Dr Mingshu Wang
- Reader (School of Geographical & Earth Sciences)
Biography
Dr. Mingshu Wang is a Reader in Geospatial Data Science with a background that includes a BSc from Nanjing University (China) and an MSc and Ph.D. from the University of Georgia (USA). He is also a Visiting Scholar at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Prior to his current position, he served as a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor with Tenure) in Geospatial Data Science at the School of Geographical & Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK (2021-2024). He was also a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Geodata Science at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Netherlands (2018-2021).
His research focuses on advancing GIScience and big data analytics methods, including GeoAI, explainable artificial intelligence, and econometrics, to better understand urban systems. Dr. Wang approaches his work from a people-centric perspective through two main research areas. At the macro level, he examines the connection between urban spatial structures (such as urban polycentricity) and the economic, social, and environmental performance of city-regions. At the micro level, he studies how the built environment influences collective human behaviors like mobility and organizational vitality.
Dr. Wang has authored over 55 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals covering GIScience, Urban Studies/Planning, and related disciplines. Six of his papers have been recognized as Web of Science ESI Highly Cited Papers, placing them in the top 1% of all publications. In 2022 and 2023, he was listed by Elsevier and Stanford University as one of the World's Top 2% most-cited scientists.
Research interests
- Urban Informatics
- Urban Science
- GIScience
- Geospatial Data Science
- City and Regional Development
Grants
Externally Funded
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2023-2024, Co-PI, The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) – Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIAS)
The Spatial Segregation of Neighborhood Organizations and Entrepreneurs: Connecting Urban Inequality to the Built Environment
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2020-2024, PI, The Dutch Research Council (NWO)
Measuring Pedestrian Dynamics: Doing It the Right Way -
2020-2021, PI, The Dutch Research Council (NWO),
Feasibility study of real-time Wi-Fi dataset for monitoring social distancing -
2020-2021, Co-PI, World Bank
Connectivity of Economic Centers in the Horn of Africa -
2020-2021, Co-PI, The Dutch Research Council (NWO)
Mapping phenoregions over Europe and the contiguous United States using AWS -
2019-2020, Co-PI, Province of Overijssel (NL)
Mapping Overijssel: Drug Dumping, Roe Deer Roadkill -
2018-2019, PI, Chinese Academy of Sciences Open Fund
The Convergence and Simulation of Polycentric Urban Structure in China -
2017-2018, PI, Microsoft Azure for Research
More Than Words: Perceiving the Hospitable City in a Cloud Computing Environment
Internally Funded
- 2024, University of Glasgow Europe Network Seed Fund, PI
- 2023, University of Glasgow International Partnership Development Funding (IPDF), PI
- 2023-2024, University of Glasgow College of Social Sciences Ambitious Interdisciplinary Research Funding Proposal Development Scheme, Co-PI
- 2021-2023, University of Glasgow Reinvigorating Research Funding, PI
- 2021-2022, University of Glasgow Early Career Mobility Scheme, PI
- 2021, 2022, University of Glasgow Equipment Funding, Co-PI
Supervision
Opportunities for Prospective PhD Students:
I am always interested in hearing from prospective students who are eager to pursue a PhD under my supervision. Currently, I plan to take 1-2 new PhD students in the 2025-2026 academic year. Before reaching out, please ensure you have explored potential funding options or scholarships if needed. For further details, please visit here. To facilitate our discussion, please email me the following:
- Your CV
- Your academic transcripts
- A brief research proposal (2-3 pages) outlining your proposed doctoral project. The project should align with my previous or current research areas to ensure I can offer the appropriate support and mentorship throughout your studies.
