Using OpenStreetMap to map the Syria conflict: interview with deSyracuse

If this is something that you are interested in, and you have some free time, the Humanitarian Openstreetmap Team (HOT) is always looking for volunteer mappers. There were some mapping tasks related to the Syrian crisis, but I believe now the current ebola outbreak is taking priority. Anyway, they are always looking for help:

To map something now: http://tasks.hotosm.org/

More on HOT: http://hot.openstreetmap.org/get-involved

"HOT benefits from contributors with a wide range of interests and experience. Almost anyone can make a tremendous contribution to our projects by contributing mapping, but we're also very pleased to hear from developers, documenters and ideas hackers that can engage with us and our work."

Along the same vein, Wikimapia[0] is a rich resource for finding information on Syria and other topics. The site allows users to define shapes constructed over places on the map, so people can mark buildings, villages, places of note.

I've used it often for events regarding Syria, most recently for mapping locations[1] hit by CENTCOM airstrikes against the Islamic State. The location was relatively easy to find given the amount of info the CENTCOM video published to YouTube provided.

I would suggest following deSyracuse[2] on Twitter if you are interested in this type of stuff, you'll quickly come across more interesting peers. :)

[0] http://wikimapia.org

[1] http://wikimapia.org/31543455/2014-09-27-F-15E-Strike-on-Isl...

[2] https://twitter.com/deSyracuse