Key details
Dr Jia Wang
Senior Lecturer in Spatial Data Science
I am currently working as a senior lecturer in spatial data science at School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences. My research focuses on spatial cognition, big spatial data, walkability and cyclability in urban spaces, and accessibility and inequality measure of marginalised communities with development of formal and computational models. Applications of my work include volunteered geographic information systems, intelligent navigation for pedestrians and cyclists, and Google dashboard designed for evaluating maternal healthcare accessibility.
Responsibilities within the university
Module Leader/ Instructor
COMP1832 Programming Fundamentals for Data Science (postgraduate)
COMP1890 Spatial Data Science (postgraduate)
COMP1814 Statistical Techniques with R (undergraduate)
MATH1197 Advanced Mathematics for Computer Science (undergraduate)
Supervisor
COMP1252 MSc project supervision
COMP1682 BSc FYP supervision
PhD co-supervision: (project title: Smart assistive technology for falls prevention: predicting falls in community-dwelling older adults using machine learning)
Recognition
- Invited talk: UCL CASA Seminar Series 2023-2024 (Topic: Mapping Minds: Revisiting My Doctoral Study a Decade Later in the Era of GeoAI)
- Workshop organisation:
- GIScience 2023 Topic: Location matters: identifying and measuring space-based inequalities for LGBT+ people
- AGILE 2024 Topic: Mapping Minds: Exploring the Intersection of Spatial Cognition, Computational Design, Neuroscience and Spatial Data Science
- Journal review & edition: I am the reviewer for several top tier international journals within and outside GIS domain such as International Journal of Geographic Information Science, Journal of Spatial Information Science, Transaction in GIS, Journal of Geographic Systems, Sustainability, Spatial Cognition and Computation, Journal of Urbanism, European Journal of Geography, and so on.
- Teaching & personal tutoring were recognised through the 2020 Student Led Teaching Awards. The awards are a student led celebration of teaching excellence and academic quality at the University of Greenwich.
- Inspirational Teaching Award (shortlisted)
- Faculty Star Award (nomination)
- Outstanding Person Tutor Award (nomination)
Research / Scholarly interests
The boundary between computer science, mathematics, spatial cognition, and geographic information science. Current research interests include:
- Navigation & sustainable travel
- Spatial cognition
- Spatial intelligence and computational design
- Qualitative approaches to spatial representation & reasoning
- Sketch map vs. language in structuring space
Greenwich Urban Intelligence: https://blogs.gre.ac.uk/agile-workshops-2024/ This is a new site documenting the collaborative research work with Professor Silvio Carta from School of Design. Here, we publish work that intersects computational design, spatial data science, AI, and spatial cognition.
Key funded projects
OnTimeConsortium - Tackling In-transit delays in accessing EmOC (Emergent Maternal Care) services. Funded by Google. https://www.ontimeconsortium.org (Co-investigator since 04/2022 currently on phase II)
Project deliverable from phase I: Google emergent maternal care dashboard https://emergencyobstetriccare.webapps.google.com/overview
Recent publications
Article
Macharia, Peter M. , Wong, Kerry L. M., Beňová, Lenka, Wang, Jia , Makanga, Prestige Tatenda , Ray, Nicolas , Banke-Thomas, Aduragbemi (2024), Measuring geographic access to emergency obstetric care: a comparison of travel time estimates modelled using Google Maps Directions API and AccessMod in three Nigerian conurbations. PAGEPress. In: , , , . PAGEPress, Geospatial Health, 19: 1266 (1) . pp. 1-17 ISSN: 1970-7096 (Print), 1827-1987 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.4081/gh.2024.1266).
Banke-Thomas, Aduragbemi , Wong, Kerry L.M., Olubodun, Oluwatosin, Macharia, Peter M , Sundararajan, Narayanan , Shah, Yash , Prasad, Gautam , Kansal, Mansi , Vispute, Swapnil , Shekel, Tomer (2024), Geographical accessibility to functional emergency obstetric care facilities in urban Nigeria using closer-to-reality travel time estimates: a population-based spatial analysis. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, The Lancet Global Health, 12 (5) . pp. e848-e858 ISSN: 2214-109X (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00045-7).
Wong, Kerry L. M. , Banke-Thomas, Aduragbemi, Olubodun, Tope, Macharia, Peter M. , Stanton, Charlotte , Sundararajan, Narayanan , Shah, Yash , Prasad, Gautam , Kansal, Mansi , Vispute, Swapnil (2024), Socio-spatial equity analysis of relative wealth index and emergency obstetric care accessibility in urban Nigeria. Nature Research. In: , , , . Nature Research, Communications Medicine, 4 (34) . pp. 1-10 2730-664X (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-024-00458-2).
Wang, Jia , Wong, Kerry L. M., Olubodun, Tope, Gwacham-Anisiobi, Uchenna , Ogunyemi, Olakunmi , Afolabi, Bosede B. , Macharia, Peter M. , Makanga, Prestige Tatenda , Abejirinde, Ibukun-Oluwa Omolade , Beňová, Lenka (2023), Developing policy-ready digital dashboards of geospatial access to emergency obstetric care: a survey of policymakers and researchers in sub-Saharan Africa. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Health and Technology ISSN: 2190-7188 (Print), 2190-7196 (Online) (doi: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12553-023-00793-9#Sec13).
