Tomaž Podobnikar, Slovenia
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Tomaž Podobnikar, University of Ljubljana—Slovenia
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2019 Status: (since 2015) "I've spent a very busy time. I worked on my new Fulbright project at University of Miami "Developing Geomorphic Methods for the Automated Recognition of Reef Features – A Case Study in Monitoring Coral Reef Resilience". Currently I also work on my initiative for improving global DEMs. DEM improvement is especially useful for spatial analysis, such as nature conservation, For more on this be sure to see the recent Special Issue "Advances in Global Digital Elevation Model Processing", (http://www.mdpi.com/si/27711). I've also started to support UNGSC in Italy, and soon at UN MINUSMA mission in Mali, improving their GIS workflow & practice with solutions based mostly on ESRI software. From my point of view, global DEM improvements, as an alternative to (or in "symbiosis" with) satellite image processing, can in many cases supply automated procedures of great benefit to a variety of conservation activities."
2019 Status: Academia.edu Profile & Publications
LINKEDIN Profile: researcher, teacher, consultant, geoinformatics, geomatics, GIS, RS, DEM (engineering, environmental & social)
2009-2019 Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana
1989-2019 Singing Saw Research Independent Singing/Musical Saw Performer and Researcher
1995-2013 Scientific Councillor (Research Advisor) ZRC SAZU (Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts)
IGI Global Profile “ He holds a BSc in GIS and its applications in natural environment and archaeology, MSc in Monte Carlo methods and GIS, PhD in digital terrain modeling on the base of semantic integration of different type and quality data sources. He is the author of several publications on GIS, DTM and its applications, modeling of spatial quality fields, environmental archaeology and biology, paleo- and planetary environments, as well as historical cartography and analytical shading. He has been working on numerous projects, for example production of a national DTM that is currently widely available, on the base of his method.”
2015 Conference Paper Presentation -pdf
"Techniques for Automated Extraction of Talus Surfaces for Natural Disasters Management in the Alpine Environment"
* Presenter: Tomaž Podobnikar, University of Ljubljana—Slovenia
In Alpine areas many man-made structures are put at multiple risks, mostly associated with natural disasters related to the geological, geomorphological, and hydrological setting or induced by extreme weather conditions. The calculation of possible damage is important in decision-making to judge the feasibility and necessity of possible countermeasures. Therefore, decision-making needs accurate spatial data both on the geomorphic pattern (e.g., slopes distribution) and on the vulnerable man-made structures. The accurate DEM in Alpine areas are crucial for monitoring the incipient mass movements and erosional patterns. Furthermore the accurate DEM allows the development of GIS geomorphometric techniques for extracting not only the topography but also the natural and man-made topographic features. The results of these techniques can then be combined with auxiliary socioeconomic data (e.g., function of buildings). In this work I will focus on the (semi)automated data extraction aspects of the processing chain using GIS tools. The second part will focus on talus surfaces (i.e., cones) extraction on the basis of innovative variables development, robust techniques for spatial analysis using appropriate DEMs. I will discuss options to use all this knowledge for improvement of the DEM quality applying data integration. I will close the presentation with the open questions towards reliable GIS-based models for conservation GIS applications.
2015 Scgis Scholar Profile*-Organization name: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Department of Environmental Civil Engineering
*-Organization full street address: Jamova cesta 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana
*-Country: Slovenia
*-Work phone with country and area code: + 386 1 476 85 00
*-Work fax with country and area code: + 386 1 425 06 81
*-Main email: tajnistvo@fgg.uni-lj.si
*-Organization Web site URL if any: http://www3.fgg.uni-lj.si/http://www3.fgg.uni-lj.si/
2015 Scgis Scholar Introduction Video
*-Describe your current GIS capability/expertise: I have been learning the GIS software and methods by myself starting during my study of geodesy, and later on self-teaching under supervision of different people from various organizations. I haven’t attended any GIS course yet with exception when I got a grant by the Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science, Santa Barbara, for workshop “Perspectives on Spatial Analysis in the Social Sciences”, Washington University, Seattle, USA, in 2000. In 2002 I have initiated and setting up there an internet GIS server platform for Cultural and Natural Heritage Database. That time I also initiated and managed agreement with the company GISDATA to establish common ESRI software for all institutes of ZRC SAZU. For research purposes at the ZRC SAZU I also managed free national spatial data sets of the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Environment. I have been coordinating a number of national/international symposiums in order to build common network of researchers, producers of databases and software, teachers and other users of geoinformatics products and services. Starting in 1997 and during the next 10 years I had been played an important role as an editor of the GIS in Slovenia. This occupation was also important for my better holistic understanding of the GIS domains and
strengths. During my study for MSc and PhD degrees I have established a number of scientific collaborations, especially with the Vienna University of Technology in Austria, Eötvös University in Hungary, Finnish Geodetic Institute, and Dresden University of Technology in Germany.
