Tag Archives: GIS

WHEN STUDENTS RUN OUT OF ANSWERS

WHEN STUDENTS RUN OUT OF ANSWERS

This week, two of my students somehow managed to survive our progress meeting without being able to answer all their supervisor’s questions. 

First came the awkward smiles. Then hiding their faces behind books. Then consulting AI for help. And when everything else failed, the ultimate survival strategy: innocent faces! 

Eventually, I sent them to the sofa to do some reading and find the answers. But in the end, both requested to postpone their progress updates until next week. Nice try! 

Well, that is pretty much how I run my supervision sessions. We can joke around, laugh, and have fun, but when it comes to research and learning, we still need to take things seriously.

This time, Luckin Coffee again! 😂 My treat for all the students who attended. Luckily, Wiliyan was there to help carry all 10 cups of coffee.

Supervision does not always have to be serious. A little laughter and good coffee can make the learning journey more enjoyable.

But next week, those two had better come prepared! 

#PostgraduateLife #ResearchSupervision #AcademicLife #LearningJourney #CoffeeAndResearch

HOW I AM SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT THIS INVITATION?

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HOW I AM SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT THIS INVITATION?

Sometimes, interesting opportunities arrive when you are already wondering how to manage everything on your plate.

This time, I received an invitation to serve as both a Committee Member and Keynote Speaker at CIVILMEET 2027, the 9th International Conference on Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, scheduled for 21-23 June 2027 in Barcelona, Spain. 🇪🇸

Not just a committee member, but a keynote speaker as well. That part made me read the email twice. 

The conference brings together researchers, academics and industry professionals to exchange ideas on civil engineering, environmental sciences and emerging technologies.

Although much of my research revolves around 3D city modelling, GIS, GeoAI and urban digital twins, these areas are increasingly connected to civil engineering, environmental sustainability and intelligent urban development. So, it is interesting to see how our research contributions are being recognised beyond our immediate field.

But then comes the usual reality of academic life. Undergraduate teaching, postgraduate supervision, research projects, journal publications, administrative responsibilities and many other commitments.

Still need to think carefully before accepting another responsibility.

Nevertheless, receiving an invitation like this is already a meaningful recognition. It is encouraging to know that the research we have been doing over the years is reaching people and institutions beyond our own academic community.

Thank you to the CIVILMEET 2027 organising committee for considering me for these roles.

Whether I eventually accept or not, I appreciate the invitation and the confidence placed in my academic contributions.

Now, the real question is whether my calendar can accommodate Barcelona in June 2027. 😅

#KeynoteSpeaker #CIVILMEET2027 #AcademicJourney #GeospatialResearch #InternationalCollaboration

DID NOT EXPECT TO SEE MY NAME HERE

DID NOT EXPECT TO SEE MY NAME HERE

Received this invitation today and had to read it twice.

UTM appreciation for its staff is at another level! This year, UTM management make a new moves, organizing a new dedicated and personalized event called Majlis Kecemerlangan Akademia (MKA) UTM 2026. 

Apparently, I have been selected for an award at the MKA UTM 2026, which will be held on 30 October 2026 at Dewan Sultan Iskandar, UTM.

To be honest, I do not know yet which award category this is for. But just being selected at university level already feels like a meaningful recognition of the work done throughout 2025.

Academic work is usually quite routine from the inside. Teaching, supervising students, writing papers, applying for grants, reviewing manuscripts, attending meetings, and handling administrative tasks. Most of the time, we just move from one responsibility to another without really stopping to think about it.

So when something like this arrives, it is a nice reminder that perhaps all those small efforts do add up somewhere along the way.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey, especially my students, colleagues, collaborators, and the research team.

Now we wait for 30 October. Whatever the outcome, I am already grateful to be among it. 😊

#MKAUTM2026 #AcademicJourney #ResearchAchievement #UTM #GratefulMoment

A SMALL MILESTONE IN MY RESEARCH JOURNEY

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A SMALL MILESTONE IN MY RESEARCH JOURNEY

Honestly, I am not entirely sure how they calculate these rankings.

But one thing I do appreciate is that the ranking is based on the specific research areas I have been working on, rather than broad disciplines such as Civil Engineering or Engineering in general.

Apparently, my research is ranked in the World Top 3.4% for 3D Modeling in Geospatial Applications, with a world ranking of #256.

