Participants acquire 

• an understanding of neighborhood-related governance with a focus on the housing sector,
• knowledge of players in the real estate industry,
• knowledge of the framework and market conditions that influence the housing industry and new urbanity,
• the ability to critically reflect on political and planning approaches to increase sustainability.

The main topics of the seminar are: 

• What is the housing industry?
• General conditions for the development of housing (e.g. availability of space, construction costs, shortage of skilled workers)
• New requirements for the creation of housing (e.g. climate path, subsidized housing construction, sustainability reporting)
• Solution approaches (e.g. serial construction, serial renovation, circular construction)
• Medium and long-term prospects for residential construction

This is a weekly seminar that is supplemented by excursions and guest lectures. 
In the first part, the basics of the players in the housing industry and the framework conditions that currently determine their actions are taught. 
Challenges, in particular the conflict between rising construction costs and the requirements of climate and social politics, are then focused on and critically reflected upon.
Approaches to solutions developed by the housing industry will be presented using specific case studies (including Duisburg in particular) and in some cases discussed with stakeholders.
Finally, the significance of these developments for the medium and long-term provision of housing in Germany will be discussed.

Will be announced during the seminar.
Also recommended for basics: 
Grzesiok, Svenja 2018: Bündnisse für Wohnen im Quartier: Ein Format integrierter und kooperativer Quartiersentwicklung. Wiesbaden.

The research workshop at the GI is intended to enable students to work on research projects both individually and in small groups, not tied to a specific seminar, or to initiate their own small projects outside of a project seminar. 
The projects can be carried out in a wide variety of subject areas, can be regional or international, purely geographical but preferably interdisciplinary.
Involving students in research practice as early as possible offers them both a broader and deeper learning and experience horizon, which will have a positive effect on the choice of a topic for the Master's thesis as well as the later career decision. The practice of self-organization, independent work and the assumption of responsibility are important goals here, which should lead to greater motivation and a stronger commitment to studies and geography.

Andreas Pflitsch (further information on request: andreas.pflitsch@rub.de):

For the summer semester I offer the following topics and locations:

Cave Climatology: 

• Dechenhöhle Iserlohn
• Schellenberg Ice Cave, Berchtesgaden

Within the framework of cave research, various climatologically oriented projects are currently being carried out or are in the process of being set up. Own projects can be carried out at the above-mentioned locations.

Field work in Alaska for a small number of individuals:

The fieldwork is aimed at students who have an in-depth interest in climatological issues, measurement challenges, and conducting climate measurements in extreme environments.

It is planned to plan and carry out various climate measurements in the old, now frozen, mines of Kennecott & McCarthy and in glacier caves in Alaska. This means: strenuous hikes with luggage into the cirques of former glaciers, wading through meltwater rivers, hiking through overgrown forests and over active rock glaciers. We will reach one of the study sites by a short flight into the wilderness, and on the return flight we will fly over the Kennecott and Root Glaciers at low altitude to experience the breathtaking glacier landscape from the air.

Overnight stays are mainly in tents, with hotel accommodation planned only for the first night after arrival and the last night before departure.

The costs for the approx. 12 off-road days (flight within Alaska, rental car, accommodation (hotel and campsites) amount to approx. € 1485 (without flight), but may vary due to strong exchange rate fluctuations. Equipment such as tents, sleeping bags and sleeping mats must either be purchased by yourself or can be rented in Alaska (for a fee).  A limited number of backpacks can be rented at the RUB. 

Regional Geography: Northwest USA

Individual places for the excursion to the Northwest of the USA will be awarded to Master's students who wish to focus on individual issues as a research project during the trip.

The approximately 15 to 20-day excursion to the northwest of the USA is planned for September 2024 and will focus on physical geographical topics. Geology and especially volcanism in various forms, cave research as well as meteorological and climatological phenomena will be the main topics, but the fauna and flora as well as the history of the settlement of the excursion area also offer interesting points of investigation for geography students.

Further information can be found in the Regional Geography module, as well as the link to the information event.

If you are interested, please contact the respective lecturer personally and discuss the further procedure individually.

Will be announced by the lecturers.

