SpaceTimeLab launch
You are invited to a special event being held at UCL on 30th October 2012 to mark the launch of SpaceTimeLab.
SpaceTimeLab is a unique, multidiscplinary research group led by Prof. Tao Cheng at UCL Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, which has been created to bring together researchers from a diverse set of fields. Our vision is to gain insight into the spatio-temporal complexity in society, economics and engineering, with the subsequent aim to enhance systemic resilience and sustainability through engaging policy, public and industry. We focus on the development of theoretical and methodological frameworks for the analysis of spatio-temporal complexity, but also on the development and provision of a set of tools (for pattern detection, simulation, visualisation, prediction) and decision-making platforms which are applicable to a broad range of contexts such as transport, crime and security, economics, health, energy and social media. Our industrial collaborators include Transport for London, Met Police, Arup, ublox.
To mark the occasion, Prof. Michael Goodchild (UC Santa Barbara) will be giving a special keynote talk on Geographic Intelligence. This is a great opportunity to hear from one of the leading figures in GIScience and is not to be missed!
Abstract
Traditional geographic information provided by authoritative sources results from a lengthy and labor-intensive process of synthesis. Census data, for example, is compiled from billions of raw observations, and little detail is available about the process by which synthesis is achieved. By contrast, the vast amounts of geographic information that are now appearing on the Web are largely produced by non-experts, and any integration is likely achieved by software rather than the intervention of experts. Several examples are cited. Asserted geographic facts are clearly of variable quality, and three general strategies are advanced for addressing quality control: Linus’s Law, social strategies, and strategies that make use of fundamental geographic knowledge.
Programme:
16:30 – SpaceTimeLab launch seminar, including keynote talk from Prof. Goodchild, Medical Sciences 131 AV Hill Lecture Theatre
18:00 – Reception and poster event, South Cloisters.
All are welcome. If you do plan to attend we would be grateful if you could send an email to j.haworth@ucl.ac.uk so we can get an idea of likely attendance.
We look forward to seeing you on the 30th of October.