Crystal Bae

Crystal Bae is an Assistant Professor of Geographic Information Science at the University of Chicago’s Center for Spatial Data Science since 2021. She earned her Ph.D. in Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship under Somayeh Dodge in the MOVE Lab, focusing on geographic visualization and spatial cognition.

• Research Interests: spatial cognition, wayfinding, geovisualization, travel behavior, and urban built environments.
• Teaching Roles: Courses include Spatial Cognition, Introduction to GIS, Cartographic Design, and Social Science Inquiry at UChicago; Urban Geography and Human Geography at UCSB.
• Scientific Awards: Certificate in College and University Teaching (CCUT), UCSB Excellence in Teaching Award, and recognition for innovative GIS lab design in ArcUser.

Her work examines how individuals and groups cognitively process spatial environments through static and animated visualizations, collaborative navigation, and urban neighborhood boundaries. She has contributed to NSF-funded projects on movement ecology and spatial cognition, with publications in Movement Ecology, COSIT, and Built Environment.

Crystal also co-hosts a jazz radio show, maintains a travel blog, and engages in bicycling adventures, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to geography and personal connection to spatial experiences.