About

My name is Taylor Shelton and I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Georgia State University. Working at the intersection of critical human geography and geographic information science, I study how urban spaces and social inequalities are represented, reproduced and contested through maps and data. In particular, my work focuses on using mapping and data visualization to develop alternative understandings of urban inequalities, especially in relation to issues of housing speculation, property ownership and neighborhood segregation.

Prior to joining Georgia State in 2020, I held appointments at Mississippi State University, the University of Kentucky and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Before that, I earned BA and MA degrees in geography from the University of Kentucky and my PhD from the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University.

At Georgia State, I’ll be teaching the following courses in the coming year:

• GEOG4518 / GEOS6518 Digital Cartography
• GEOS8030 Seminar in Cartography: Critical Mappings

In my previous position at Mississippi State University, I was responsible for teaching the following courses:

• GR2013 Human Geography
• GR4123/6123 Urban Geography
• GR4203/6203 Geography of North America
• GR4990/6990 Urban Environments
• GR4990/6990 Digital Geographies
• GR8313 Advanced Human Geography

Prospective Students:

I am always interested in speaking with prospective graduate students for our program at GSU Geosciences. I am particularly interested in working with students who wish to work across the boundaries of critical human geography and GIS, using mapping as a way of thinking about and addressing urban social and environmental inequalities. While students entering our M.S. program are not expected to be experts in both of these areas, it is important that prospective students have some prior experience and familiarity with one or both of them. If you’re interested in working with me on these (or related) topics, please email me with your CV/resume, a brief statement describing your interests, and a sample of your written/cartographic work.

Past Students:

Mustafa Monk
M.S. in Geoscience (Geography), Mississippi State University, graduated 2020
Thesis: Evaluating the unequal impacts of Hurricane Harvey: Critical GIS analysis in systems of governmental risk assessment and mitigation in Houston, Texas

Hannah Mizell
B.S. in Geoscience (GIS and Environmental Geoscience), Mississippi State University, graduated 2020
Topic: Post-disaster housing speculation in Houston, Texas