Clio Andris

Social Networks and SNoMaN: A Visual Analytic Tool for Spatial Social Network Mapping and Analysis

Abstract
Spatial social networks (SSNs) are node-link structures that provide evidence interpersonal or inter-organizational relationships, where nodes and edges have a defined geographic location. To model spatial social networks, users need both geographic and social network metrics. Following the research framework of Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) and design principles of social network analysis tools, we will share design goals of exploratory spatial social network analysis (SSNA). Guided by these design goals, this talk will introduce SNoMaN (Social Network Mapping and Analysis), a visual analytic tool which links network and geographical layouts and helps users conduct SSNA by interactively computing and visualizing SSN metrics, describing spatial distributions, exploring associations, and detecting anomalies. We will also show new types of visual diagrams, including Cluster-Cluster Plots, Centralization Plots, on-the-fly mapping of geometrically-bounded network modules, and Route Factor Diagrams. The ultimate goal is to help non-geographers learn more about their social networks and to help geographers and spatial data scientists integrate social network concepts into their flow data analyses

Biography
Clio Andris is an associate professor in the School of City and Regional Planning and the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. She directs the Friendly Cities Lab and conducts research on geographic information science, social networks, spatial networks, and geovisualization. Her lab is a member of the Information Visualization Lab in the School of Interactive Computing and is affiliated with the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT). She received a PhD from MIT in 2011 in Urban Information Systems where she was an NDSEG fellow and member of the Senseable City Lab. She held postdoctoral positions at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology and at the Santa Fe Institute. Prior to Georgia Tech, she was a faculty member in the Department of Geography at Penn State, and her lab was an affiliate of the GeoVISTA Center. She won an NSF CAREER award in 2021 and serves on the National Geospatial Advisory Committee.

Bernd Resch

Data, Ideation and AI: On the Role of Data Characteristics, Hypotheses and Context in Geospatial Research

Abstract
The growing influence of digital data and tools, along with recent advancements in AI, is transforming how we approach research. With the ever increasing availability of large, open datasets—ranging from social media posts and news articles to physiological measurements and mobile phone records—entirely new fields of study are emerging. This, in turn, fundamentally changes our geospatial research paradigms. Nowadays, hypothesis-driven and data-driven approaches are no longer diametrical, but even more so depend on each other. In fact, the analysis of new large data sources coupled with stringent hypothesis-building has the potential to revolutionise geospatial research through mutually informing each other. Additionally, new ways of contextualising analysis results through leveraging the multimodal nature of currently available data creates entirely new opportunities for generating new insights into geospatial processes.

Biography
Bernd Resch is a Full Professor for Geo-social AI at IT:U and a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University (USA). His research interest revolves around understanding cities as complex systems through analysing a variety of digital data sources, focusing on developing machine learning algorithms for analysing human-generated data like social media posts and physiological measurements from wearable sensors. The findings are relevant to a number of fields including urban research, disaster management, epidemiology, and others.

Matt Duckham

Matt Duckham is the Director of the Information in Society EIP (Enabling Impact Platform) and Professor in Geospatial Sciences at RMIT University. At RMIT, he has occupied a number of senior leadership roles, including: Acting Dean STEMM Diversity and Inclusion, Associate Dean of Geospatial Science, and Deputy Head of the School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences. Previously, he was also Science Director for the CRC for Spatial Information (CRCSI) Rapid Spatial Analytics Program and before joining RMIT he was Professor in Geographic Information Science within the department of Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Melbourne, when he also held a visiting Professor position and the University of Greenwich.

Prof. Duckham's research focuses on the area of Geographic Information Science, particularly distributed and robust computation and visualisation with uncertain spatial and spatiotemporal information, within the domain of mobile, location aware and sensor enabled systems.