Mahsa Shahbakhti
I am a Master of Science student focusing on Geomatics. I am currently pursuing my second master’s degree at Carleton University in collaboration with the Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre (GCRC). My supervisor is Professor Peter Pulsifer from the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, and my co-supervisor is Professor Erik Anonby from the Department of French.
I am passionate about cartography and mapping, spatial analysis, and GIS-related topics. In my thesis, I am working on language data presentation. The data comes from the Atlas of the Languages of Iran (ALI), which has been gathered over several years by my co-supervisor and his colleagues. Since language is a complex social phenomenon, maps are an effective way to represent its spatial aspects. However, the main challenge lies in the interdisciplinary nature of mapping language data—linguists often lack mapping experience, while geographers and cartographers typically have limited knowledge of linguistic variation. Considering this, the question arises: how can these areas of expertise be integrated to achieve the best possible result? To address this challenge, my master’s research follows a two-part process:
i) Establishing the most accurate and effective methods of spatial interpolation for linguistic data.
ii) Determining the best cartographic methods for representing the data interactively for users.
In addition to quantitative and qualitative data, elements such as stories, art, literature, music, and linguistic data are incorporated to help users gain a deeper understanding of their area of interest in Iran.
I earned my previous master’s degree in Remote Sensing & GIS and my bachelor’s degree in Cartography, both from the University of Tehran, Iran. I have worked professionally as a Cartographer & GIS Analyst for 13 years. Additionally, I have volunteered with several NGOs in Iran whose main objectives were wildlife and nature conservation. My contributions included activities such as cleaning natural areas, assisting injured animals, and engaging in community outreach to raise public awareness about environmental issues.
Beyond my academic and professional interests, I am a big fan of stand-up comedy, music, cooking, gardening, and cats! I am a cat mom to two cats, Samuel and Kitty.