Zhaoxu Sui

My name is Zhaoxu Sui, and I am a Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography at Penn State. At the same time, I am a cartographer associated in the GeoGraphics Lab in the department.

My primary research focus as a cartography researcher is on integrating cartographic designs into various cultural contexts, closely examining how mapping practices have evolved over time. I am passionate about exploring mapping cultures around the world, investigating how local communities portray their lands, and understanding their interactions with western-led cartographic technologies and structured power dynamics. Additionally, I have a strong interest in toponymy, data visualization, and political geography.

As a cartographer, I specialize in creating general reference maps using various tools, including ArcGIS, Mapbox, Adobe Suites, and hand-drawing. You are invited to view my portfolio at zhaoxusui.com.

I earned my B.S. degree in Geography from the University of Minnesota, with minors in population studies, interdisciplinary designs, and GIS. Subsequently, I received my M.S. degree in Geography from the University of Oregon in Eugene, where I conducted thesis research on the cartographic languages of politically contested territories in Sakhalin Island.