Dr Michael Sinclair

  • Lecturer in Urban Analytics (Urban Studies & Social Policy)

Biography

Dr Michael Sinclair is a Lecturer in Urban Analytics at the Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy and the Urban Big Data Centre, University of Glasgow. 

He is the Convenor of the MSc in Urban Analytics and Co-Lead of the Socio-Environmental Action research cluster.

Research interests

Michael's research sits at the intersection of the growing availability of novel data sources and their application to social and environmental challenges for societal benefit. He is particularly interested in advancing knowledge on the potential, challenges, and ethics of user-generated data and the methods used to analyse them. A key focus of his work is leveraging these new data sources to understand human-nature interactions at scale.

With a background in Human Geography and Environmental Science, Michael leads two major research projects that explore the use of mobile phone app data and social media to examine the use and value of natural and cultural spaces on a large scale. These projects are funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Research groups

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018
Number of items: 16.

2024

Verduzco-Torres, J. R. and Sinclair, M. (2024) Exploring Accessibility to Urban Green Spaces: A Novel Approach using Spatial Interaction Models and Mobile App Data. Mobile Tartu 2024: International Conference & PhD School, Tartu, Estonia, 11-14 Jun 2024.

Brander, L. M. et al. (2024) Economic values for ecosystem services: a global synthesis and way forward. Ecosystem Services, 66, 101606. (doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2024.101606)

2023

Sinclair, M. , Maadi, S., Zhao, Q. , Hong, J. , Ghermandi, A. and Bailey, N. (2023) Assessing the socio-demographic representativeness of mobile phone application data. Applied Geography, 158, 102997. (doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2023.102997)

Sinclair, M. , Sermpezi, R., Zhao, Q. , Mitchell, R. and Bailey, N. (2023) Estimating Greenspace Visitation Using Digital Footprints Data: A Collaboration with Glasgow City Council to Aid in Open Space Policy and Operations [poster]. In: 12th International Conference on Geographic Information Science (GIScience 2023), Leeds, UK, 14-19 Sept 2023, (Accepted for Publication)

Ghermandi, A. et al. (2023) Social media data for environmental sustainability: A critical review of opportunities, threats, and ethical use. One Earth, 6(3), pp. 236-250. (doi: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.02.008)

2022

Sinclair, M. , Ghermandi, A., Signorello, G., Giuffrida, L. and De Salvo, M. (2022) Valuing recreation in Italy’s protected areas using spatial big data. Ecological Economics, 200, 107526. (doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107526)

Sinclair, M. , Maadi, S., Zhao, Q. , Hong, J. and Bailey, N. (2022) Understanding the Socio-demographic Representation of Tamoco Mobile Phone App Data in Glasgow City Region. In: GISRUK 2022, Liverpool, UK, 05-08 Apr 2022, (doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6411683)

Ghermandi, A., Depietri, Y. and Sinclair, M. (2022) In the AI of the beholder: A comparative analysis of computer vision-assisted characterizations of human-nature interactions in urban green spaces. Landscape and Urban Planning, 217, 104261. (doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2021.104261)

2021

Sinclair, M. , Zhao, Q. , Bailey, N. , Maadi, S. and Hong, J. (2021) Understanding the Use of Greenspace Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Using Mobile Phone App Data. In: GIScience 2021, 27-30 Sep 2021, (doi: 10.25436/E2D59P)

Sinclair, M. , Vishnu Sagar, M.K., Knudsen, C., Sabu, J. and Ghermandi, A. (2021) Economic appraisal of ecosystem services and restoration scenarios in a tropical coastal Ramsar wetland in India. Ecosystem Services, 47, 101236. (doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101236)

2020

Ghermandi, A., Sinclair, M. , Fichtman, E. and Gish, M. (2020) Novel insights on intensity and typology of direct human-nature interactions in protected areas through passive crowdsourcing. Global Environmental Change, 65, 102189. (doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102189)

Sinclair, M. , Mayer, M., Woltering, M. and Ghermandi, A. (2020) Valuing nature-based recreation using a crowdsourced travel cost method: a comparison to onsite survey data and value transfer. Ecosystem Services, 45, 101165. (doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101165)

Sinclair, M. , Mayer, M., Woltering, M. and Ghermandi, A. (2020) Using social media to estimate visitor provenance and patterns of recreation in Germany's national parks. Journal of Environmental Management, 263, 110418. (doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110418) (PMID:32883482)

2019

Sinclair, M. , Ghermandi, A., Moses, S. A. and Joseph, S. (2019) Recreation and environmental quality of tropical wetlands: a social media based spatial analysis. Tourism Management, 71, pp. 179-186. (doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2018.10.018)

Ghermandi, A. and Sinclair, M. (2019) Passive crowdsourcing of social media in environmental research: a systematic map. Global Environmental Change, 55, pp. 36-47. (doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2019.02.003)

2018

Sinclair, M. , Ghermandi, A. and Sheela, A. M. (2018) A crowdsourced valuation of recreational ecosystem services using social media data: An application to a tropical wetland in India. Science of the Total Environment, 642, pp. 356-365. (doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.056) (PMID:29906727)

This list was generated on Fri Feb 21 10:59:16 2025 GMT.
Jump to: Articles | Conference or Workshop Item | Conference Proceedings
Number of items: 16.

