Built by a scientist, for scientists
Scientific Altimeter was created by a GIS professional and researcher who needed a reliable, accurate altitude measurement tool for fieldwork but didn't want to carry expensive specialized equipment. What started as a personal tool has become a free resource for students, educators, and researchers worldwide.
Mark is a GIS/Watershed Specialist at UNC Chapel Hill and the Register of Deeds for Orange County, North Carolina. With extensive experience in geospatial analysis, precision positioning, and environmental science, he brings both technical expertise and practical field experience to app development.
His background includes:
Too often, scientific tools are expensive, complex, or locked behind paywalls. Meanwhile, the smartphones in our pockets contain sophisticated sensors and connect to authoritative government data sources. Scientific Altimeter bridges this gap by making professional-grade altitude measurement accessible to anyone with a smartphone.
The app is free because science should be accessible. It has no ads because your attention should be on your research, not advertisements. It collects no data because your field sites and research locations are private.
Free for everyone, no barriers to entry
Zero data collection, ever
Built on authoritative data sources
Clean interface, no clutter
Open about methods and limitations
Supporting the next generation of scientists
Scientific Altimeter relies on data and services provided by:
This app stands on the shoulders of public data infrastructure and open government initiatives. The USGS EPQS API is a free, public service that makes authoritative elevation data available to everyone. This kind of open access to scientific data enables tools like Scientific Altimeter to exist.
Your input helps improve the app. Please share:
If you're using Scientific Altimeter in your classroom, I'd love to hear about it. Share your lesson plans, student projects, or activity ideas. I'm happy to feature successful implementations and help other teachers learn from your experience.
If you use Scientific Altimeter in published research, please let me know. While not required, I enjoy seeing how the app contributes to scientific work.
While Scientific Altimeter is not open source, contributions are welcome in the form of:
Thank you for using Scientific Altimeter. Here's to good science and accurate measurements.