Another area, Smart Cities and Technologies, places my research at World #563 and Malaysia #6.

At least these are the fields I have been spending years working on, particularly 3D city modelling, GIS, GeoAI and urban applications. So, it is quite interesting to see how my publications are positioned within these specific research areas.

Well, not too bad, I guess.

At least there is a little contribution to the academic world after all these years. Better than nothing, right?

Still a long way to go, and plenty more to learn.

Hopefully, whatever I have contributed so far will be useful to the research community, my students and future researchers.

#3DCityModelling #GeospatialScience #GeoAI #SmartCities #Research

WHEN STUDENT TAKES THE INITIATIVE

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WHEN STUDENT TAKES THE INITIATIVE

Always nice to see a PhD student not only follow the research plan, but also take the initiative to push the work further.

Congratulations to our PhD student, Jiao Yang, on the publication of his new paper in the ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, a Web of Science Q2 journal.

What I appreciate about this paper is that the decision to aim for a WoS journal came from his own initiative. That is something encouraging to see. When students begin setting their own targets and taking ownership of their research, it shows that they are gradually developing into independent researchers.

The paper, titled “From R-Trees to Learned Indexes: A Systematic Review of Spatial Indexing Across 2D, 3D and Point-Cloud Geospatial Query Scenarios,” reviews 111 studies and examines how spatial indexing has evolved from traditional structures such as R-trees, octrees and KD-trees towards learned and hybrid indexing approaches.

One of the interesting findings is that learned indexes are growing rapidly, particularly for 2D applications, but traditional and hybrid structures are still very important for native 3D geospatial data, point clouds and update-intensive spatial workloads. The paper also highlights what still needs to be solved before learned indexing can be effectively applied to complex 3D geospatial environments.

A good contribution to an area that sits right at the foundation of efficient spatial data management.

Good job, Jiao. Keep taking the initiative and keep pushing your research further. 👍🏻

📖 Read the paper here:

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi15100452

#NewPublication #SpatialIndexing #3DGIS #GeospatialResearch #PhDJourney

WHEN YOUR STUDENT MOVES FASTER THAN YOU EXPECT

WHEN YOUR STUDENT MOVES FASTER THAN YOU EXPECT 😅

I have to admit, I am quite proud of my fast-track PhD student, Samantha Soo Chin Yee.

She is only in her second semester, but her research has already produced a publishable result in IEEE Access, a Web of Science Q2 journal.

Sometimes she works so fast that I find myself thinking, “Why are you moving this quickly? Slow down a little.” 😅

But that is Samantha. Very hardworking, consistent, and always eager to move to the next stage.

Our paper, “Optimizing Point Cloud to Wireframe for 3-D City Models in CityJSON,” focuses on transforming unstructured point cloud data into lightweight and structured wireframe models that can be used within CityJSON.

The study systematically evaluates different combinations of algorithms for plane detection, clustering, boundary extraction, and edge detection. Instead of simply testing one method, we compared a large number of algorithmic combinations to understand which approaches work best for different geometries. The results also show an important point. Methods that work well for sharp-edged objects may not necessarily perform equally well for curved geometries.

For someone who is still very early in her PhD journey, getting this level of work published is a very encouraging start.

Congratulations, Samantha. Keep the momentum going.

Again, she’s a fast track PhD. But maybe… slow down just a little bit. Your supervisor needs time to catch up too. 😂

📖 Read the paper here:

https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2026.3713177

#IEEEAccess #PhDJourney #3DCityModelling #CityJSON #GeospatialResearch

APPARENTLY, MY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS HAVE HIDDEN TALENTS

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APPARENTLY, MY POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS HAVE HIDDEN TALENTS 😂❤️

A little update from our lab.

This time, we were fortunate enough to add four more gaming chairs for the students.

I thought we would assemble them together later when everyone was free.

But somehow, Melati had a different plan. 😂

Without saying much, she quietly sat there and started assembling the chairs by herself. The funny part was, we did not even have all the proper tools ready.

By the time I realised what was happening, three chairs were already done. 😅

For the fourth chair, Wiliyan had just arrived, so at least he managed to join in and help.

I honestly did not expect Melati to have this hidden talent.

I thought sewing was already her speciality. Apparently, assembling gaming chairs can now be added to the list too. 😂

Looks like my postgraduate students are quite talented after all. Research is one thing, but apparently there are many other skills being developed along the PhD and Master journey.

