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.
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.
Besides writing journal papers, I enjoy working on books and book chapters. One example is this chapter I wrote titled “An Overview of Advances in Geoinformatics Technologies: Facilities and Utilities Optimization and Management for Smart City Applications”.
I enjoy this kind of writing because it helps raise awareness and spark new ideas about what’s possible in our geospatial science field.
Today, I’m excited that I’ve been invited to give a talk about this chapter at the Global Summit on Advances in Recycling and Waste Management in Berlin, Germany, this September 29–30, 2025.
I’m happy to know that the book has contributed to the community. I hope the session will offer something valuable and inspiring to those attending!
Still riding the energy from my recent keynote at ICWEES 2025, I’ve just been invited again, this time by ICASE-2025, to deliver the same keynote talk at a different international conference.
Third keynote talk this year.
Grateful beyond words to see my work resonating across different fields, from geoinformatics to environmental science, smart cities, AI, and beyond.
Thank you once again to all the organizers, peers, and communities that continue to open new doors and believe in this mission.
Let’s keep pushing boundaries, challenging ideas, and building the future together!
I haven’t even delivered my keynote for this month’s conference yet. And the next invitation has already landed. This month conference is over 3,200 km from Skudai. And next month? Even farther, nearly 4,300 km to Xi’an, China. From South Asia to East Asia. Whatever it is, I am grateful for the trust given to share ideas across borders. Thanks!
The keynote by Associate Professor Uznir Ujang explores the transformative potential of integrating 3D Geospatial Information Systems (3D GIS) with Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) for tackling urban challenges related to environmental quality, water systems, and energy efficiency. Traditional 2D geospatial methods often fall short in capturing the complexities of urban dynamics. This talk introduces a new paradigm where advanced 3D city models, enhanced by AI-driven spatial analytics, topological structures, and temporal intelligence, offer innovative solutions for resilient city planning.
Key real-world case studies, such as urban air quality visualization, traffic noise propagation, wind flow analysis, and voxel-based environmental simulations, demonstrate how this convergence of technologies can revolutionize decision-making. With data acquisition methods like LiDAR, UAVs, and CityGML semantic modeling, cities can leverage precise, intelligent tools to address sustainability challenges.
Join us as we discuss the future of integrating 3D geospatial intelligence into global sustainability frameworks and urban agendas.
Warm congratulations to Abdullah bin Ahmad (P127080) from the Department of Civil Engineering, UKM, for successfully completing his Master of Science viva voce! He is a senior engineer at the Public Works Department (JKR).
His thesis focused on a highly relevant topic: GeoBIM Data Structure for Sewer System, which I believe is a crucial area in advancing infrastructure management through geospatial and BIM integration. From my view, the nation needs more awareness on the importance of GeoBIM. It is good to have more research like Abdullah’s.
The session was held on 14 April 2025 (Monday), at 9:30 a.m. at the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UKM Bangi.
I was honored to serve as the External Examiner, representing Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).
The viva panel included:
Chairperson: Prof. Ir. Dr. Siti Rozaimah Sheikh Abdullah (JKKP, FKAB)
Internal Examiner: Sr. Ts. Dr. Noraini Hamzah (JKA, FKAB)
Main Supervisor: Lt. Kol. Bersekutu (PA) Prof. Madya Ts. Gs. Sr. Dr. Khairul Nizam Abdul Maulud (JKA, FKAB)
Thank you to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) for the trust and opportunity. It’s always a privilege to contribute to academic quality and support innovative research through external examiner roles.
Wishing the candidate every success in future research and practice!
Huge congratulations to my student, Syahiirah Mohd Salleh for successfully passing her PhD viva-voce this morning with excellent results!
Her thesis, titled “36-Intersection Model Topology Rules for 3D Objects in Spatial Database”marks a significant contribution to the field of Geoinformatics.
The session was chaired by Prof. TPr Dr. Ho Chin Siong, with Dr. Norhakim bin Yusof as the assistant chairman.
Special thanks to the examiners:
External Examiner: Assoc. Prof. Gs Dr. Tan Mou Leong (USM)
Internal Examiner: Prof. Dr. Mohd Shahrizal bin Sunar (Faculty of Computing, UTM)
The chairman and both examiners praised Syahiirah’s work for its originality and technical depth, agreeing that her research has great potential to be applied in various fields, from 3D GIS systems and spatial data infrastructure to urban planning and smart city development.
We are incredibly proud of Syahiirah’s dedication, perseverance, and scholarly achievements.
Wishing her continued success in her academic and professional journey!
It’s an honour to be given a 45-minute keynote slot, an academic recognition that reflects trust from the international scientific community.
Unlike typical paper presentations, a keynote isn’t just about showing results. It’s about vision. Future directions. Inspiring researchers across disciplines.
Sharing how Geospatial Science matters, whether it’s for noise modelling, wind flow, water systems, or urban resilience. This keynote is my way of showing how 3D City Modelling and GeoAI can drive meaningful applications across sectors.
Just an abstract for today. The rest of the presentation notes will be drafted later.
