Javier Arce-Nazario

Javier Arce-Nazario serves as Associate Professor of Geography at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's College of Arts and Sciences, maintaining an adjunct appointment at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey. His work bridges scientific and humanistic approaches to spatial analysis.

His research focuses on community-driven cartography using drone technology and historical archives. Key projects include sustainable agriculture mapping in the Galapagos Islands through UNC's Center for Galapagos Studies, climate-related water challenges along Puerto Rico's La Plata River, and historical landscape evolution in Puerto Rico culminating in the 2017 'geo/visual/island' exhibit. He pioneered the Carolina Cartography Collective, where students created the 'Geovisualizing Vieques' exhibit documenting 150 years of landscape change on the Puerto Rican island.

Arce-Nazario emphasizes that 'Mapping is both a scientific endeavor and a humanistic process that can build conversations.' His methodology actively incorporates community knowledge to address sustainability challenges and preserve cultural landscapes.

• Awards
  • Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) - 2012

He mentors students through the Carolina Cartography Collective, which expanded to map Black-founded communities in the United States. His research partnerships include Ecuador's Universidad San Francisco de Quito and UPR-Cayey's Environmental Cartography Collective, demonstrating commitment to collaborative, community-centered geographic research.

Arce-Nazario directs field initiatives using drone technology for agricultural planning in resource-limited island ecosystems while preserving indigenous spatial knowledge. His lab work focuses on integrating historical photographic archives with modern GIS to visualize landscape transformations over decades.