The Imperiia Project

Dedicated to designing new methods for historical research and promoting spatial analysis of the past. (And yes, we make maps.)

Wondering what's on in 2025-2026?

DATA EXCAVATION LAB

We are excited to inaugurate this new program for undergraduates and graduate students. Successful applicants will learn to build spatial data from scratch and contribute to a collaborative open-access database. The theme for the year is Ukrainian nature, and our focus will be on freshwater environments (think rivers, lakes, and wetlands). We meet on Mondays through the academic year. Keep an eye out for news and updates from the project!

MAPMAKER PODCAST

We return to the airwaves with new episodes in October 2025. 

SPATIAL HISTORY SEMINAR

September 22, 2025 @ 4:30pm: Incremental Sea Exhibit Launch

October date TBD @ 4:30pm: Michał Połczyński (Georgetown U), [title TBD]

November 10, 2025 @ 4:30pm: TBD

WINTER STUDIO (January 2026)

Enroll in one or both of our virtual studios. They are free and open to students and scholars anywhere, but enrollment is limited.

DataBasics: A gentle introduction to thinking with, and producing, historical data taught by Dr. O'Neill. January 5-8, 2026, 09:00-12:00 EST. Open to any student or academic working on a historical topic. Application available November 15, 2025.

Unmappable Maps: We will take a deep dive into a show-stopping set of maps of Ukraine and the Black and Azov seas. January 12-15, 2026, 09:00-12:00 EST. Application available November 15, 2025.

MAP FEST (April 30, 2026)

A day of presentations and activities showcasing the work of the Data Excavation Lab.

SPATIAL HISTORY CONFERENCE (June 2026)

A 3-day event with the first day open to the public. The theme will be announced in early October.

A world of data is one click away.

Related Insights

Three REECA students get to embed with Davis Center program teams for a year of mutually fruitful collaboration on topics as diverse as AI literacy, diaspora politics, and green energy.

The latest interactive dataset from our Imperiia Project helps preserve the history of Ukraine’s fragile natural world and clearly calls for new strategies of mapping the past, expanding beyond the documentation left by those in power.

The latest offering from our Imperiia Project shows the frequency and impact of fires across European Russia during the tumultuous years of 1860 to 1864.

Related Events

Upcoming Event

Ready to bring Russian and Soviet history to life? Join Russia Reimagined for an interactive workshop where games and gardens unlock powerful, student-friendly learning!

Past Event

Meet the newest maps to grace the walls of CGIS South!

Past Event

Join us for our upcoming Spring semester webinar series for educators devoted to using primary sources in the classroom.