Tim Wallace Cartographer

- Catherine Brown

COULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO AT DESCARTES LABS?

We apply artificial intelligence techniques to identify and monitor things on the ground to get a better sense of what the future holds. For example, we might map tree canopy in a city against things like power lines or bugs or diseases that kill trees in order to help that city manage their trees and parks better.

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WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN MAPPING?

Nearly every professional cartographer will tell you “I’ve always loved maps!” or “I was the kid with the accordion-folded map collection in the back of the station wagon.” And, frankly, it’s probably true for all of them, including me.

I always loved maps, and I was also quite good at spatial stuff growing up. My year-long grade in Geometry in high school, for example was 99 percent. (I did not do as well in English.)