Slowly, our little lab is becoming more comfortable.

Four chairs before, two more after that, and now another four.

One step at a time. ❤️

And perhaps next time we buy furniture, I already know who to call. 😂

#PostgraduateLife #ResearchLife #LabLife #AcademicLife

WHEN YOUR RESEARCH INTERESTS FIND A NEW HOME

WHEN YOUR RESEARCH INTERESTS FIND A NEW HOME

Another small milestone in the academic journey.

I have been appointed as an Editorial Board Member for Revue Internationale de Géomatique, an international journal published by Tech Science Press and indexed in Web of Science.

What makes this appointment meaningful to me is how closely the journal aligns with the areas I have been working on for years, including 3D city modelling, GeoAI, spatial data structures, topology, BIM-GIS interoperability, UAV and LiDAR data, and urban digital twins.

The journal also publishes articles in both English and French, giving it a wider international reach within the geomatics and geospatial research community.

Editorial work is another side of academia that often happens quietly. It involves reading, evaluating, discussing, and helping ensure that good research is communicated clearly and contributes something meaningful to the field.

I see this appointment less as a title and more as another responsibility to contribute back to the research community that has shaped much of my own academic journey.

Thank you to the editorial team for the trust and invitation. Looking forward to supporting the journal and learning from the research that comes through it.

#EditorialBoard #GeospatialScience #Geomatics #AcademicService #ResearchCommunity

SOMETIMES, THE RESEARCH JOURNEY HAS ITS OWN TIMELINE

SOMETIMES, THE RESEARCH JOURNEY HAS ITS OWN TIMELINE

I actually read this thesis much earlier this year in preparation for my role as the External Examiner for a Master candidate at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

The viva date was already fixed earlier this year. Everything seemed ready.

Then, about a week before the viva, the student, Tharshini, came down with dengue and the viva voce examination had to be postponed.

We tried to arrange another date, but somehow it took longer than expected. We waited, and waited again. At one point, I started wondering what had happened.

Later, when I checked with USM, I learned that her father had recently passed away.

At that point, the delay became completely understandable. Research is important, but sometimes life gives us something much bigger to deal with. Emotionally, she probably needed time to recover before facing an important academic examination.

So we waited again.

Until today.

Finally, Tharshini completed her viva for the thesis titled “Integrated Geospatial and Finite Element Modelling of Rainfall Induced Landslides with WebGIS-Based Risk Visualisation: A Case Study of Penang Island, Malaysia”. 

The research integrates geospatial analysis, finite element modelling and WebGIS to better understand rainfall-induced landslide risks and communicate those risks through an interactive spatial platform.

And the good news, she passed with minor corrections. 🎓

Congratulations Tharshini. Considering everything that happened along the way, completing this viva is an achievement that carries a little more meaning.

This experience also reminded me of something.

We can plan our research schedule, submission, viva, graduation and everything else. But we never really know what life will bring tomorrow.

So, to those who are still studying, especially postgraduate students, try not to procrastinate too much. When you have the opportunity to move your research forward, do it.

Finish what you can, while you can.

#VivaVoce #PostgraduateJourney #GeospatialResearch #LandslideRisk #AcademicLife

WHEN ANOTHER UNIVERSITY ASKS YOU TO BE THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW COMMITTEE

WHEN ANOTHER UNIVERSITY ASKS YOU TO BE THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW COMMITTEE

Another small academic responsibility added to the list. 

I have been appointed as a Member of the Academic Program Review Committee at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

This role involves reviewing and evaluating academic programmes to ensure that the curriculum remains relevant, current, academically sound, and aligned with the needs of students, industry, and the wider professional community.

For me, appointments like this are always interesting because they allow us to look beyond our own university. Different institutions have different strengths, approaches, and experiences, and there is always something to learn from one another.

Academic programme review is also an important responsibility. What we recommend today will eventually influence what students learn, the competencies they develop, and how prepared they are when they enter the professional world.

Thank you to Universiti Sains Malaysia for the invitation and confidence. I will do my best to contribute whatever experience and perspective I can to the review process.

Sometimes academic service happens quietly behind the scenes, but its impact can continue for many cohorts of students to come.

#AcademicService #ProgramReview #HigherEducation #AcademicQuality #USM