Tom Mueller has been a geography professor at California University of Pennsylvania since 1999. He received his degrees at Towson University (BS), University of Connecticut (MA) and University of Illinois (Ph.D.). His interests include Geographic Information Systems (Computer Mapping), geography education and world regional geography. His goal is to apply spatial theory to the real world, particularly using GIS. It is essential that service learning be included in his geography courses. For example, students in his courses have completed real world projects for local police departments, Federal Emergency Management Agency, etc.. He has also taught numerous GIS workshops for members of the local community, professors at Cal U and other campuses and K – 12 community. He has built a successful geography research agenda through a variety of scholarly endeavors, including conference presentations, grants, technical reports, book reviews and publications in professional journals. Tom will continue creating Geographical Lessons using MAPA for High School and College students and also work on educational outreach of the MAPA resource.

As MAPA Educational Associate, Tom Mueller created the “MAPA in the Classroom” exercises, which offer lesson plans for instructors to incorporate MAPA into their courses. Students are guided through exercises that use MAPA to illustrate and explore the intersection of variables.