To expand students’ academic vision, understand academic frontier knowledge and improve students' academic enthusiasm, Professor Abbas Rajabifard, Director of the Centre for Spatial Data Infrastructures and Land Administration (CSDILA) at the University of Melbourne, and Researcher Benny Chen were invited by Doctor Huisheng Wu, to give an academic report for our faculties and students. The report was hosted by Prof. Kaifei He.
On the morning of April 22nd, Professor Abbas Rajabifard delivered a presentation titled "Twinning The World -- Improving Land and Ocean Infrastructure Monitoring using Digital Twins" in Room 301, South Building. Professor Abbas Rajabifard began his presentation with an exploration of the concept of the digital earth, elucidating it as the projection of physical space into the digital realm. He highlighted the digital twin as the latest phase in the development of the digital earth, and subsequently delved into the interconnectedness between sustainable development, the environment, digital economy, and their impacts on the digital earth. Emphasis was placed on the profound transformation that advanced digital technologies bring to urban and infrastructural development.
Subsequently, Professor Rajabifard delineated the definition of digital twins, encompassing their principles, technologies, lifecycles, and data collection methodologies. He also elaborated on their applications in environmental monitoring, urban planning, and land resource management. Finally, Professor Abbas Rajabifard expounded upon the future developmental trends of digital twins from the perspective of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Prof Abbas Rajabifard is Discipline Leader of Geomatics, Director of Smart Sustainable Development and Leader of the Future Infrastructure Research Program, Melbourne School of Engineering at The University of Melbourne. He is also Director of the Centre for Spatial Data Infrastructures and Land Administration (CSDILA), and was Head of Department of Infrastructure Engineering (2012-2020) at The University of Melbourne. He has a strong track record in research and teaching, and academic leadership, and is internationally recognised scholar and engineer. His academic background is in Surveying and Mapping, Land Administration and Urban Systems, and has continued to maintain a high level of performance across the areas of research, teaching, RHD supervision, and service to the profession and to the university. He is a member of International Advisory Committee of United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (UN-GGKIC) and was Chair of Academic Network of the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM, 2016-2020).Prof Abbas Rajabifard has a strong linkage with many countries and different cultures that he has developed over the years during his activities in Australia and abroad, and also through his professional work and collaboration with many countries across the world, particularly in Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and Latin America regions.
(Author: Maner Shi, Binghu Huang, Reviewer: Kaifei He, Source: College of Oceanography and Space Informatics)