Expanding the horizon of GIS in the environmental research landscape

On 8th February 2024, Sustainable Futures hosted Expanding the horizon of GIS in the environmental research landscape. This seminar brought together The University of Manchester researchers from different environmental backgrounds and disciplines to show how GIS has been applied in their research. The goal of this being to capitalise and expand upon the utility of GIS and its plethora of applications in the environmental research landscape.

On 8th February 2024, Sustainable Futures hosted Expanding the horizon of GIS in the environmental research landscape. GIS (Geographical Information Systems) research plays a special role at The University of Manchester, in part due to the presence of the Data visualisation Observatory (DVO). Located at The Alliance Manchester Business School, the VO is the first of its kind in the UK and offers interactive 3D visualisation of data with laser-harp definition on a cylindrical matrix of 72 full HD screens. The potential of this technology will no doubt prove a valuable resource in developing environmental research using GIS.

This seminar brought together The University of Manchester researchers from different environmental backgrounds and disciplines to show how GIS has been applied in their research. The goal of this being to capitalise and expand upon the utility of GIS and its plethora of applications in the environmental research landscape.

What is GIS? State of the art – Dr Jonny Huck

Kicking off proceedings was Dr Jonny Huck, Senior Lecturer in GIS in the Department of Geography. Jonny is a specialist in computational geography. His research focuses upon the application of GIS technologies to a range of applications including global health, the environment and segregation. He also has a long-standing interest in the representation of vague geographical entities in GIS, and in understanding behavioural patterns through geographical simulation and modelling.

His presentation, “What is GIS? State of the art”, gave a formal introduction on GIS, its various applications, and an overview of developments in the academic field since the 1960s. The presentation outlined the difference between Geographical Information Systems, the tool, and Geographical Information Science, the discipline. Dr Huck then went on to describe and explain the fundamentals and different aspects of using GIS, including:

  • Participatory GIS
  • Geo-visualisation
  • Digital Twins
  • The role of AI in the present and future of GIS.

Jonny’s presentation established a solid foundation of knowledge and scope of GIS, from which subsequent speakers expanded upon.

Watch Jonny's presentation here.

GIS and Carbon Capture and Storage – Dr Muir Freer

Next up, Dr Muir Freer presented on GIS and Carbon Capture and Storage. Muir is a Research Associate in Environmental Engineering and Climate Change at The University of Manchester and a member of the Tyndall Centre. He specialises in modelling decarbonisation supply chains, focusing on creating strategic roadmaps for the energy, transport, and agricultural sectors. His work predominantly revolves around dispersed BECCS (Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage) supply chains, aiming to meet net zero targets.

The talk mainly focused on these interests and how GIS has aided his research. Predominantly, GIS helped model current Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) systems within the UK, facilitating place-based decarbonisation strategies. Muir explained how GIS helped visualise complex systems to stakeholders and governmental bodies, therefore increasing the likelihood of this sector reaching net zero on time. Whilst also incorporating the current limitations of GIS, Dr Freer offers how these hurdles could be overcome, highlighting how GIS has played a huge role in optimising CCS deployment and will likely continue to do so.

Watch Muir's presentation here.

GIS and Climate Risk Assessment – Alex Shaw

Alex Shaw followed with his presentation on GIS and Climate Risk Assessment. Alex is a PhD researcher whose research focuses on the decarbonisation of transport within Greater Manchester. His work aims to assess the impacts of climate change on the successful delivery of such strategies, developing a transferable risk assessment framework for use in other regions in order to mitigate those negative impacts.

The talk was on the relationship between GIS and how higher atmospheric temperatures pose a threat to transport systems, in particular, Manchester's Metrolink network. Funnelling through LiDAR data from the Environment Agency and climate projections from the Met Office, Alex was able to visualise and discern the most vulnerable areas of the Metrolink infrastructure. Through the use of GIS modelling data, a prescient Climate Risk Assessment was produced on Manchester’s Metrolink network.

Watch Alex's presentation here.

GIS and health inequalities – Dr Helen Zheng

To round off the talks, Dr Helen Zheng presented her research on health inequalities and how GIS can be invaluable. Helen is a Lecturer in Planning and Environmental Management and is interested in utilising spatial analysis/modelling to investigate planning issues. Her current research projects focus on exploring health inequalities from a spatial perspective.

The presentation revolved around the research projects relating to the spatial inequalities of health outcomes. Helen demonstrated how GIS can be effectively applied to map spatial variations of health outcomes alongside other socio-economic or built environmental variables. The talk utilised health maps of Greater Manchester, overlaying them with different datasets   to illustrate the levels of health inequality in the area and how other variables are associated with health inequalities. Helen concluded her talk by emphasising that GIS can not only be used as a tool to highlight critical social issues, but also to facilitate policy integration and public engagement.

Watch Helen's presentation here.

After four insightful talks, the seminar was wrapped up and discussions continued into the ensuing networking session. The event brought to light how GIS can not only be a tool to visualise and analyse data from our surroundings, but how it can be an imperative tool for groundbreaking and urgent environmental research. As the talks today have demonstrated, if we are to build an innovative and sustainable future society, a comprehensive understanding of the world around us will no doubt prove crucial.