This keynote panel will celebrate the work and legacy of Karen Wynn Fonstad, including The Atlas of Middle-Earth for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The panel will begin with short presentations from the distinguished guests listed below, followed by questions from the moderator and audience. On Saturday, there will be a field trip to the American Geographical Society Library at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee to view the maps in the collection.
Panelists: Mark Fonstad Mark Fonstad is Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Oregon. The son of cartographer Karen Wynn Fonstad and geographer Todd Fonstad, Mark specializes in the physical geography of rivers, the fusion of physical geography with geographic information science, geomorphology, hydrology, and remote sensing. He has a B.S. in Geography from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, an M.A. in Geography from Ohio University, and a Ph.D. in Geography from Arizona State University.
Georgia Brown Georgia Brown is the Head of the American Geographical Society Library (AGSL). In her role, she oversees operations of the AGSL in addition to ensuring access and preservation of the collection. She has published and presented in the fields of map library history, cartographic literacy instruction, and cartographic collection processing. Georgia has an MA in History and an MLIS both from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Sarah Schaefer Sarah C. Schaefer is Associate Professor of Art History and Director of the Emile H. Mathis Gallery at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She co-curated J. R. R. Tolkien: The Art of the Manuscript at Marquette University's Haggerty Museum of Art (2022) and recently published “The Surveyor’s Eve: Tolkien, Hugh Lofting, and Creative Topography” in the academic journal Tolkien Studies.
Judith Tyner Judith Tyner is professor emerita from California State University, Long Beach where she taught cartography for 37 years. She is the author of 7 books on cartography including 3 that deal with women in cartography, and numerous articles and papers.
Wednesday October 21, 2026 6:30pm - 8:00pm CDT TBA
GeoTrivia! Answer questions about global and cartographic factoids, Milwaukee landmarks, and NACIS lore. Whether you’re a trivia buff or just in it for the laughs, bring your knowledge, your curiosity, and your competitive spirit!
There is no advance sign-up. Just sit in teams of 4-6, come up with a team name, and be sure to recruit at least one new attendee to your team!
