Sara Fabrikant - recipient of 2023 Waldo-Tobler GIScience Prize

Sincere congratulations to Sara Irina Fabrikant for her 'outstanding and sustained contributions to the discipline worthy of inspiring young scientists in Geoinformatics or Geographic Information Science, and for having accomplished significant advances in research and education'!

Sara Fabrikant currently is full professor for Geographic Information Visualization and Analysis at the Department of Geography, University of Zurich.

After having earned her PhD in Geography from UC Boulder, she held a variety of positions e.g. at UC Santa Barbara, the Center for Geographic Analysis at Harvard and at San Diego State University. Prof Fabrikant is highly regarded for her contributions in cartography and geovisualization and dedication to the field of (geo)visual analytics. She has developed concepts and effective methods to construct attractive and meaningful map displays through the conceptualization and development of highly interactive human‐computer interfaces for addressing pressing societal and environmental problems.

Quoting from a referee’s assessment: ‘Sara Fabrikant has been influential globally within academia but also locally through education and in policy settings within the university and beyond. Her contributions to research have been outstanding and so, too, have her contributions to education – not only at higher education levels but also at and within elementary schools (e.g. talks during Geography Awareness Week). Her educational achievements are through course developments, invited lectures, outreach but also working with students who have received substantial awards. Based on all of these accomplishments, Fabrikant is uniquely positioned to inspire young scientists in the field of Geoinformatics and Geographic Information Science.’?

Prof Fabrikant accepted the award stating 'I am honored and grateful to be selected for this award: Waldo Tobler was an inspiration during my doctoral studies, highly appreciated as a mentor during my time at UCSB, and he also holds an honorary doctorate at my alma mater, the University of Zurich. '

Through this Award the Austrian Academy of Sciences recognizes an outstanding career of excellence and innovation, at par with the previous recipients of the Waldo-Tobler GIScience Prize: Luc Anselin, Michael Batty, Helena Mitasova, Thomas Poiker and David Mark.