Assoc Prof Julian Smit

Expertise: Applications of geo-information sciences for urban and environmental monitoring

Biography:

Dr Julian Smit is an Associate Professor in the Geomatics Division of the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics (Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment). He is primarily involved with research in the field of geo-information science with specific interests in the application of photogrammetry, remote sensing and geographical information systems technologies for agricultural, environmental and urban monitoring. He is furthermore involved with research into spatial data infrastructures in support of holistic governance and decision making processes. Dr Smit is currently the Editor of the South African Journal of Geomatics, the President of the South African Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and a member of the (South African) Committee for Spatial Information.

Climate change and Development link:

His current research which relates to climate change and sustainable development includes:

• Monitoring aquifer fed wetlands in the Table Mountain Group Aquifer region to investigate the effects of climate change and water extraction policies;
• Land use and land cover change mapping of selected African secondary cities as part of the Consuming Urban Poverty (African Centre for Cities) project, which investigates urbanisation and poverty through the ‘lens’ of food security;
• Investigation of climate change induced sea-level rise and coastal inundation in Mozambique and its effect on coastal urban developments; and
• Develop of online GIS tools in support of water resources management in the Berg River catchment, with specific focus on the Saldanah Bay industrial development zone activities. He is currently supervising an MSc student under the ACDI-GreenCape, Water Research Commission sponsored research initiative.