Articles

Brander, L. M. et al. (2024) Economic values for ecosystem services: a global synthesis and way forward. Ecosystem Services, 66, 101606. (doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2024.101606)

Sinclair, M. , Maadi, S., Zhao, Q. , Hong, J. , Ghermandi, A. and Bailey, N. (2023) Assessing the socio-demographic representativeness of mobile phone application data. Applied Geography, 158, 102997. (doi: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2023.102997)

Ghermandi, A. et al. (2023) Social media data for environmental sustainability: A critical review of opportunities, threats, and ethical use. One Earth, 6(3), pp. 236-250. (doi: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.02.008)

Sinclair, M. , Ghermandi, A., Signorello, G., Giuffrida, L. and De Salvo, M. (2022) Valuing recreation in Italy’s protected areas using spatial big data. Ecological Economics, 200, 107526. (doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107526)

Ghermandi, A., Depietri, Y. and Sinclair, M. (2022) In the AI of the beholder: A comparative analysis of computer vision-assisted characterizations of human-nature interactions in urban green spaces. Landscape and Urban Planning, 217, 104261. (doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2021.104261)

Sinclair, M. , Vishnu Sagar, M.K., Knudsen, C., Sabu, J. and Ghermandi, A. (2021) Economic appraisal of ecosystem services and restoration scenarios in a tropical coastal Ramsar wetland in India. Ecosystem Services, 47, 101236. (doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101236)

Ghermandi, A., Sinclair, M. , Fichtman, E. and Gish, M. (2020) Novel insights on intensity and typology of direct human-nature interactions in protected areas through passive crowdsourcing. Global Environmental Change, 65, 102189. (doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102189)

Sinclair, M. , Mayer, M., Woltering, M. and Ghermandi, A. (2020) Valuing nature-based recreation using a crowdsourced travel cost method: a comparison to onsite survey data and value transfer. Ecosystem Services, 45, 101165. (doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101165)

Sinclair, M. , Mayer, M., Woltering, M. and Ghermandi, A. (2020) Using social media to estimate visitor provenance and patterns of recreation in Germany's national parks. Journal of Environmental Management, 263, 110418. (doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110418) (PMID:32883482)

Sinclair, M. , Ghermandi, A., Moses, S. A. and Joseph, S. (2019) Recreation and environmental quality of tropical wetlands: a social media based spatial analysis. Tourism Management, 71, pp. 179-186. (doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2018.10.018)

Ghermandi, A. and Sinclair, M. (2019) Passive crowdsourcing of social media in environmental research: a systematic map. Global Environmental Change, 55, pp. 36-47. (doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2019.02.003)

Sinclair, M. , Ghermandi, A. and Sheela, A. M. (2018) A crowdsourced valuation of recreational ecosystem services using social media data: An application to a tropical wetland in India. Science of the Total Environment, 642, pp. 356-365. (doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.056) (PMID:29906727)

Conference or Workshop Item

Verduzco-Torres, J. R. and Sinclair, M. (2024) Exploring Accessibility to Urban Green Spaces: A Novel Approach using Spatial Interaction Models and Mobile App Data. Mobile Tartu 2024: International Conference & PhD School, Tartu, Estonia, 11-14 Jun 2024.

Conference Proceedings

Sinclair, M. , Sermpezi, R., Zhao, Q. , Mitchell, R. and Bailey, N. (2023) Estimating Greenspace Visitation Using Digital Footprints Data: A Collaboration with Glasgow City Council to Aid in Open Space Policy and Operations [poster]. In: 12th International Conference on Geographic Information Science (GIScience 2023), Leeds, UK, 14-19 Sept 2023, (Accepted for Publication)

Sinclair, M. , Maadi, S., Zhao, Q. , Hong, J. and Bailey, N. (2022) Understanding the Socio-demographic Representation of Tamoco Mobile Phone App Data in Glasgow City Region. In: GISRUK 2022, Liverpool, UK, 05-08 Apr 2022, (doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6411683)

Sinclair, M. , Zhao, Q. , Bailey, N. , Maadi, S. and Hong, J. (2021) Understanding the Use of Greenspace Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Using Mobile Phone App Data. In: GIScience 2021, 27-30 Sep 2021, (doi: 10.25436/E2D59P)

This list was generated on Fri Feb 21 10:59:16 2025 GMT.

Grants

2023-2025. PI. R&D Science and Analysis Programme - Capturing Engagement Numbers. UK Government Department for Culture, Media and Sport, £50,000 (total project funded for £1,000,000).

2023-2025. PI. Developing and exploring methods to understand human-nature interactions in urban areas using new forms of big data. Economic and Social Research Council (ES/W012979/1), £270,000.

2022-2023. PI. Designing an interactive Greenspace dashboard for stakeholders using mobile phone app data. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council IAA Research Associate funding, £19,940.

2021. PI. ESRC SDAI proposal development. College of Social Scienes Research Fund for support of grant applications, £4950.

Supervision

2024- , Mr Haonan Lyu, 2nd supervisor

Teaching

  • Principles and Applications of GIS (contributor)
  • Big Data and Urban Analytics (contributor)
  • Urban Anlytics Group Project (contributor)
  • Transport Studies (contributor)
  • Social & Public Policy 2B Policy, Politics & Power (contributor)

Additional information

Early Career Board Member - Journal of Ecosystem Health and Sustainability


Dr Michael Sinclair on Twitter