Tag Archives: 3D City Modelling

RESEARCH DISCUSSIONS DON’T ALWAYS HAPPEN IN LABS

RESEARCH DISCUSSIONS DON’T ALWAYS HAPPEN IN LABS

Sometimes, the best research discussions happen over coffee in campus cafés.

Today was supposed to be just a simple lunch outing by the sea. But halfway through the day, an idea suddenly came to mind. One of those moments where a research direction just clicks unexpectedly.

So we made our way back to UTM and had a quick catch-up session at ZUS Coffee with my postgraduate student, Amirah.

As researchers and supervisors, sometimes when inspiration comes, you just cannot wait too long to share it. Ideas are fragile. If not discussed early, they might disappear just as quickly as they arrive.

What I appreciate most is seeing the excitement and curiosity from students when discussing new possibilities, new methods, and future research directions. Those small moments remind us why academic mentoring matters.

Research is not only about publications, grants, or conferences.
Sometimes it is simply about conversations, guidance, encouragement, and helping students believe they can go further than they think.

You are doing well, Amirah. Keep going. One step at a time.

#PostgraduateLife #ResearchJourney #AcademicMentoring #CampusLife #ResearchDiscussion

ANOTHER INVITATION, ANOTHER RESPONSIBILITY 

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ANOTHER INVITATION, ANOTHER RESPONSIBILITY 

Sometimes, opportunities come from places you didn’t specifically plan for.

I was invited to join the Technical Committee Board for the African Smart Cities & Innovation Congress 2026 (ASCIC 2026).

An international platform that brings together researchers, policymakers, and industry players in smart cities, AI, IoT, big data, and urban innovation. The event will be held in Laâyoune, Morocco.

What makes it even more interesting

Morocco is geographically part of Africa, but culturally and historically it also connects strongly with the Arab world and Europe. It sits at a unique crossroads of regions.

Morocco is home to Fes, where the University of Al Quaraouiyine, founded in 859 AD, is widely recognized as among oldest continuously operating university in the world. A strong reminder that knowledge and scholarship have deep roots there.

For me, invitations like this are more than recognition. They come with responsibility.

When there are limited experts in a specific niche, invitations tend to come more often. With that comes the responsibility to contribute, review rigorously, and help safeguard academic quality not just locally, but globally.

Looking forward to contributing to this international effort.

#AcademicLife #SmartCities #ResearchCommunity #PeerReview #GlobalCollaboration

CONTINUING TO CONTRIBUTE BEYOND MILESTONES

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CONTINUING TO CONTRIBUTE BEYOND MILESTONES

Congratulations to Wiliyan on this publication. What makes this even more meaningful is that even after completing his MPhil viva, he continues to publish and contribute to the academic world. A good reminder that research does not stop at milestones.

This paper, titled “Semantic Enrichment of 3D City Models for Sustainable Cooling Analysis,”focuses on integrating building physics and thermal parameters into 3D city models. By enriching CityJSON-based models with attributes such as window-to-wall ratio, solar absorptivity, thermal transmittance and local climate data, the study enables more accurate estimation and visualisation of cooling demand in urban environments.

The work highlights how semantically enriched 3D models can support better energy analysis, planning and decision-making, especially in tropical cities where cooling demand is a critical issue.

The paper was presented at an IEEE conference and is indexed in Web of Science, marking another strong contribution from the team.

Well done, Wiliyan. Keep going.

#NewPublication #3DCityModels #UrbanClimate #GeospatialResearch #AcademicJourney

ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY

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ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY

Received an invitation to join the International Board of Reviewers for the International Conference on Information Management and Technology (ICIMTech) 2026.

Peer review is often a quiet responsibility. It requires time, careful reading and fair judgment, but it plays an important role in maintaining the quality of academic work. Being part of this process is always a reminder that research is not only about publishing, but also about contributing to the broader community.

Looking forward to supporting the review process and contributing to the advancement of research in information systems and technology.

#AcademicService #Reviewer #ResearchCommunity #ICIMTech #KnowledgeSharing

STRUCTURAL TOPIC MODELLING WORKSHOP – DAY 2

STRUCTURAL TOPIC MODELLING WORKSHOP – DAY 2

Back in action for Day 2 of our Structural Topic Modelling (STM) workshop, and this time I was able to join the team. It was great to engage directly in the session and see how everyone has progressed with this powerful analytical technique.

A special moment during the session was a surprise celebration for our August birthday babies. A simple gesture, but one that made the atmosphere even more lively and connected. We had chocolate cake, nasi dagang, pizza and coffee (its a mixed generations). 

