U-Spatial has awarded prizes in nine categories, including a Grand Prize of $1000 to Andrew Hallberg's StoryMap, "Stop the Thud!".
A graduate student in Conservation Sciences, Andrew has created an interactive map tracking bird-building collisions at the UMN Twin Cities campus through "Stop the Thud!", a citizen science based recording system. His map tracks collisions, discusses the potential for reducing those collisions, and even allows for the public to get involved in the recording process. 731 bird casualties were documented in Stop The Thud Reports from March 2021-December 2022. UMN has made a commitment to reducing bird collisions with University buildings by adding window retrofits to building facades.
Check out Andrew's story map for more information and data and look for Stop the Thud! signs around campus to help continue this project!
Map of bird collisions on campus. Each red dot represents 1 bird collision.