by Cara Ramer, Student Public Relations Writer
Cedarville Student Rebuilds Campus in Minecraft Using Real GIS Data
Minecraft has more than 204 million monthly players and over 300 million copies sold, making it the best-selling video game in history, according to Global Tech Stack — but few have used it like Caleb Miller.
Geology Major Transforms GIS Assignment into Virtual Campus Model
Miller, a Cedarville University geology student from Clarksville, Ohio, transformed real-world geographic and lidar data into a block-by-block digital replica of his campus, turning a classroom assignment into a creative blend of scientific accuracy and sandbox design.
For Miller, the project began in his advanced geographic information systems (GIS) course. “It wasn’t even my idea,” Miller said. “I just needed a project for my advanced GIS class, and my professor mentioned recreating a campus in Minecraft. I thought, why not?”
Miller gathered geospatial data and Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) scans to capture the contours and elevation of Cedarville’s campus. He then used third-party software like World Painter to translate that data into Minecraft’s block-based world, where every brick, slope and structure had to be rendered manually.
Blending Technology, Accuracy and Creativity
“Surprisingly, the easiest part was obtaining and transferring the data,” said Miller. “The hard parts came afterward.”
Those challenges included correcting distorted lidar readings that turned the campus lake into three giant mounds, handling the buildings’ off-axis orientation and manually recreating parking lots and walkways block by block. Miller even reviewed building blueprints to ensure accuracy.
“I thought it’d be simple — just get the data, plug it in, and build,” said Miller. “But then you realize every building is a little off-center, the data is messy and suddenly your lake has mountains in it. After a while, I couldn’t even walk around campus without thinking in Minecraft blocks.”
Real-World Applications and Purposeful Design
GIS and lidar technology are widely used in urban planning, environmental monitoring, disaster management and global navigation systems. GIS data allows users to visualize and analyze spatial relationships, while lidar uses laser light to measure distances and create high-resolution 3D models. Together, they help researchers, corporations and government agencies make data-driven decisions about land use, resource management and infrastructure design.
During the semester-long project, Miller discovered that technology used for professional mapping also has educational and creative potential. “I realized that GIS could be used for more than just professional mapping or fieldwork — it changed how I think about technology and problem-solving,” he said.
Dr. Mark Gathany, professor of biology, said projects like Miller’s help bridge classroom learning with real-world problem-solving. “Geospatial projects like this help students see that many local-to-global challenges have a geographic component,” said Gathany. “By teaching them to ask critical questions and transform that data, they can creatively solve problems to serve their community, care for the earth, and honor God.”
Now, Miller is taking his skills underground — literally — for his senior capstone project, where he is using professional lidar scanners to create a 3D map of a cave in West Virginia. Whether mapping underground passages or digital worlds, Miller says the project taught him how to manage complex data, think critically and design with purpose.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