Independent derivation of hydromorphological measures using the LANUV NRW worksheet 32 (see reference)

The impairment of water bodies and floodplains by hydraulic engineering measures in the past has led to predominantly poor hydromorphological conditions that jeopardize the achievement of the WFD objectives.
The selection and specification of local measures to restore a near-natural hydromorphological status is largely determined by the local planning conditions.
The process of identifying measures is often very challenging due to local restrictions, the complexity of the technical requirements and the interaction between different types of measures. Therefore, users should be supported in the development of target-oriented hydromorphological measures by the LANUV worksheet 32.
The block seminar deals with the theoretical basics, the application and the investigation of the framework conditions for the planning of measures in the field.

3 days theoretical introduction and application / 2 days field work

Decision-making aid for the selection of target-oriented hydromorphological measures on watercourses
Worksheet 32, LANUV 2017

Download all parts at 
https://www.lanuv.nrw.de/landesamt/veroeffentlichungen/publikationen/arbeitsblaetter?tx_cartproducts_products%5Bproduct%5D=146&cHash=03f414a751049536cc6b26413e95c496 
Knowledge required at the beginning of the seminar!

Currently, a reorientation of mobility, traffic and transport processes is being called for under the buzzwords "traffic turnaround" or "mobility turnaround" in the context of climate change. Since the turn of the millennium, environmentally relevant perspectives have increasingly been incorporated into transport and logistics planning, often under image-driven buzzwords such as "sustainable mobility" or "green logistics". I

In this current socio-political context, the lecture presents and discusses ideas, concepts and implementation options for so-called sustainable transport from a scientific perspective.

The lecture as a course of the Institute of Geography and organised by the Chair of Economic Geography, in particular Transport and Logistics, focuses on the spatial perspective of this topic - the view of transport geography.

Both freight and passenger transport are included with regard to their environmental and sustainability dimensions. Building on fundamental findings from transport science, environmental research and the sustainability debate, specific issues relating to passenger and freight transport are considered from the perspective of transport geography. Approaches, concepts and instruments for the design of sustainable transport structures are discussed and evaluated.

The following topics will be addressed in the lecture:
-The concept of sustainability and its relationship to (transport) geography

-Environmental impacts of transport: noise, air, land consumption

-Energy consumption in transport

-Planning concepts: car-friendly city, pedestrian-friendly city

-Transport economics and sustainability

-Transport policy approaches from the perspective of sustainability

-Sustainability concepts in logistics

-Sustainable transport concepts in Germany, Europe and beyond

Seminar for the lecture: Block seminar expected on 06 + 07 August 2024

For Master students of Technical Logistics (TLog) and Geography (RUB), the lecture is offered together with a seminar "Sustainable Mobility Management in Urban Passenger and Freight Transport" as a module.
In the lecture on 06.05.2024 there will be a compulsory preliminary discussion on this seminar, including the assignment of presentation topics and organisational information.

Lecture schedule:

15.04.2024 1.  basics of the organisation and structure of the lecture;
                        Concept of sustainability and its application in transport

22.04.2024 2.   transport, environment, energy: interactions and influences

29.04.2024 3.   transport policy requirements for sustainability in transport

06.05.2024 4.   elements of a sustainable transport transition and the role of space and spatial planning & seminar preview

13.05.2024 5.   sustainability in urban transport and individual transport behaviour

20.05.2024       Pentecost: no lecture

27.05.2024 6.   sustainability in freight transport and "green logistics"

03.06.2024 7.   modal shift: possibilities and limits

10.06.2024 8    Inland waterway transport: sustainability and intermodality in freight transport

17.06.2024 9.   air transport in the context of the sustainability debate

24.06.2024 10. Regional case studies I: Ruhr area, Switzerland

01.07.2024 11. Regional case studies II: United Arab Emirates, USA

08.07.2024 12. Perspectives and restrictions: Sustainability in transport

15.07.2024 13. written exam (12:15-13:15)

in the lecture

Having successfully passed the module, students will

• be able to apply principles of urban remote sensing
• be able to extract thematic information of digital imagery
• be able to extract thematic spatiotemporal information from the analysis of crowd sourced data
• be able to explain the limitations of methodological approaches embedded in current software

• Introduction to concepts of urban remote sensing and volunteered geographic information
• Overview of data sources and their specific characteristics
• Modern methods of accessing (open) geodata
• Modern methods of implementing crowd sourced data GIS
• Data classification
• Creating visual results of spatial mass data
• Extracting thematic information from various (open) data sources
• Planning and creating an individual practical project

Theory-based discussions, (hands-on) tutorials, group work, final practical project