Ongoing PhD Supervision at the University of Glasgow:
- Deng, Rui
Advancing Transformer-based models for understanding geospatial tabular data in urban systems - Li, Yue
Estimation and Prediction of Urban Traffic Flows with Emerging Urban Big Data by Deep Learning and Computer Vision - Lin, Nana
Intersection of housing and human well-being - WANG, Yu
Multi sensor positioning for urban canyon navigation - Xian, Xinyan
Optimization of Hybrid Truck-Drone Delivery Systems - Xu, Zhiya
Title: Spatial variation of jobs-housing balance using cellphone big data - Yuan, Xinyi
Urban Renewal Potential: Multi-criteria Evaluation Model Supported by Digital Twin System
Ongoing PhD Supervision External to the University of Glasgow:
- Yue Li (University of Amsterdam/Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research), Co-Supervisor
- Weiye Wang (University of Georgia), Committee Member
Completed PhD Supervision:
- Dr. Cai Wu (University of Twente, NL, 2024)
An Urban Pattern Language Analytical Approach for Design and Planning with Spatial Data
- Dr. Yuzhou Chen (University of South Florida, USA, 2024) (Committee Member)
Navigating Shrinking Cities: Towards Coordinated Urban Development from the Perspective of Flow and Network
Visiting Scholars/Students:
- Nana Lin (Nanjing University), 2024
PhD External Examiner:
- King's College London (2024)
- University of Twente (2024)
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) (2024)
- University of Liverpool (2023)
- Delft University of Technology (2020)
Teaching
At the University of Glasgow (2021- )
Graduate-level Courses
- GEOG 5015: Web and Mobile Mapping
- GEOG 5026: Visualisation & Map Use
- GEOG 5013: Geospatial Data Infrastructure and Land Administration
- GEOG 5019: Principles of GIS
- GEOG 5008: Geospatial Fundamentals
- GEOG 5102: Applied GIS
Undergraduate-level Courses
- GEOG 4111: Applied Spatial Analysis (GIS A)
BSc/MSc Project Supervision
- BSc: 9
- MSc: 22
At the University of Twente (2018-2021)
Graduate-level Courses
- Academic Skills
- Integrated Geospatial Workflow
- Big Geo-data Processing
- Methods and Techniques for Geo-information Management and Application
Undergraduate-level Courses
- HTHT Minor in GIS
BSc/MSc Project Supervision
- BSc: 6
- MSc: 4
Professional activities & recognition
Prizes, awards & distinctions
- 2023: Fellow (The Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIAS))
- 2023: Young Investigator Award (International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) International Journal of Geo-Information (IJGI))
- 2023: World’s Top 2% most-cited scientists (Elsevier and Stanford University)
- 2022: World’s Top 2% most-cited scientists (Elsevier and Stanford University)
- 2019: Regional Science Association International (RSAI) Dissertation Award (Regional Science Association International)
- 2019: Talent Program (Netherlands Center for Geodesy and Geo-informatics)
- 2018: Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship (American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)
- 2017: Early Career Researcher Award (2nd place) (The Royal Town Planning Institute)
- 2016: YSSP Fellowship (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)
- 2015: Finalist, Urbanization in East Asia Research Competition (World Bank)
- 2014: Masters Scholarship (Cartography and Geographic Information Society)
Research fellowships
- 2023 - 2024: Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIAS)
- 2017 - 2018: The Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP)
- 2016 - 2016: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Grant committees & research advisory boards
- 2024 - Now: Lorentz Center, The Netherlands, Reviewer
- 2023 - Now: The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), UK, Reviewer
- 2022 - Now: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Reviewer
- 2022 - Now: National Science Center, Poland, Reviewer
- 2022 - Now: Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, Reviewer
- 2020 - Now: Estonian Research Council (ETAg), Reviewer
- 2020 - Now: Hong Kong Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF), Reviewer
- 2020 - Now: Vienna Science and Technology Fund (Wiener Wissenschafts-, Forschungs- und Technologiefonds, WWTF), Reviewer
- 2019 - Now: U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Reviewer
- 2019 - Now: Dutch Research Council (NWO), Reviewer
Editorial boards
- 2021 - Now: Asian Geographer, Editor
- 2021 - Now: ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, Associate Editor
- 2020 - Now: Regional Studies, Regional Science, Associate Editor
- 2021 - Now: Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, Editorial Board Member
- 2021 - Now: Transactions in Urban Data, Science, and Technology, Editorial Board Member
- 2019 - Now: Remote Sensing, Editorial Board Member
- 2019 - Now: PLOS ONE, Editorial Board Member
- 2020 - 2024: UCL Open: Environment, Editorial Board Member
Professional & learned societies
- 2015 - Now: WG Member/Secretary, International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
- 2019 - Now: Expert Supporter, Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe
- 2019 - Now: Supporter, European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems
- 2019 - 2021: Board of Director (BOD) Member, Chinese Professionals of Geographical Information Science
Research datasets
Additional information
Personal Website: www.mingshuwang.org
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=oVsGl44AAAAJ&hl=en
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56342596800