Announcement | Carlos Mendez

International and interdisciplinary seminar: Integrating satellite and socioeconomic data for monitoring sustainable development in Cambodia

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Overview of the Event

The Asian Satellite Campuses Institute (ASCI), the Graduate School of International Development (GSID), and the Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research (ISEE) of Nagoya University, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Cambodia and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), are pleased to organize the research seminar entitled “Integrating Satellite and Socioeconomic Data for Monitoring Sustainable Development in Cambodia."

In the new era of artificial intelligence and big data, this research seminar serves as a platform for interdisciplinary research collaboration, bringing together experts from diverse fields such as:

🌍 Space-Earth Environmental Studies
📊 Economics
🌱 Development Studies
🗺️ Area Studies
💻 Data Science
🌐 Geoinformatics

The seminar aims to provide an overview of new data and methods to monitor sustainable development in Cambodia. Specifically, participants will explore innovative approaches to enhance our understanding of sustainable development by integrating satellite images with socioeconomic surveys and administrative data.

Additionally, the seminar provides networking opportunities designed to foster research collaboration among participants. These interactions will facilitate the exchange of ideas, the development of new research projects, and the establishment of long-term professional connections. By bringing together scholars with diverse expertise, the seminar encourages the creation of interdisciplinary and international partnerships that can lead to innovative research outcomes.

Keynote Presentations

Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Mapping Poverty Vulnerability in Cambodia
By Theara Khoun (UNDP, Cambodia)
Monitoring Economic Development from Outer Space
By Carlos Mendez (GSID, Nagoya University, Japan)
Collaborative Earth Observation Dashboards: Joint Efforts by NASA, ESA, and JAXA
By Naoko Sugita (JAXA, Japan)
Satellite Data for Socioeconomic Research: Collaborations between JAXA and Universities
By Yuki Etoh (JAXA, Japan)

Panel Discussion

Building an Interdisciplinary Network to Study Geospatial Socioeconomic Development
Moderator: Carlos Mendez (GSID, Nagoya University, Japan)

Panelists:

Theara Khoun (UNDP, Cambodia)
Nobuhiro Takahashi (ISEE, Nagoya University, Japan)
Naoko Matsuo (JAXA, Japan)

Registration page

So, you want me to be your academic advisor...

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000

1. What is the academic mission of the QuarRCS lab?

We conduct research on quantitative regional and computational science. We exploit the integration of spatial data science, econometrics, and machine learning to understand and inform the process of sustainable development across subnational regions and countries.

2. What are the current lines of research of the QuarRCS lab?

The quantitative geography of sustainable development: Remote sensing, spatial econometrics, and spatial machine learning
Regional growth, inequality, and convergence: Perspectives from spatial econometrics and machine learning
Measuring the wealth and inequality of subnations: Views from outer space using satellite remote sensing
Modeling the wealth and inequality of subnations: Spatial spillovers and spatial heterogeneity
Spatial machine learning and development clusters

3. What research methods are commonly used to conduct research in the QuarRCS lab?

Geocomputational methods
Spatial econometrics
Panel data econometrics
Nonparametric econometrics
Bayesian econometrics
Remote sensing methods
Machine learning

4. How could I join the QuarRCS lab?

Official admission follows the procedures and programs described in the Admission Policy of the Graduate School of International Development at Nagoya University. Please, carefully revise the following websites.

Among all the application requirements, we strongly recommend you write a clear and concise research proposal. Your chances of acceptance largely depend on this proposal. Since the number of applications to this research lab have been increasing, the selection process has become very competitive. Thus, to increase your chances of acceptance, you could prepare a proposal that is consistent with our previously described lines of research and research methods. To have a more concrete reference, you could review our research outcomes, projects and presentations.

5. What is the profile of those who successfully join the QuarRCS lab as master students?

Research proposal is consistent with the research lines, methods, and projects of the QuarRCS lab
Undergraduate-level knowledge of economics and statistics
Ability to use statistical and mathematical software: Stata, R, Python, Julia, GeoDA, QGIS, or Matlab. (at least ONE)
High motivation to learn and use data science, spatial econometrics, and machine learning methods to conduct research.

If you believe your current background does not match this profile, but still want to join us, your could first apply as a Research Student for six months (or one year). During this time, you can develop your academic skills with us, brush up your research proposal, and prepare for the entrance examination of the master program.

6. What is the profile of those who successfully join the QuarRCS lab as doctoral students?

Research proposal is highly consistent with the research lines, methods, and projects of the QuarRCS lab
Advanced knowledge of economics, econometrics, or statistics.
Ability to use and write programs in Stata, R, Python, Julia, GeoDA, QGIS, or Matlab Python. (at least TWO)
Plan to use data science, spatial econometrics, and machine learning methods to conduct research.

If you believe your current background does not match this profile, but still want to join us, your could first apply as a Research Student for six months (or one year). During this time, you can develop your research skills with us, brush up your research proposal, and prepare for the entrance examination of the doctoral program.

7. What research projects are currently being developed by the members of the QuarRCS-lab ?

The research interests, topics, and projects of lab’s members are listed HERE.

8. How should I write my research proposal?

Your research proposal should clearly state the following:

(1) Brief background of your research topic:
- What do you know about this topic? Why should we care about this topic?
- What specific research publications have you read about this topic?
(2) Research objectives and questions:
- What specific research question do you plan to answer?
- How do you plan to contribute to the previous literature on this topic?
(3) Research methods:
- How do you plan to answer your research questions?
- What quantitative/econometric methodology do you plan to use?
(4) Data:
- What kind of data do you plan to use? What variables do you plan to study?
- What is the unit of analysis of your data? National-level? Regional-level? Industry-level? Firm-level? Individual level?
- What is the time-horizon of your data? Is your data available for multiple years? Is it a balanced panel dataset?
- Can you access to the data? Is this dataset publicly available?
(5) Implementation plan:
- What steps will you follow to implement your research project?

9. What papers can I read to write my research proposal and develop an understanding of the research lines of the QuaRCS lab?

You can read the papers written by the members of the QuaRCS lab. You can also read the recent papers of Prof. Carlos Mendez.

In case you haven’t found the answer for your question please feel free to contact us by using any the following:

Email: quarcs.lab@gmail.com

Contact Form: Click HERE

Acces to my online courses: Only for GSID students

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

This semester, due the spread of the Corona virus, Principles of Macroeconomics, Development Macroeconomics and Seminar on Economic Development Policy and Management will be implemented online. If you are interested in attending any of these courses, we will be posting the links to our online video meetings and access to other e-learning resources in the following private facebook groups.

If you are a GSID student, feel free to join and explore any of these courses. Just indicate your student status in the application form and you will be accepted within 24-hours.

Note that acceptance to any of the Facebook groups is not an official registration. Students should follow the regular procedure for course registration, which is described in the student handbook. The course Principles of Macroeconomics is just a subsection of the course Basic Mathematics and Economics, which is described in the student handbook. To obtain credit for this course, students should also complete the subsections of Prof. Someya and Prof. Otchia.

Do you have any questions or comments? Please use the following contact form.

Contact Form: Click HERE

See you in class.