Later on I have been learned by myself more different GIS-related software and program languages through the basic research and applications for the governmental, NGO and private sector organizations. In 2000/2001 I produced a Digital Elevation Model of Slovenia for mobile communication network planning at national mobile operator Mobitel, and I produced a number of derived maps of Slovenia, Europe and Earth for commercial POP TV. In 2004/2005 I have designed an inventive online archaeological mapping methodology for Maya settlements in Yucatan, Mexico. In 2005 produced a high accuracy Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Slovenia and surroundings, with resolution of 12.5, 25 and 100 m. It based on my own novel methodology of positional and semantic data integration/fusion from multi-source data of different quality. This model is still regarded as the national standard and is publicly available. The DEM 12.5 was integrated into both the European model and into improved Google Earth model. In 2012 I invented a new approach to analytical hill-shading using a Multidirectional Visibility Index (MVI). The technique uses a range of methods which, together, reveal detail in a Digital Elevation Model and other surfaces. This multi-applicable generic method has been implemented in geovisualization and visual analytics applications, quality control procedures, and used as an image processing technique for photography improvement. Nevertheless, this generic algorithm was used in mountain peaks detection and applied in ESRI World Topo Map.
Since 2006 I have been employed at different organizations: Institute of Anthropological and Spatial Studies, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia; Faculty of Information Studies in Novo mesto, Slovenia; School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica, Slovenia; Mura Regional Development Agency Ltd, Slovenia (NGO); School of Environmental Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia; Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vienna University of Technology, Austria; and C.N.R.S., Laboratoire de Chrono-écologie, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France. Presently I work at the University of Ljubljan
a, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Department of Environmental Civil Engineering, mostly as a researcher and a supervisor of different students on different levels. Through solving the challenges and lecturing I am involved to a never-ending process of learning about GIS technology in many different ways.
I have also been actively involved in building research teams of considerable size at different institutions. I have collaborated as an institute member of the science counsel and as an independent governmental adviser for the high resolution lidar digital terrain models. Another effective self-learning method is my involvement as a reviewer of the 22 journals and a membership of the ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Editorial Board.
describe the work that your current organization does: I work at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Department of Environmental Civil Engineering. University of Ljubljana (UL) is a public autonomous educational, scientific research and artistic institution with a very rich tradition. It is the oldest and the biggest university in Slovenia. It was established in 1919 and it encompasses 26 full members (3 art a
cademies and 23 faculties) and 3 associated members (National University Library, University of Ljubljana Central Technical Library, University of Ljubljana Innovation-Development Institute). On the European scale, by number of students, UL ranks among the largest higher education institutions with 45,607 students enrolled in the year 2013/2014, 5893 employees and 9904 graduates with an annual budget of approximately 340 mio $. UL is very active in national research and education programs. In 2013 UL had 286 research groups with over 3000 registered researchers (548 ESR), 175 research programs, 228 basic and 88 applied research projects, 27 post-doc projects, 39 targeted research projects (CRP) and 7 technological platforms. UL is also very active in international R&D programs: in the period 2007-2013 it was involved as partnering or coordinating institution in more than 750 European projects, among them 160 FP7 projects and 2 ERC grants. In 2013 UL cooperates in 421 running international projects, including 108 FP7 projects and more than 310 other research and educational projects financed by EU Community programs.
describe your personal role in the organization: I joined the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering (UL FGG) in 2009. I started my work at the Department of Geodetic Engineering, where they already had been using GIS technology, especially at the Chair of Cartography, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, and at the Chair of Geoinformation and Real Estate Cadastres. I started to work at the Chair of Cartography, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. The next challenge was my enter to Department of Environmental Civil Engineering one year ago, where my goal is to apply and to use GIS to develop spatial models for natural hazards and risk management. I work in interdisciplinary team. The problems I study are the man-made structures in mountainous areas, which are prone to hazards related to geological, geomorphic, hydrological or extreme weather phenomena. The estimation of potential damage is important to plan countermeasures. The model integrates the derived data with the models of specific disaster types (e.g. avalanches) to assess the potential damage.
