Geographic Information System workshop

Applications are now closed

Date: Thursday 11 May – Tuesday 30 May
Time: 3pm BST – 6pm BST & WAT / 9pm-12pm EDT

The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development at London Business School (LBS) is offering a virtual online workshop on GIS methods for quantitative spatial data analysis.

This workshop aims to equip students with modern research methods used for analysing spatial data. It will focus on applications related to the study of development in Africa, but the tools covered will be applicable in many contexts. The workshop will provide an overview of geospatial data and work through case studies that demonstrate the use of Python for spatial data analysis and QGIS for spatial data visualization. Participants can expect to gain familiarity with various open-source software used in spatial data analysis:

  • Anaconda (Python and Jupyter)
  • QGIS
  • Google Earth Engine

There will be six 3-hour main lectures (with a small break) commencing on 11 May 2023, spread over 4 weeks, on Tuesday and Thursday from 3pm-6pm BST & WAT / 9am-12pm EDT.

Audience

We are seeking doctoral students and early career academics.

The online workshop is also well-suited for professionals in both public and private organisations, and generally any researchers with an interest in quantitative spatial data analysis.

Cost/registration

This is an open access workshop. However, due to capacity constraints only a select set of participants will be able to attend. Participants will be screened for fit using a screening test. A pre-screening test will be available upon registration and must be completed to be considered eligible for the workshop. All lectures and sessions will take place on Zoom. Participants will be selected on a first come first served basis, so all interested to participate need to register as soon as possible.

Workshop convening team

  • Giorgio Chiovelli, Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Montevideo
  • Sebastian Hohmann, Economist and Data Scientist
  • Tanner Regan, Assistant Professor of Economics and International Affairs, George Washington University

Acknowledgement

A letter of acknowledgement may be awarded for participation and sufficient performance.

Requirements to receive a letter recognizing active participation:

  • Attendance at all six workshop lectures
  • Satisfactory submission of workshop project
  • Satisfactory score on multiple choice quiz

Pre-requisites

Some experience with quantitative data analysis and coding is strongly recommended.

Alternatively, a dedication to learn about these topics is required as the material will progress quickly in difficulty from the second week onwards. For those without much experience, we strongly suggest reviewing some fundamentals of quantitative analysis at these free resources:

Technical capacity (essential requirements)

Internet connection to download (1 GB) of data and software and follow the Zoom (video) sessions. We strive to make this workshop as accessible as possible, unfortunately there is a minimum technical capacity required to participate. We acknowledge and regret that this may make the course inaccessible for some. We hope to continually improve the accessibility in the future.

Workshop material

The main workshop material (slides, exercises, data, and code) will be hosted through google drive.

Dates and times

The workshop will run from 11 to 30 May. All six lectures are delivered via Zoom, between 3pm-6pm BST & WAT / 9am-12pm EDT. To encourage engagement and active participation, the sessions will not be recorded.

Please note, there is an expectation if you register you will attend all six sessions.

Workshop schedule

Session 1Thursday 11 MayIntroduction to GIS and overview applications in research –  Setting up Google Colab
Session 2Tuesday 16 MayIntroduction to Python, Pandas, and Geopandas
Session 3Thursday 18 MayReplicate analysis of a research paper – GIS Basics
Session 4Tuesday 23 MayReplicate analysis of a research paper – Networks
Session 5Tuesday 25 MayIntroduction to QGIS, geocoding, making maps, georeferencing and digitizing
Session 6Tuesday 30 MayIntroduction to Google Earth Engine and workshop revision

Logistics

Workshop programme manager

  • Trias Kolokitha-Schmitz, PhD
    Senior Research Manager of the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development

Teaching assistants

  • Bihter Erbaş
    Pre-Doctoral Research Assistant at the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development
  • Daniel Sey
    Pre-Doctoral Research Assistant at the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development
  • Mike Nuno
    Pre-Doctoral Research Assistant at the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development

Contact

To learn more about the workshop, please email us at wibdresearch@london.edu.


About the Wheeler Institute

The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development at London Business School was created to research and amplify the role of business in tackling the hardest challenges in social and economic development. A primary objective of the Wheeler Institute is to stimulate and support research at the intersection of business and development, with a particular emphasis on research in the developing world.

17 Comments

  1. Alcides Alain Pires Queita

    Reply

    I’ am glad for the consideration, I had the oportunity to work whit QGIS, during my pos graduation in Public Health.
    A very important tool.

    Thank you

  2. Reply

    I do not have the pre-requisite experience in quantitative data analysis and coding, However, I have a strong desire to learn and acquire these skills for further personal development.

  3. Abbas Gbolahan

    Reply

    I wish to attend the workshop because I need GIS for surveillance activities

  4. Reply

    I am eager always to be with you! And I hope our sesion will be interesting and educative for all of us! Let’s rise our continent, Africa together!

  5. Laatar

    Reply

    Thanks for this very interesting initiative by choosing this topic which it’s a continuing step of the previous topic: African history through the lens of economy.
    It provides a global vision with quantitative data of the development and the growth of economy fields. Also it helps to make accurate decisions.

  6. Laatar

    Reply

    Thanks for this very interesting initiative by choosing this topic which it’s a continuing step of the previous topic: African history through the lens of economy.

  7. SOUBEROU Mayowa Roukiath

    Reply

    i am interest to be part of this training section. the only issues is that i Don’t have many background in all those software ; i have just a little experience in those software. But i will follow all those session that you advice me to follow

  8. Atanlode Adedoyin

    Reply

    This workshop would be very helpful to me as geographic data analyst especially in Python coding. Looking forward to be attend all 6 sessions.

  9. Reply

    Wow! Just seeing this now. I am so pained that the registration is now closed. I really wished I could be considered.

  10. Haile Regassa

    Reply

    I am eagerly waiting for the workshop. Hope you will consider my application!

  11. Christopher Emeka

    Reply

    This is a great opportunity. Please I would like to know when to register for the next barge. I missed this one but I’m very much interested, please.

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