With the emerging of online mapping starting from the year 2005, I can see the trend recently shifted to online data sources. With this crowd sourcing data now everybody can have their satellite images and other geospatial data for free and available online.

I’m starting to put my interest into this approach. I’m currently developing a system with the integration of these online data sources for local government agency (see snapshots below). This is 100% hard-coded program (it means no subscription to any commercial software ^.^).

Yes, it depends on the end user requirement and needs (accuracy issues, internet connectivity & others). But well, you need to decide then. Buy your own satellite images or view it without any cost?

If you’ve picked the first option, you have to rethink again if the systems is for mobile applications. Right?

Image source: http://sarahlouq.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/PhD.jpg

As for today I would like to show you one trick on how making your PhD defense look great. This is good and in some way it can boost your confidence in the defense. I did it, and I got good remarks from the examiners. One of it was “Uznir, I would like to give you credits for your excellent outputs. Not many students can produce as what you did in 3 years”. Doesn’t it feel good when that is the first thing that your examiners tell you in Q&A session? 🙂

What I did was, apart from my thesis, I compiled my list of publications during my PhD study. It looks like I have another thesis in my hand.

This 100++ pages is a compilation of academic publications that consists of 3 International Journals, 1 Patent Filing, 1 Chapter (Springer Book), 3 International Conferences and 1 Academic Poster

I mentioned to the examiners that there are at least 1 publication for each chapter in the thesis. This is to say indirectly to the examiners that all of my chapters have been reviewed by the scientific committee and experts from around the globe.

If you can do this, it means that your contents, your ideas, your methods, and your results are widely approved and accepted by the other experts. Your examiners may be one of the expert colleague. They will think, “hey, my friend approved this student work. So should I”.. 🙂

Good luck in your defense!