After successful completion of the module, students will

• be able to explain theories of urban climatology and related methods (observations, remote sensing, modelling)
• be able to apply methods to derive climate relevant urban characteristics (e.g., Local Climate Zone Maps)
• be able to explain basic modelling concepts – including their strengths and shortcomings –and to run selected
• urban climate models

The course may include but is not limited to the following topics

• Introduction to basic concepts of urban climatology
• The urban energy balance
• The urban heat island
• Concepts to describe the urban characteristics (urban structure, fabric, cover) at different scales (building, canyon, neighbourhood, city)
• Modelling approaches
• 35
• Observations of urban climates
• Remote sensing of urban climates
• Biometeorology
• Air quality

Theory-based discussions, (hands-on) tutorials, group work, final practical project

After successful completion of the module, students will

• have gained a critical understanding of the diverging meanings of core concepts of landscape and environmen in various fields of politics in Europe and in Germany,
• have a knowledge of the tasks and structure of landscape planning in Germany,
• are familiar with the most important instruments of landscape and environmental planning.

• Landscape Definitions (e.g., European Landscape Convention, UNESCO World Heritage Convention)
• Federal Nature Conservation Act (German: BNatSchG u. LSchG NRW)
• Environmental Aspects (Concerns) in Binding Land use Plans and in Regional Planning
• Nature Conservation, Biotope (Value) Assessment and Compensation
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA - German: UVP, UVU, UVS)
• Environmental Indicators and Environmental Quality Goals and Standards
• Strategic Environmental Assessment
• Methods of Multi-dimensional Ecological Impact Analyses for Planning

Lectures, group discussions, short field trips and oral contributions

Looking inside the current situation of global permafrost conditions to understand processes leading to increased changes of permafrost ecosystems and consequently creating risks due to permafrost thawing. With the help of different research papers or data services the students should be able to identify feedback effects and evaluate this on a global perspective. Through planned incorporation of experts from University and Research Centers within the course the students should be able to discuss solutions and management strategies to dam the emerging risks of permafrost thawing.

Thawing of permafrost has become a growing concern in recent years due to the effects of climate change. As global temperatures rise, the permafrost is becoming increasingly vulnerable to thawing, leading to a range of emerging risks with far-reaching consequences. Hugh pools of organic C (around 1400-1600 Giga tons) are endangered to be emitted by microbial decomposition processes intensifying greenhouse effects. Further, especially vulnerable ecosystems adapted to cold and nutrient poor conditions will be disrupted. Changes in vegetation patterns, including the expansion of shrubs and trees into previously tundra-dominated areas, can lead to shifts in the overall biodiversity and functioning of the ecosystem. Additionally, thawing of permafrost poses risks to human and animal health. Previously frozen microbes, viruses, and bacteria that have been dormant for centuries or even millennia can become active again. This includes ancient pathogens that humans and current animal populations may have little to no immunity against, potentially leading to the spread of diseases and health crises.

The seminar will take place weekly. Starting with a short introductory lecture. During the seminar the students will be asked to prepare a short presentation showing main outcomes of some research papers to an overall topic (can be chosen by the students). Additionally, there will hopefully some external experts be included into the seminar giving insights into their current work and discussing new findings with us.

Some interesting review articles to get into the topic:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-08240-4

https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-021-00240-1

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.03.010

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.03.010

…and many more will be given during the seminar!

Microeconomics of Competitiveness (MOC) is a graduate course created in a multiyear development effort by Professor Michael E. Porter and the staff and affiliates of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School. The MOC course explores the determinants of competitiveness and successful economic development viewed from a bottom-up, microeconomic perspective. While sound macroeconomic policies, stable legal and political institutions, and improving social conditions create the potential for competitiveness, wealth is actually created at the microeconomic level. The sophistication and productivity of firms, the vitality of clusters, and the quality of the business environment in which competition takes place, are the ultimate determinants of a nation or region's productivity.

The course has been designed not only for students at Harvard but as a platform that can be taught at universities throughout the world. The course platform consists of case studies and other written materials plus an extensive library of video content that can be used in class including lectures by Prof. Porter for all sessions and videotapes of case protagonists including heads of state, senior ministers, governors, and others.

