of June 2009. The report titled “Preliminary Report on the activities of 21 countries participating in the PAIGH Cartography Commission” was presented.
• Meetings of the Council of the PAIGH in San Salvador, El Salvador, over the 17th to the 21st of November 2008. The report titled “Final Report on the activities of 21 countries participating in the PAIGH Cartography Commission” was presented.
• Event titled “Workshop on Educational Cooperation in Iberia-America, Focused on Educational Diversity and Inclusivity” held at Cartagena in Colombia over the 27th to the 31st of October.
• Meeting of the leading authorities of the PAIGH in Mexico City, Mexico, over the 24th to the 27th of June 2007. The report from the PAIGH Cartography Commission was presented.
TRAINING COURSES MANAGED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS
2012
• "Tactile Mapping, geography, pupils with special educational needs", course intended for teachers of History, Geography, Social Studies and Specialized Education who have some link to students with visual and / or hearing handicap, as well as parents or guardians of such student. This course is part of the PAIGH project: "Creating tactile cartography and learning materials for understanding global warming and its relation to natural events (2009-2012)".
2008
• “Strategies for teaching geography through tactile models”, course taught in Santiago, Chile, within the framework of the PAIGH project N° 2.1.1.14.2 (mentioned above in ‘Research completed’), with the participation of researchers from Brazil, Chile and Peru.
2007
• “Tactile Cartography as an aid to teaching geography to blind and deaf persons”, component titled `Orientation and Coordinates’ in the course taught in Santiago, Chile over the 9th to 12th of June 2007 to researchers from Brazil, Chile and Peru, within the framework of the above-mentioned PAIGH project N° 2.1.1.14.2.
PUBLICATIONS DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS
2011
• “Los mapas táctiles y diseño para todos los sentidos” (‘tactile maps and designing for all senses’), co-authored with Dra. Pilar Correa Silva (of the UTEM Design Department), article in journal “Revista Trilogía: Ciencia y Tecnología” edited at the UTEM in Santiago, Chile, issue of December 2010.
2009
• “Implementation of a system of cartographic symbols on tactile maps for teaching impacts associated with global warming”; paper presented at the 24th International Cartographic Conference (Santiago, Chile, October 2009, organised by the ICA and the Military Geographic Institute of Chile), published in the proceedings CD.
2008
• Final report of PAIGH Project N° 2.1.1.14.2 mentioned above in ‘Research Completed’, published on the PAIGH web site located in Mexico City, Mexico.
2007
• “Cartografía, Educación y Capacidades Sensoriales Diferentes” (‘cartography, education and differing sensory capabilities’), paper presented at the 28th National and 13th International Geography Congress held in Santiago, Chile over the 23rd to the 26th of October and subsequently published in the yearbook of the Chilean Society for Geographic Sciences (SOCHIGEO).
• “Cartografía Táctil en Chile”, article published in the August 2007 issue of the journal “Asumiendo la Riqueza de la Diversidad” (‘accepting the richness of diversity’), edited by the “Nuestra Señora del Carmen” Center for Specdial Basic Education for Blind Children in Cuzco, Perú.
• “Impact of Tactile Cartography on the Teaching of Geography in Latin America”; paper co-authored with researcher Fernando Pino F., presented at the 23rd International Cartographic Conference (Moscow, Russian Federation, August 2007) and published in the proceedings.
• “Tactile Cartography in Chile & Latin America”. Article published in TacNews (newsletter of the ICA commission on maps and graphics for blind and partially sighted people). February 2007.
OTHER RELEVANT ACTIVITIES
2011 to date
• Management, from January to May 2011, of the project under the supervision of Special Education Unit of the Chilean Education Ministry and the Central Library for the Blind, for the adaptation and design of tactile pages of braille texts for the education of blind and visually handicapped school pupils aged between 6 and 10 in various learning subjects, distributed to educational establishments throughout Chile with integration of the blind.
December 2003 to date
• Member of the Scientific Committee for the “Latin American Remote Sensing Week – LARS” hosted by Aero-Photogrammetric Service of the Chilean Air Force (SAF) in collaboration with the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) and held in Santiago, Chile on the 4th to the 8th of October 2010.
• President of the ICC 2009 Scientific Committee within the framework of the “24th International Cartographic Conference” of the ICA, managing this Committee from November 2007 to November 2009, with the main event taking place in Santiago, Chile on the 15th to the 21st of November 2009.
• Management, from March 2009 to January 2010, of the project supervised by the Chilean Education Ministry (MINEDUC) titled “Improvement of learning in students with permanent special educational needs”.
• Management, from 2007 to April 2010, of the project under the supervision of MINEDUC for the adaptation, design and binding of tactile illustrations and braille texts for the education of blind and visually handicapped school pupils aged between 6 and 14 in various subjects, distributed to 250 schools throughout Chile with integration of the blind.
• Coordination of the project: “Digital Educational Atlas of America and the Iberian Peninsula”, run by the PAIGH Cartography Commission and the National Geographic Institute of Spain from 2007 to date.
• President of the Cartography Commission of the Pan-American Institute for Geography and History (PAIGH). From January 2007 to date.
ALEJANDRA COLL ESCANILLA
CARTOGRAPHER
DIECIOCHO 414 - 2° PISO, SANTIAGO, CHILE, TELEPHONES: (56-2) 27877362 – 27877361 – 27877392, FAX: (56-2) 27877388, E-mail: acoll@utem.cl acollescanilla@gmail.com www.cecat.blogutem.cl