Since 1990 I have been actively involved as a major contributor in more than 70 national and international collaborative research projects, of which I have been worked as a project manager in more than 17 projects. My work comprises a number of basic and applicative research projects, with R&D solutions for different stakeholders, e.g. government and industry, and community of interest. I have been involved in projects in the following countries: Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Italy, Austria, Hungary, France, Mexico, as well as in a project that covers the whole Earth and planet Mars. I have been recently involved in the following funded projects at the Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana:
2010–2013; OBSERVE (Strengthening and development of Earth Observation activities for the environment in the Balkan area), 7th Framework Programme [ENV.2010.4.1.4-1] (EU) – I contributed in developing of the roadmap and strategy plan for strengthening Earth Observation capacity in the Balkans for environmental monitoring.
2010–2013; PARAmount, Alpine Space Programme (EU) – I introduced a geomorphometrical methods and the usefulness of lidar data for numerical debris-flow modeling in comparison with other DEMs.
2014–2016; Water science and technology, and Geotechnics Programme [P2-0180] (Slovenian Research Agency) – I am developing a reliable GIS-based model for determination of talus surfaces (i.e. cones) and other hazard areas due to different mountain hazards. I have a solid teaching expertise in the geoinformatics/geomatics/GI sciences, especially in GI and: the spatial analysis, DEM/photogrammetry, environment, dialectology, landscape archaeology, and habitats. I have been delivering lectures, tutorials and lab work; and developed courses at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering:
2010, 2011: Photogrammetry II (tutorials for graduate students)
2010—present: Digital terrain modelling for natural hazards assessment (individual lectures; I developed this course; mainly for civil engineers); for doctoral study ‘Built Environment’
2010—present: Management of spatial data quality (individual lectures; I developed this course; mainly for geodesists); for doctoral study ‘Built Environment’
describe the history of your personal work in conservation and GIS: I have been interested in maps, spatial visualizations, analysis, meteorology, etc. since I can remember. After I started with my own PC computer at the beginning of 1990’s, I was (as a student) immediately involved to a number of governmental and other projects to realize my ideas.
As I already mentioned, in 2002 I have initiated and setting up an internet GIS server platform with for Cultural and Natural Heritage Database, which was used for national purposes and later on for Archaeological Cadastre of Slovenia (ARKAS), and for Maya heritage in Yucatan, Mexico. I also designed an Archaeological database of Central Dalmatia, Croatia in 1994.
I have also been involved in a range of studies on: modelling the quality of solar radiation; the human impact on the Earth's surface; georeferencing, quality assessment and simulating positional errors of historical maps; prediction modelling in archaeology based on extended fieldwork in Yucatan, Mexico during 2004 and 2005; and developing a methodology for identifying and delineating dialects. One of my primary interests is in researching the science of technical methodologies (GIS, cartography) and their applications in both the social sciences (anthropology, archaeology, history, dialectology) and the natural sciences (biology, geography, space studies), and to this end, I have contributed towards an attempt at integrating the various sciences.
In 2006 I generated and applied large number innovative GIS-layers (e.g. from paleo relief simulations, historical maps reconstruction) that were used as a basis for a film “Nature and the City” which was produced by the City Museum of Ljubljana.
In 2006 I was invited to become a quality researcher at Laboratoire de Chrono-écologie at the Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, on the basis of my previous work experiences. There I tested my palaeo-relief modelling approach with different interpolation methods, and also worked on archaeological modelling based on a high quality DEM.
Between 2007 and 2008: I was invited to join the Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing at the Vienna University of Technology, where I was involved in a series of Mars Express projects (funded by ESA) and worked in the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Spatial Data from Laser Scanning and Remote Sensing. I developed a methodology for detecting talus surfaces (cones), and made a major contribution to the team by demonstrating the strengths of enhanced lidar techniques in natural hazard applications.