Following Harvard’s tradition, the course is based on case studies only. Each session deals with a particular company, region or country case investigating the drivers of competitiveness. As preparation for each session, all students are required to read the respective case of approx. 15 pages. A three-hour session will typically include case discussions in small and large groups, audio-visual inputs featuring Prof Porter and case protagonists, as well as a brief lecture input introducing the key theoretical concept illustrated by the case. As coursework, groups of up to four students prepare a case study analysing the competitiveness of a cluster of their own choice. The best paper will be submitted for a competition with student papers from 120 universities world-wide teaching the MOC course.

For further information, see http://www.geographie.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/studium/moc

• Competitiveness: Overall Framework
• Competing Across Locations & Global Strategies for Multinational Corporations
• The Diamond Model of Competitive Advantage
• Clusters and Cluster Development
• Institutions for Collaboration
• Economic Strategy for Countries at Different Levels of Development, Regions and Cities
• Creating Shared Value (CSV): The Corporate Role in Social and Economic Development
• Team Project Presentations
• The Process of Economic Development
• Putting Porter into Perspective: Criticism and Alternative Perspectives on Competitiveness

Porter, M. E., 2008: On Competition. (=The Harvard Business Review Book Series). Boston: The Harvard Business School Publishing.

Porter, M.E.; Kramer, M.R., 2011: Creating Shared Value. In: Harvard Business Review, 89(1), S. 62-77.

Porter, M.E.; Takeuchi, H.; Sakakibara, M., 2000: Can Japan Compete? Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Environmental impact assessment is an important field of work for geographers at the official level, in ministries and state offices, at large companies or in private expert offices. At the interface between the determination/mapping of biotope types, flora and fauna and the preparation of landscape and environmental planning expert reports, a solid background knowledge of the contents and methodological approach of the classic planning instruments is indispensable and often a decisive point in the allocation of jobs. The aim of the course is to convey this background knowledge and to illustrate it by means of a case study to be worked out by the participants themselves.

• Introduction to the instruments of environmental impact assessment
• Conveying of contents and methodical procedure within the scope of the preparation of expert contributions of the impact regulation (LBP), environmental impact assessment (UVS), Natura 2000 impact assessment and species protection assessment (saP) 
• Legal bases (BNatSchG, FFH Directive, UVPG, etc.)
• Determination and evaluation of relevant objects of protection 
• Prognosis and evaluation of environmental effects
• Development of components of an expert opinion based on a practical example

• Introduction and overview of the instruments
• Processing of an instrument on a practical example
• Presentation and written presentation of the results

Will be announced in the course.

Lecture "Transport Economics and Transport Policy - Geography of Logistics and Transport":

The lecture of the Institute of Geography gives an introductory overview of facts, problems, concepts and design options in transport geography, transport economics and transport policy as well as (spatial) logistics. Central topics are the differentiated analysis and evaluation of means of transport and transport modes, the transport policy framework conditions and control options, the production and evaluation of transport services, the transport markets as well as the spatial and planning aspects of transport.

Seminar "Air transport - current spatial research and application issues":

Air transport has a central, global function in today's internationally networked passenger and freight transport. On the one hand, it fulfils a distribution function in the passenger and freight sector, on the other hand, the economy supporting it (manufacturers, airlines, airport operators) is itself globally positioned and networked.

In the seminar, the various dimensions and interactions between air transport and transport and economic geography will be shown, elaborated and discussed in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the transport-geographical and transport-economic dimensions of air transport.

The seminar is offered by a geography chair with an economic and transport geography focus, resulting in a focus on the spatially effective aspects of the topic.

The current influences in the context of the Corona pandemic will be appropriately considered in the respective topics.

Contents of the lectures:

01) 16.10.2023: Transport system: basics, terms, categories and approaches in spatial science

02) 23.10.2023: Traffic - Transport - Mobility: historical development & current significance; literature

03) 30.10.2023: Transport economics: supply & demand, regularities, distance, costs & prices

04) 06.11.2023: Transport policy: control options, concepts, goals; seminar preliminary discussion (attendance obligatory)

05) 13.11.2023: Transport Geography: Transport and Space; Transport and Infrastructure Planning

06) 20.11.2023: Urban transport and urban mobility management

07) 27.11.2023: Logistics: term, development, concepts in theory and practice

08) 04.12.2023: Sectoral Consideration I: Rail Transport

09) 11.12.2023: Sectoral Consideration II: Road Transport

10) 18.12.2023: Sectoral consideration III: Shipping and waterways

Christmas holidays

11) 08.01.2024: Sectoral Consideration IV: Air Transport

12) 15.01.2024: Networking in transport: combined transport, multimodality, nodes and interfaces

