Geospatial data collected from different sources is becoming essential for exploring the natural, human and social systems at unprecedented scales. Geospatial data plays an important role in the understanding of complex phenomena through analysis and systematic processing and computing. Geospatial analysis examines locations, attributes and relationships of features in geospatial data through different techniques in order to understand processes, answer questions and extract useful knowledge.
The Geographic Information System and Mapping Lab (GISML) at AUS exists to facilitate transdisciplinary, sustainable responses to pressing science, public policy, business and design challenges for the UAE and the GCC region, through the collection and analysis of geospatial data.
As the demand for geospatial analysis increases in various scientific, research and development domains, as well by local and federal governments, GISML aims to develop advanced, state-of-the-art resource-integrating technology and in-house expertise. This expertise will provide researchers and policymakers with the resources they need to understand and respond to geospatial dynamics of human and natural systems.
Furthermore, GISML provides significant input on and support for the development of spatial data infrastructure (SDI)—the infrastructure that provides access to geospatial data and analysis tools to users across specific geographic areas— which is now utilized by most cities and municipalities around the world.
Always looking to the future, GISML plans to develop the expertise and the core physical and cyber infrastructure essential for successful research and development in the areas of geospatial science and engineering. This will be achieved by hosting and curating up-to-date repositories of geospatial data, providing analytical capabilities that support basic and applied research, and promoting interdisciplinary inter-institutional problem solving via industry and academic collaborations in spatial intelligence.
This is a significant step forward for AUS, and we do hope you will follow our developments as we seek to better understand our region and the world.
Dr. Tarig Ali
Director | Geographic Information System and Mapping Lab (GISML)
