now2025 – now (end of 2026)
My work here is about how WB maps look and read, from colours and typography to deciding which labels and objects appear at each scale. I work closely with engineers on the geographic data behind the map and with designers to make it feel at home in the interface. Coming from printed maps, I’m finding my bearings with maps that have another dimension to them - where every zoom level needs its own design decisions.
2023 – 2025
At the ARC, I worked with data for various research projects focused on the Arctic, covering marine navigation, biodiversity, geology, and ecology. Being part of a small team meant I got to wear different hats - one of my favorite roles was designing graphics (for biodiversity preservation initiatives, e.g.) whenever I had the chance.
2022 – 2023
I floated somewhere between designers and (occasionally) coders, working on transport schemes, city wayfinding systems, and navigation apps. Although my favorite project has become Rediscovering the Arctic - a book on a familiar topic where I finally got to do actual map design. It was a bit ironic: as a cartographer in a design company, I rarely designed maps, focusing mostly on data prep while the designers handled the creative work. On this project, I had the freedom to shape the maps from start to finish, integrating them into the book's layout.
2021 – 2022
This was a return to my roots in human geography. I created maps, charts, and visual explainers for the online course Regional Studies and Urban Geography (originally on Coursera). The project involved producing a ton of visual material, all tailored to be as clear and simple as possible.
2015 – 2019
I spent over five years metaphorically immersed in the Arctic (unfortunately, without visiting). My work spanned creating maps for ecological atlases, analyzing field data from Arctic expeditions, and designing maps for reports and articles. I also had fun with more informal projects like social media posts, where I could experiment with techniques too bold for our day-to-day work.
2015
This was my first dip into the world of GIS, working on a real-world project to create an ecological GIS of the Kara Sea. The goal was to craft a comprehensive portrait of the region, combining data from fieldwork and published sources.
2019 – 2021
Four awesome semesters in Munich, Vienna, and Dresden gave me the cartographic education I felt I was missing. I loved the variety of practical exercises - from old-school outdoor mapping to web cartography and location-based mobile apps - and the freedom to explore just about any subject that came to mind. My master’s thesis focused on visualizing crisp vs. fuzzy boundaries: how they can be depicted and perceived, using city neighborhoods as a case study.
2010 – 2015
My background is in human geography and country studies, with a focus on the European electric power industry. For my diploma, I explored cross-border power flows within the EU. Even then, I realized how much more impactful and efficient a good map could be compared to pages of text. I also found that combining maps, charts, and concise explanations created the best storytelling - especially in geography.