13) 22.01.2024: Outlook: Transport Today and Tomorrow - Transport Change and Transport Turnaround

14) 29.01.2024: Written exam (12:15-13:15)

Possible presentation topics in the seminar:

01. global development and forecasts of passenger air transport: destinations, flows, structures (from World War 2)

02. global development and forecasts of cargo air traffic: goals, flows, structures (from World War II onwards)

03. duopoly of aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing: strategies, industrial network and perspectives

04. emerging aircraft manufacturers beyond the duopoly

05. airlines in transition: network, charter, low-cost carriers

06. forms of cooperation in aviation: code-share, alliances, joint ventures

07. Lufthansa: Development and structure of a network airline with multi-hub system

08. growth strategies of the so-called ME3 airlines: development and strategies of the Gulf airlines

09. growth area Asia: air traffic and airports

10. airports in transition: airport-city concepts

11. low-cost airlines and regional airports: interrelationships and dependencies

12. shifting short-haul air traffic to rail: approaches, potentials, effects

13. the role and importance of air transport for global mass tourism

14. Frankfurt as Germany's largest cargo airport: development, significance, location characteristics (Cargo City)

15. CEP service providers and their air freight networks

16. cargo airlines: market significance and networks

17. sea-air concepts in global freight traffic

Lecture: Dates see above.

In addition to the lecture, a seminar is offered for students of MA TLog and RUB MA Geography (RUB). For this purpose, a preliminary meeting with registration and assignment of paper topics will take place in the lecture on 06.11.2023, which must be attended. The seminar is designed as a two-day block seminar, the focus of which is on presentations that are prepared and presented by the participants and then discussed together.

Preliminary discussion with distribution of the presentation topics: during the lecture: Monday 06 November 2023, 13:00-13:45, SM 102 - compulsory attendance!

Discussion of the main content of the topic (literature, outline, key points) until the beginning of the Christmas holidays 2023 in the office hours (Mon 11-12; appointment).

Block appointment with presentation of the papers: (probably) 2 days off: Mon 05, Tue 06, Wed 07.02.2024, each 10 a.m. - 3.30 p.m., room SM 102; compulsory attendance on both days.

Requirements for a certificate of achievement:

- Complete personal attendance and active participation in the preliminary discussion and block seminar.

- Completion of a term paper on the topic (maximum 15 pages plus bibliography), submission (printed!) no later than 29 January 2024 (i.e. before the block seminar!)

- Presentation/lecture: 20 minutes with subsequent detailed discussion

- Abstract of the presentation: maximum two pages, incl. bibliography.

- The geographical, i.e. spatial or spatial science perspective is obligatory for the term paper and the presentation.

The above-mentioned requirements are obligatory without exception. Non-compliance will lead to exclusion from the seminar.

In this class, we will focus on ongoing transformation processes of the Ruhr Metropolis in the context of a 
sustainable spatial and urban development. In this sense, we shall inquire how this former industrial area 
has embarked on a pathway towards a sustainable transformation and how the region is dealing with current social, 
economic and environmental challenges. Furthermore, we will examine different concepts of regional governance 
thus far implemented in the Ruhr Metropolis, such as the International Building Exhibition, the Ruhr Conference 
and the “Green Decade” Programme, in order to identify the main opportunities and obstacles to implement future 
regional strategies of blue and green urban transformation, particularly with regards to climate change adaptation. 
The class seeks to engage in an interdisciplinary and international dialogue on urban transformation and provides
a project-oriented approach to spatial development on the basis of several field excursions directly linked to the
 Emscher conversion and to the climate change adaptation programme “Future InitiativeKlima.Werk” 
 (Emschergenossenschaft).

