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Profile

RNDr. Jan D. Bláha

Charles University in Prague

The combined form of study of the second cycle of the graduate programme Cartography, geoinformatics and remote sensing (Faculty of Science, Department of Applied Geoinformatics and Cartography) and the combined form of study of the first cycle of the graduate programme General theory and history of arts and culture (Faculty of Arts, Department of Cultural Studies).

Specialisation

Graduate of the master programme of Geography and Cartography, specialised in cartography and geoinformatics, at Faculty of Science of the Charles University in Prague. Examination paper was called “The Aesthetics of Cartographic Works“ (Estetika kartografické tvorby, supervised by Richard Čapek, defended 2003), diploma thesis was called “Aesthetical Assessment of the Czech Cartographic Production for Schools“ (Hodnocení české kartografické tvorby pro školy z hlediska estetiky, supervised by prof. Vít Voženílek, defended 2005).
It deals with the interconnection of knowledge from humanistic fields (aesthetics, sociology, psychology) and cartography and cartographic production (aesthetic expression and possibilities of creativity in current cartographic production), assessment of cartographic works in terms of aesthetics and user-friendliness, map creation, cartography in geoinformatic systems, computers graphics and DTP, finalization of cartographic work creation.

Dissertation thesis deals with aesthetic values of cartographic production (supervised by Mgr. Karel Stibral, PhD., Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Studies in Brno, consultants are prof. RNDr. Vít Voženílek, CSc., Department of Geoinformatics, Faculty of Science in Olomouc, prof. PhDr. Vlastimil Zuska, CSc., Department of Aesthetics, Faculty of Arts in Prague).

During 2003–2005 external cooperation with the Kartografie Praha publishing company (editorial and graphical works).
In winter term of 2008/9 ERASMUS scholarship at the  Technische Universität Wien = Vienna University of Technology (Forschungsgruppe für Kartographie = Research Group Cartography).
From 2004 member of Kartografická společnost ČR (Czech Cartographic Association), from 2005 member of Česká geografická společnost (Czech Geographic Society), from 2008 member of Art & Cartography (Working Group of ICA).

Pedagogical activities

Pedagogical activities oriented primarily at cartography and map creation. In addition to teaching Introduction to Cartography, Topography and Cartometry at Pedagogical Faculty of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (summer term 2006/2007) cooperation on the subjects Cartography (selected lectures), Thematic Cartography (selected lectures), Geoinformation Systems (seminar), Introduction to Geoinformatics (seminar) and Map Creation (Charles University in Prague).
Guarantor of the optional subjects Graphic Design and DTP in Cartography and Analysis of Cartographic Works. Moreover, preparation and implementation of the Seminar to Bachelor Thesis Writing. Further details can be found in the section on teaching.

Research

Research is oriented at the application of aesthetics in the means of expression of cartography and other activities related to cartographers’ creativity (see section on aesthetics).
Leader of the project GA UK č. 249/2006/B-GEO/PrF "Aesthetics in Cartographic Expression” (Uplatnění estetiky ve vyjadřovacích prostředcích kartografie, in progress throughout 2006–2008) and project GA UK č. 26609/2009/B-GEO/PrF "Mental Maps: Object and Tools for Assessment" (Mentální mapy: předmět a prostředek hodnocení, solution is planned for the years 2009-2011). Participation in other projects.