Workshops like this are not just about technical knowledge, but also about building a strong and supportive research culture. Grateful for the spirit and effort everyone brought into the room.

Huge thanks again to Usman Mehmood for leading the training with clarity and depth. Here’s to more sessions that grow both our minds and our bonds.

#structuraltopicmodelling #stmworkshop #researchculture #academiclife #postgradtraining #geospatialresearch #labcommunity #birthdaycelebration #datascience #utmresearch

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STRUCTURAL TOPIC MODELLING WORKSHOP – DAY 1

STRUCTURAL TOPIC MODELLING WORKSHOP – DAY 1

Kicked off a two-day Structural Topic Modelling (STM) workshop organized by our 3D City Modelling research lab. This is our lab’s initiative to sharpen our research skills. 

Today’s session was led by Usman Mehmood, one of our talented lab members who’s been hands-on with this analytical method.

Unfortunately, due to other urgent commitments, I couldn’t be part of the session today, but the learning continues regardless. I’m proud to see the team step up and take the lead in building knowledge together.

This workshop focuses on enhancing our research with data-driven topic modelling using STM, a powerful approach for uncovering themes and trends from textual data. It’s part of our commitment to always push forward with innovative techniques in geospatial and data science.

Here’s a short video from today’s session, just a glimpse of what’s happening. Stay tuned, more updates will follow!

#StructuralTopicModelling #STMWorkshop #GeospatialResearch #ResearchLabLife #KnowledgeSharing #PostgradResearch #DataScienceInResearch #AcademicGrowth #UTM

CONGRATULATIONS TO USMAN ON HIS SUCCESSFUL PHD VIVA DEFENSE

CONGRATULATIONS TO USMAN ON HIS SUCCESSFUL PHD VIVA DEFENSE

I am proud to share that my PhD student, Usman, has successfully defended his viva presentation this morning and passed with flying colors. The entire session, from the start of his presentation to the final verdict, took only 1.5 hours, making it one of the fastest viva sessions recorded.

His research focuses on the development of a 3D spatio-temporal management model for high-rise building maintenance, offering innovative solutions for efficient and data-driven maintenance planning in urban environments.

In addition to the swift and confident defense, his thesis was recommended for Merit by both internal and external examiners. This distinction reflects the highest level of academic recognition and speaks to the outstanding quality of his research.

Congratulations once again, Dr. Usman, on this remarkable achievement. Your dedication, perseverance, and excellence throughout your PhD journey have truly paid off.

#PhDViva #DrUsman #3DSpatioTemporal #BuildingMaintenance #SmartCityResearch #HighRiseInnovation #ResearchExcellence #MeritAward #ProudSupervisor

APPOINTED BY UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA (USM)

APPOINTED BY UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA (USM)

Feeling anxious when being appointed as an External Expert for the Board of Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). An APEX university with higher ranking than UTM.

It’s truly a privilege to support the advancement of geospatial education and to collaborate with one of Malaysia’s leading academic institutions.

Thank you USM, for this trust and opportunity.

#Geospatial #GIS #AcademicLeadership #USM #APEXUniversity #HigherEducation #LifelongLearning

GEOSPATIAL INNOVATION: IGNITING SMART CITIES, ECO-SYNERGY, AND URBAN RESURGENCE

GEOSPATIAL INNOVATION: IGNITING SMART CITIES, ECO-SYNERGY, AND URBAN RESURGENCE

This book is expected to be available on October, 2025 by Springer.

This is a collaborative effort exploring how 3D City Modelling, digital twins, remote sensing, and AI can contribute to building smarter, more resilient, and sustainable cities.

Appreciate the support so far, more updates soon.

#SmartCities #GeospatialInnovation #3DGIS #UrbanResilience #DigitalTwins #EcoSynergy #SustainableDevelopment #GeoAI #RemoteSensing #SpringerBooks #ComingSoon #UrbanInnovation #CityTech

GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY: BARCELONA 2026

GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY: BARCELONA 2026

I will be traveling to Barcelona in March 2026 to deliver a keynote speech. But with the Iran-Israel conflict, I’ve been reflecting on more than just travel plans. Global tensions serve as a reminder of how interconnected our world is and how quickly uncertainty can affect even the most meaningful commitments.

I remain hopeful that the conference will proceed as planned. More importantly, I hope for peace, understanding, and stability for everyone across all affected regions.

Let us continue to support each other and stay informed during these uncertain times.

“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

#Keynote2026 #Barcelona #Peace #GlobalAwareness #AcademicLife #TravelConcerns #HopeForPeace #LeadershipInUncertainty