1. Introduction, programme overview, requirements for participation
2. The Ruhr Metropolis: An example for the blue and green transformation of a post-industrial region
3. Reshaping landscape, redefining regional identity: the IBA Emscher Park (1989-1999)
4. Recent approaches to a sustainable urban development: the Ruhr Conference and the Green DecadeProgramme
5. The Ruhr Metropolis in international comparison: blue and green transformation processes in post-industrial urban areas in Europe
6. The Ruhr Metropolis in international comparison: blue and green transformation processes in post-industrial urban areas worldwide
7. Transformative governance: The key to success for a regional approach to sustainable spatial planning and urban development
8. The Emschergenossenschaft: Portrait of a river manager (excursion to the Emscher, e.g. Emscherland)
9. The Emscher conversion: a driving force for a sustainable urban and regional development (excursion Emscher conversion, e.g. Emscher-Delta / wastewater treatment plant Bottrop)
10. Living in the new Emscher Valley: Assessing new concepts of working, leisure, mobility and living along the Emscher and its tributaries (excursion: cycling along the Emscher – e.g. Blaues Klassenzimmer)
11. Facing new challenges of climate change adaptation: heavy rain, floods and droughts in the Ruhr Metropolis
12. Combining climate change adaptation measures and transformative governance: The “Future Initiative Klima.Werk” (excursion to the GVMA, Oberhausen)
13. Rebuilding urban ecosystems: water-based solutions to increase the biodiversity in the Emscher-Lippe region (excursion Erlebnisraum Lippe-Auen)
14. Outlook and future perspectives: Opportunities and obstacles to the blue and green transformation strategy of the Ruhr Metropolis

Andreas Keil and Burkhard Wetterau. “Metropolis Ruhr A Regional Study of the New Ruhr”. Regionalverband Ruhr, 2012.

Armstrong, P. J. and P. H. Kapp. “Post-industrial redevelopment and the mega-region: new strategies for the sustainable city of the 21th century.” The Sustainable City, Vol. 7, n. 2. 2012.

Berger, Stefan and Steven High. “Labor. Studies in Working-Class History.” Vol. 16, Issue 1. 2019.

Byrne, David. „Industrial culture in a post-industrial world. The case of the North East of England“. City, vol. 6, n. 3, 2002.

Chang, Robin and Meg Holden. “The ups and downs of a sustainable and climate resilient development path in Canadian cities”. Canadian cities in transition.

Emschergenossenschaft and Ministerium für Heimat, Bau, Kommunales und Gleichstellung des Landes NRW. „Shaping the Region together“. 2022.

Frank, Susanne and U. Greiwe. „Dortmund im Strukturwandel: vom Wohnungsleerstand zu „verschiedenen Wohnungsnöten". In D. Rink & B. Egner (Hrsg.), Lokale Wohnungspolitik (S. 197–216). Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2020. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748908289

Shaw, Robert. „The International Building Exhibition (IBA) Emscher Park, Germany: A Model for Sustainable Restructuring?“. European Planning Studies, vol. 10, n. 1, pp. 77-97, 2002.

Zimmermann, Karsten and Patricia Feiertag. „Governance and city regionspolicy and planning in Europe”. Regions and Cities, vol. 151, Routledge, 2022.

Krzysztofik, Robert, Iwona Kantor-Pietraga and Franciszek Kłosowski. „Between Industrialism and Postindustrialism – the Case of Small Towns in a Large Urban Region: The Katowice Conurbation, Poland“, Urban Science, 2019.

Land Nordrhein-Westfalen. „Progress Report 2020 Ruhr-Konferenz.“ Staatskanzlei des Landes NRW. 2020.

Schilling, Joseph and Jonathan Logan. “Greening the Rust Belt.” Journal of the American Planning Association. Vol. 74, n. 4, 2008.

Zimmermann, Karsten. „Entwicklung der Kommunalpolitik in der BR Deutschland seit 1945“. Stadtsoziologie und Stadtentwicklung, 2020, pp. 39-50.

Zimmermann, Karsten and Dahae Lee. „Building resilience in the context of multi-level governance – insights from a living lab in the Ruhr“. In: Gérard Hutter et al. (eds.): Building resilience to natural hazards in the context of climate change, 2021, pp. 209-228.

Zimmermann, Karsten. “Environmental justice and green infrastructure in the Ruhr.From distributive to institutional conceptions of justice.” Frontiers in sustainable cities, vol. 3, 2021.

