GRISS – Geospatial Research Institute Seminar Series

The Geospatial Research Institute Seminar Series (GRISS) is a monthly seminar series with guest presentations detailing the use of geospatial technologies in various industries and sectors.
We host these presentations each month on the University of Canterbury campus.
Anyone interested in attending may come in person or view the presentations online via Zoom

For seminars that our presenters have allowed us to record, we have recordings available. These can be found on the Geospatial Research Institute YouTube channel. The link can be found to the side.

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Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 26 November 2021

Reaching the Stratosphere and Beyond

Speaker: Dr. Philipp Sueltrop, CTO Kea Aerospace

The Geospatial Research Institute is pleased to host Dr. Philipp Sueltrop.

Philipp is the Chief Technology Officer of the Christchurch-based company Kea Aerospace. Besides leading the technical development team of the unmanned solar-powered aircraft Kea Atmos, he considers himself as a technology explorer combining his passion for aerospace engineering that can provide the means for advantageous scientific, civil and commercial contributions.

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 29 October 2021 – Recorded

Sub-mm 3D Semantic Models of Plants over Large Areas

Since 2004 Professor Richard Green has been lecturing in computer science at the University of Canterbury after running his own successful 50 staff software company in Sydney (sold to a multinational). With over 200 refereed publications, Richard heads the Computer Vision Research Lab with an emphasis on autonomous robot vision/deep learning (robots/drones/underwater robots) and analysing human movement.

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 24 September 2021 – Recorded

Humanism in a Technology Centric World: Enabling a digital twin for Industry 5.0

Keri is a passionate Digital Technologist, with a strong background in Geospatial technologies, and over 20 years of international experience in designing enterprise collaboration platforms. Keri is the New Zealand Digital Practice Leader and is focused on identifying digital possibilities and creating opportunities to embed new technologies into our organisational way of working. Keri represents Aurecon on the ANZ Smart Cities Council and on the ANZ Digital Twin Taskforce.

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 30 July 2021

From Data to Insights

In this time of rapid global change, we need new ways to identify, monitor and understand the impact of change on environments and human dynamics such as economy, health and sociopolitical stability. Maxar Earth Intelligence capabilities help customers map, detect, address and predict change at unprecedented speed and scale. Fueled largely by Maxar’s own constellation of high-resolution imaging satellites and combining multi-source data and applied artificial intelligence, machine learning and rich domain knowledge is able to deliver insight as a service.

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 25 June 2021

Democratising GIS Data to Solve Aotearoa's Freshwater Challenge

Takiwā is an award winning data management and analytics platform that allows end-users to upload, analyse and present multiple types of data and information within a spatial context in order to solve complex problems. A critical design feature of Takiwā has been the ability to draw together cultural and maatauranga Māori data and information alongside Western scientific data while managing cultural and commercial sensitivities of any datasets. Takiwā CEO Mike Taitoko will introduce the Takiwā platform and illustrate how it can help to empower…

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 28 May 2021

Saving Your Life Without You Even Knowing It

NZ now has a tool that has been developed to identify high risk locations for safety interventions in order to reduce the horrific financial and emotional cost of road fatalities.  The Safer Journeys Risk Assessment Tool or more commonly, ‘MegaMaps’, and has been produced by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency with the assistance of Abley, a national professional services firm. The tool is a significant asset for New Zealand.  This presentation will explain the tool, how it came to exist and why it is unique nationally and globally.

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 30 April 2021

Accelerating Digitalisation of the Infrastructure Sector

Much has been written about the need to unlock the power of data and digital methods to improve the performance of infrastructure and productivity of the building industry. Recognising the potential benefits of these methods, the New Zealand Government and building industry are co-investing in an eight-year (2018-2026) research programme, under the banner of the Building Innovation Partnership (BIP), to accelerate digitalisation of the infrastructure sector. This industry-led programme has to date focused on two applications of data and digital methods.

Adam Greenland

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 5 March 2021

The Development of a regional Satellite Based Augmentation System (SEBA)

Global Satellite Navigations Systems such as GPS enable positioning information accurate to about 5-10 metres. A Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) will improve the accuracy to less than a metre, and in some devices to 10 centimetres, and provide greater integrity. More precise and accurate positioning increases our productivity, secures our safety and enables innovation.  Unlike most regions of the developed world where SBAS is available, Australasia does not currently have access to any reliable free-to-air augmentation services. LINZ and Geoscience Australia are working together to develop a regional SBAS to improve the accuracy of GPS.

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 27 November 2020

Towards a more flood-resilient Aotearoa/ New Zealand

Flooding is Aotearoa/New Zealand’s most frequent hazard and its impact will only increase under climate change through both more intense rainfall events and sea level rise. We are currently going through a massive flooding infrastructure revamp as well as investing in significant urban development. However, we don’t yet have a consistent national understanding of what our flood risk is now – let alone in the future.

Prof. Clive Sabel

Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 25 September 2020 (online & in person)

The BERTHA Big Data Centre for Environment & Health: Opportunities & Challenges

Prof Sabel is a spatial data scientist working in the nexus between health and spatial data informatics. He is Director, BERTHA – Big Data Centre for Environment and Health at Aarhus University, but previously worked at the University of Canterbury, Department of Geography as a GISc lecturer. The BERTHA Big Data Centre for Environment and Health at Aarhus University, Denmark, aims to muster the huge potential opportunities from the Big Data revolution to help us understand the complex interactions between environmental pollutants and human health.