Chelsea Nestel

Chelsea Nestel is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), affiliated with the College of Letters & Science. She contributes to the Mapping Racism and Resistance project, focusing on Black resistance to racially restrictive covenants in Milwaukee through cartography, dataset curation, and spatial representation. Her research bridges cartographic theory, aesthetic philosophy, and experimental mapping, with interests in geospatial education and the intersection of cartography with experiential graphic design.

• PhD in Geography, UW-Madison (2024)
• MS in Geography, UW-Madison (2016)
• BS in Geography (GIS), BA in Anthropology (Archaeology), and BA in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Penn State (2013)

Her work retheorizes cartography through aesthetic philosophy and explores transformative geospatial education. Recent publications address challenges for emerging cartographers, tangible map design, and archaeological site interpretation. She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches in cartography, combining technical GIS skills with artistic and philosophical frameworks.

Nestel’s current projects include mapping racialized urban histories and advancing cartographic methodologies in public engagement. She collaborates on global-scale mapping pedagogy and experimental visualizations for heritage sites. No formal advising roles or grants are listed, but her research aligns with social justice and spatial equity initiatives.