Peter, Macharia M. , Wong, Kerry L. M., Olubodun, Tope, Beňová, Lenka , Stanton, Charlotte , Sundararajan, Narayanan , Shah, Yash , Prasad, Gautam , Kansal, Mansi , Vispute, Swapnil (2023), A geospatial database of close-to-reality travel times to obstetric emergency care in 15 Nigerian conurbations. Nature Research. In: , , , . Nature Research, Scientific Data, 10: 736 . pp. 1-8 2052-4463 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02651-9).
Banke-Thomas, Aduragbemi , Macharia, Peter, Makanga, Tatenda, Benova, Lenka , Wong, Kerry , Gwacham-Anisiobi, Uchenna , Wang, Jia , Olubodun, Tope , Ogunyemi, Olakunmi , Afolabi, Bosede (2022), Leveraging big data for improving the estimation of close to reality travel time to obstetric emergency services in urban low- and middle-income settings. Frontiers Media. In: , , , . Frontiers Media, Frontiers in Public Health, 10: 931401 2296-2565 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.93140).
Wang, Jia and , Worboys, Michael (2017), Ontologies and representation spaces for sketch map interpretation. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 31 (9) . pp. 1697-1721 ISSN: 1365-8816 (Print), 1365-8824 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13658816.2017.1309043).
Wang, Jia , Duckham, Matt, Worboys, Michael, School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, RMIT University (2016), A framework for models of movement in geographic space. Taylor and Francis Ltd.. In: , , , . Taylor and Francis Ltd., International Journal of Geographical Information Science (Special Issue: Analysis of Movement Data), 30 (5) . pp. 970-992 ISSN: 1365-8816 (Print), 1365-8824 (Online) (doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13658816.2015.1078466).
Book section
Wang, Jia and , Rui, Li (2018), Reassessing underlying spatial relations in pedestrian navigation: a comparison between sketch maps and verbal descriptions. IGI Global. In: , , In: Maki Habib (ed.), Handbook of Research on Investigations in Artificial Life Research and Development. IGI Global, (1st) . pp. 49-67 . ISBN: 9781522553960 (doi: ) NB Item availability restricted.
Conference item
Wang, Jia and , Worboys, Michael (2016), Pedestrian navigation aids, spatial knowledge and walkability. In: The 9th International Conference on Geographic Information Science, Tuesday, 27 September - Friday, 30 September 2016, Montreal, Canada , . , (doi: ).
Conference proceedings
Shah, Urmi , Wang, Jia, Zhao, Qunshan, Wise, Sarah (2023), A personalised pedestrian navigation system. Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik. In: , , In: Roger Beecham, Jed A. Long, Dianna Smith (eds.), 12th International Conference on Geographic Information Science (GIScience 2023). Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik, Dagstuhl, Germany , 277 (67) (1st) . pp. 67:1-67:6 . ISBN: 9783959772884ISSN: 1868-8969 (Print), (doi: https://drops.dagstuhl.de/opus/volltexte/2023/18962/).
Wang, Jia , Osayande, Itohan, Macharia, Peter M, Makanga, Prestige Tatenda , Wong, Kerry L. M , Olubodun, Tope , Gwacham-Anisiobi, Uchenna , Ogunyemi, Olakunmi , Olaniran, Abimbola , Abejirinde, Ibukun-Oluwa O. (2023), Application of GIS in public health practice: a consortium’s approach to tackling travel delays in obstetric emergencies in urban areas. Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum for Informatik. In: , , In: Roger Beecham, Jed A. Long, Dianna Smith, Qunshan Zhao, Sarah Wise (eds.), 12th International Conference on Geographic Information Science (GIScience 2023): 12th - 15th September, 2023. Leeds, UK. Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum for Informatik, Dagstuhl, Germany , 277 (79) (1st) . pp. 79:1-79:6 . ISBN: 9783959772884ISSN: 1868-8969 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.4230/LIPIcs.GIScience.2023.79).
Wang, Jia and , Li, Rui (2019), Sketch maps and verbal descriptions in structuring space. AGILE. In: , , , Geospatial Technologies for All. Selected Papers of the 21th AGILE Conference on Geographic Information Science. AGILE, (doi: https://agile-online.org/conference_paper/cds/agile_2018/shortpapers/168%20AGILE_2018.pdf).
Klochkova, Olena , Wang, Jia, Wood, Zena Marie, Worboys, Michael (2017), Pedestrian route planning based on an enhanced representation of pedestrian network and probabilistic estimate of signal delays. GISRUK. In: GISRUK2017, 18th - 21st April 2017, Manchester, UK , GISRUK 2017 e-Proceedings. GISRUK, (63) . pp. 1-6 (doi: http://huckg.is/gisruk2017/GISRUK_2017_paper_63.pdf).
Wang, Jia , Wood, Zena Marie, Worboys, Mike (2016), Conflict in pedestrian networks. Springer International Publishing. In: , , , Geospatial Data in a Changing World. Springer International Publishing, , 4 . pp. 261-278 . ISBN: 9783319337838ISSN: 1863-2246 (Print), (doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33783-8_15).