Applications for PhD Scholarships in GIScience invited

The GIScience / Geoinformatics 'Doctoral College' at the University of Salzburg has opened the 2015 call for scholarship applications. At least 8 fully funded 3-4 year PhD research positions will be awarded to successful applicants.

We invite outstanding applicants from any and all nationalities. Requirements are excellent completion of a Master's level degree in Geoinformatics, Geomatics, Computer Science or any scientific/technical subject in a relevant field, professional working competency in English language, and a high degree of commitment and dedication to advancing Geographic Information Science through research.

Applications stating a preference for one of the supervisors' topical areas can be submitted until April 13. It is advisable to explore the previous cohort of doctoral college students currently finishing their theses and degrees.

For display on your departmental notice board, or as a reminder on your own pin board: http://tinyurl.com/mshxk9m

GIScience colloquium & Brown bag seminar

Brown bag seminar 

Date: Monday, January 26, 2015; 12:30 – 13:30

Place: Techno-Z, GI-lecture room: SC30OG1.107 (Schillerstraße 30, building 14, first floor)

Presenter: Vera Andrejchenko

Title: CHANGES Spatial Decision Support System

Spatial decision support system (SDSS) was developed with the aim to analyze the effect of risk reduction planning alternatives on reducing the risk now and in the future, and support decision makers in selecting the best alternatives. The SDSS is composed of a number of integrated components.

GIScience Colloquium 

Date: Monday, January 26, 2015; 16:00 – 17:00

Place: Techno-Z, GI-lecture room: SC30OG1.107 (Schillerstraße 30, building 14, first floor)

Presenter: Varga Orsolya Gyöngyi (University of Debrecen, Hungary)

Title: Remote sensing, Soil sciences, Drones – What Do They Have in Common?

Are you interested in different applications of GIS for various purposes? If you do, visit the presentation about the individual researches which describe applicability of GIS e.g. in remote-sensing, web mapping, and processing data provided by drones. Our guests from the University of Debrecen present a review on the history and significant results of their institute and modern trends of GIS research examined by them nowadays.

ESMERALDA – Enhancing ecoSysteM sERvices mApping for poLicy and Decision mAking. The first Z_GIS Horizon 2020 project starts in February 2015

Mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services (ES) are core to the EU Biodiversity (BD) Strategy. They are essential if we are to make informed decisions. Action 5 sets the requirement for an EU-wide knowledge base designed to be: a primary data source for developing Europe’s green infrastructure; resource to identify areas for ecosystem restoration.

In response to these requirements, the 42 months long ESMERALDA project aims to deliver a flexible methodology to provide the building blocks for pan-European and regional assessments on mapping ecosystems and their services. The work of the 18 partner consortium will ensure the timely delivery to EU member states in relation to Action 5 of the BD Strategy, supporting the needs of assessments in relation to the requirements for planning, agriculture, climate, water and nature policy. Z_GIS will contribute to the mapping approach and will integrate biophysical and integrated assessment techniques.
Coordinator: CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAET ZU KIEL; Dr. Benjamin Burkhard.
For more information, please contact Hermann Klug @ Z_GIS

Nanjing Normal U. cooperation intensified

Prof Josef Strobl visited Nanjing Normal University (NJNU) on Jan 9-11, aiming at strengthening and expanding the longstanding academic cooperation between NJNU and Salzburg. Hosted by Prof Tang Guoan, Dean of the NJNU School of Geography and 1998 PhD graduate from Z_GIS, the visit was focussed on developing a joint application for Erasmus Mundus led by Z_GIS' Dr Shahnawaz and enhancing the exchange and student mobility activities between both universities.

Hanqing Zhao

Started already in 2014, a joint MSc program offers students the opportunity to graduate from NJNU and PLUS with double degrees in Geoinformatics. Chinese students spend a full year in the 'Applied Geoinformatics' MSc programme at Z_GIS, and then finish their research and theses at NJNU before graduating from both universities. As a first candidate, Ms. Hanqing Zhao currently is 'testing' these arrangements, with another six students scheduled to come to Salzburg in the 2015/16 academic year.

Prof Strobl presented a lecture on 'Balancing Micro- and Macro-Geographies' before meeting with graduate students to discuss their research and offering advice on methodologies and publication options. This brief visit succeeded with setting the stage for intensified cooperation and selecting qualified candidates for the highly regarded joint study programs.

Presentation and discussion of student projects

First “cotutelle de thèse”- defense within the DK “GIScience”

On December, 19th, Sebastian d’Oleire-Oltmanns defended his PhD Thesis, entitled “Gully mapping on multiple scales based on UAV and satellite data” successfully at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. 

Since a “cotutelle de thèse” is a bi-lateral doctoral program that is carried out jointly by two international partner universities, the examination committee consisted of Sebastian’s main supervisor in Salzburg, Prof. Blaschke and his supervisors from the University of Frankfurt, Prof. Wunderlich and Dr. Marzolff and Prof. Ries from the University of Trier. Being a member of the DK “GIScience” 

Sebastian additionally presented his research at the University of Salzburg in the framework of the GIScience seminar. After his presentation a lively and challenging discussion examined his major approaches of the research work. More than 30 visitors followed this interesting presentation, and some participants took the chance to actively engage in this discussion. 

During his PhD, Sebastian dealt with methods for gully mapping on two different scales. In addition to the traditional field investigations carried out in geomorphology, remotely sensed data acquired at different scales covered various possibilities to analyze a specific study site, the broader spatial context around this study site (e.g. catchment level) and finally enabled area-wide mapping of gully-affected features. Several workflows were developed and applied: a workflow for photogrammetric processing of Small Format Aerial Photography (SFAP) data, the concept of object-based image analysis (OBIA) was applied at two different (spatial) scale levels for the detection of gullies and gully-affected areas and further analysis of the DSM provided estimations on the total soil loss for a specific gully as well as for the catchment level. 

We wish Sebastian all the best for his future career.