At the end of the seminar, students should be able to: 

• Distinguish between different concepts and subject areas of AI
• Understand and be able to use "ready to use" tools from the field of machine learning.
• Understand concepts and basics of Deep Learning
• Be able to build, train and apply their own simple neural networks in Python.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer science fiction, but an integral part of the digitalised world. Even in ancient times, myths dealt with artificially created beings whose ways of thinking were modelled on those of humans. However, the development of computer-based AI algorithms began at the latest with the founding of the research field "Artificial Intelligence" in 1956. Today, artificial intelligence algorithms can be found in almost all fields of study. The terms "artificial intelligence", "machine learning" and "deep learning" seem ubiquitous and differentiation often difficult. At the same time, the terms have been strongly mystified in recent years, so that their functioning may seem like magic. This seminar aims to eliminate such prejudices and provide an introduction to the topics of machine learning and deep learning.
The course covers the theoretical foundations of various approaches to artificial intelligence, ranging from established machine learning algorithms to neural networks from the field of deep learning and distributed artificial intelligence techniques for geosimulation of cells and agents. In the course of the course, different approaches will be learned and applied with a focus on geographic and especially geodata-related problems using GIS environments and Python scripts. From the field of machine learning, established algorithms (e.g. Random Forest and Support Vector Machines) will be discussed and applied.
The topic area of Deep Learning will be taught by means of joint programming of simple neural networks in the Python programming language.

Contents of the seminar are:

• Pattern and object recognition in data (e.g. traffic observation, ship detection in radar images, etc.)
• Prediction of natural and economic phenomena (e.g. modelling of the housing market, weather forecasts etc.)
• Geosimulation (e.g. spatiotemporal prediction of urban growth processes)

Theoretical basics, basics of Python programming, Hands-On practical examples, independent processing of data sets

• Géron, A. 2019: Hands-On Machine Learning with Scikit Learn Keras and Tensorflow
– Concepts Tools and Techniques to Build Intelligent Systems
• Canty, M. 2019: Image Analysis, Classification and Change Detection in Remote
Sensing: With Algorithms for Python
• Douilliard, A. 2018: Object Detection with Deep Learning on Aerial Imagery

The research workshop at the GI is intended to enable students to work on research projects both individually and in small groups, not bound to a seminar, or to initiate their own small projects outside of a project seminar. The projects can be carried out in a wide variety of subject areas, take place regionally or internationally, be purely geographical but preferably interdisciplinary.

Involving students in research practice as early as possible offers them both a broader and deeper horizon of learning and experience, which will have a positive effect on both the choice of a topic for the Master's thesis and the later career decision. Practising self-organisation, independent work and taking responsibility are important goals that should lead to higher motivation and a stronger commitment to the study programme and geography.

Your own project idea:

Do you have your own project idea anywhere on earth? Contact the lecturer of your choice! Nothing is impossible...

If you are interested, please contact the respective lecturer personally and discuss the further procedure individually.

Will be announced by the lecturers.

In the seminar, students learn to acquire, process and evaluate geodata. The focus is on the derivation and investigation of geographic research questions.

Thanks to the EU directive INSPIRE, the European spatial data infrastructure has changed fundamentally, with an influence on the spatial data potentials of the federal, state and local governments. Interoperable and data-harmonizing mechanisms, as well as increasing open data impulses, are shaping the range of official geobasis and specialized data. In addition, further geodata resources are being collected and shared - in the spirit of citizen science - by digitally active citizens themselves. This includes volunteer mapper communities, such as OpenStreetMap, but the globally networked gaming community (especially from the young fields of virtual and augmented reality) also shapes the stock of geodata available online. In order to use these geodata resources - in the sense of geographic questions - in a targeted way (e.g. GIS-based), a high degree of geodata literacy is required. The competence to critically evaluate (digital) geodata for their quality and suitability is an increasingly important competence in the versatile job market in science and practice, including the professional fields of physical geography and human geography. The link between quantitative and qualitative evaluation approaches is also of increasing importance. Specific course content includes:

• Geodata and geospecialized data (definitions, characteristics, delimitations, examples)
• Spatial Data Infrastructure Germany (GDI-DE)
• the European aspect in the management and provision of geodata, according to the INSPIRE directive
• relevant legal requirements (laws, directives and regulations)
• Current developments on open geospatial data in the official geoinformation system of the federal government, the states and municipalities
• Concepts and approaches of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI)
• Example applications, with a methodological focus on the processing and reflection of OpenData and open source software (e.g. OSGeo tools)
• Examples focus on issues of urban and landscape ecology as well as urban and regional development management
• combination of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods of geodata
• basic statistical considerations for geodata processing

Introductory lectures, practical exercises, practice-oriented final project.

To be announced in advance of the seminar.