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Professor Paul Longley Speaks at UN Workshop on Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation

29 October 2024

Professor Paul Longley, Director of the Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC), represented the UCL Department of Geography at the United Nations Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Week in Deqing, China.

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Held from 21-24 October 2024, the GeoNow 2024 event brought together international experts in geospatial research and technology to advance collaboration and innovation in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Professor Longley spoke in the “Geo-modelling and Geospatial Intelligence” sessions and panel, held on 24 October at the Deqing International Convention Center.

His presentation, “Individual Level Modelling and Simulation,” focused on recent CDRC work using consumer data to create detailed models of human behaviour at the individual level.

Professor Longley discussed how data generated by the private sector can produce geographically rich, frequently updated insights, giving a fuller picture of people and places.

However, he also noted that these data, while useful, often lack the broader context offered by more conventional sources, such as official statistics, and presented methods for improving data access and integration.

As part of a panel alongside researchers from institutions including Delhi University and the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Professor Longley engaged in discussions on innovative approaches in geo-modelling, Earth monitoring, and urban sustainability.

GeoNow 2024 is the first in a planned series organised by the UN Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (UN-GGKIC) (.pdf), which aims to foster global collaboration on geospatial data.

With its theme, “Geospatial IDEAS Benefiting Our World”, the event responded to recent calls from the UN to strengthen geospatial information management worldwide.

Through contributions from leading academics like Professor Longley, the UN-GGKIC is advancing the role of geospatial intelligence in addressing global challenges and promoting sustainable development.

Professor Longley also delivered a keynote talk at the “Third International Workshop on Modeling and Simulation” on 26th October. This was held at Nanjing Normal University, where Professor Longley holds an Adjunct Professor position under the China’s 111 Visiting Scholars Programme.


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