Wenwu Tang

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Research and Teaching Interests

  • GIS & Spatial Analysis and Modeling
  • Agent-based Models and Spatiotemporal Simulation
  • Cyberinfrastructure and High-performance Computing
  • Complex Adaptive Spatial Systems
  • Land Use and Land Cover Change

Education

  • Ph.D. (2008) Geography, University of Iowa
  • M.S. (2001) Geography, Nanjing University
  • B.S. (1998) Geography, East China Normal University

Profile

My primary interests are centered on computational science and geographic information science. More specifically, my interests include the

1) spatiotemporal analysis and modeling of complex adaptive spatial systems (CASS);

2) application of artificial intelligence and, in particular, machine learning and software agents in the study of CASS; and

3) use of cyberinfrastructure technology to support the resolution of computationally intensive geospatial problems.

One thread of my research is focused on the modeling of adaptive spatial phenomena (e.g., movement of animals or pedestrians, land use and land cover change, and diffusion of disease and information). As part of my research, I proposed and developed a Geographically Aware Intelligent Agents framework to facilitate this modeling effort. Functionality of agent-based models, machine learning, and GIS is integrated into the GAIA framework to enable the representation of adaptive individuals (e.g., animals, vehicle drivers, or pedestrians) in coupled human and natural systems (e.g., land use systems) and, thus, promotes our understanding of the spatial complexity of these systems.

Another thread of my research is to investigate the utility of the advanced cyberinfrastructure technology (including high-performance computing, massive data analysis and handling, and virtual organization) in the resolution of large- and multi-scale spatial problems. I am very interested in using the national cyberinfrastructure, represented by XSEDE (http://www.xsede.org) and Open Science Grid (http://www.opensciencegrid.org), to enhance the problem-solving capability of GIS, and spatiotemporal analysis and modeling. I have been developing a suite of parallel algorithms to support, for example, large-scale agent-based modeling of CASS.

For more information, check out Center for Applied GIScience

For my latest CV, check out here.