As a commitment towards contributing to a safer World, the experts from University of Lancashire have been contributing to the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER). This contribution has resulted in University of Lancashire becoming the Regional Support Office of the UN-SPIDER program, the programme administered by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), based in Vienna, Austria.
The UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office (RSO) in the United Kingdom, hosted by the University of Lancashire Preston, is one of the 27 RSOs of the UN-SPIDER programme. The cooperation agreement between University of Lancashire and UNOOSA was signed in Jan 2023.
The University of Lancashire is the international, multi-campus University tracing its roots back to 1828 and leading the way in modern learning today.
On the world stage, our research teams work collaboratively with major international organisations, from the United Nations and the World Health Organisation to the European Space Agency and NASA. Whether it’s helping to produce the world’s first photograph of a Black Hole, advising the Government on the potential fire risks to those living in high rise tower block, or supporting the wellbeing of those living with dementia, our researchers are delivering accessible and impactful research that is relevant to society.
University of Lancashire has Space Centre leading by Professor Robert Walsh who is expertise in solar astrophysics. This centre has collaborations with various space agencies across the world and working together on diverse issues such as climate change, disasters, spatial data and remote sensing, etc.
University of Lancashire has played a key role in facilitating global research and knowledge exchange through international partnerships across Mauritius, Brazil, Ireland, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Russia, and Uzbekistan and other several coteries. These exchanges have enabled joint research activities, interdisciplinary dialogue, and co-authored publications that address critical issues in climate adaptation and disaster management.
Through visiting scholar and student initiatives, University of Lancashire strengthens capacity in GeoAI, satellite data use, and resilience-building. These collaborative efforts support both scientific advancement and the generation of policy-relevant knowledge, particularly in regions vulnerable to coastal disasters, flooding, and climate stress
The University of Lancashire has specialized laboratories within the UK- UN-SPIDER RSO. It also has several engineering and science labs and workstations equipped with several remote sensing and photogrammetric software’s including GIS software
Courses (at undergraduate, postgraduate (teaching and research, professional courses): in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Fire Engineering, Astrophysics, Aerospace Engineering, Emergency Management in High Hazard Industries with the elements of spatial tools, GIS, vulnerable mapping, Drones, etc.
Advanced training in: emergency response and disaster management, optical and radar Earth Observation data processing, geospatial intelligence, image analysis, data clustering, coastal monitoring and mapping.
Expertise in organising training courses, summer schools and workshops and other outreach activities.
University of Lancashire brings together a multi-disciplinary team working at the intersection of geospatial science, disaster risk reduction, and environmental sustainability. Their research spans mangrove ecosystem mapping, hydro-territorial disaster analysis, AI-powered agricultural modelling, and resilience assessment in socio-environmental systems. These contributions have led to publications in peer-reviewed journals such as Nature Scientific Reports and other international outlets.
Key areas of expertise include:
Remote sensing for mangrove monitoring and conservation
Soil temperature prediction using machine learning in arid regions
Community resilience assessment in climate-vulnerable zones
Satellite-based early warning system development
Through various research projects conducted by University of Lancashire, several datasets are generated and maintained by the researchers, which also includes a strong database on the coastal area of the UK and a few other countries. Besides, the approached developed for monitoring ecosystems is a valuable resource for the UN-SPDIER network.
On top of that University of Lancashire’s GeoAI projects utilize a wide range of satellite imagery and Earth observation datasets.
Their technical approaches include:
Remote sensing image analysis
Machine learning and AI-driven modelling
Geospatial mapping and spatial statistics
For more information on the host institution, visit: https://www.UniversityofLancashire.ac.uk/
The first person of contact is:
Dr. Komali Kantamaneni
Co-Director – UN-SPIDER UK RSO
Coastal Scientist and Environmentalist
Senior Research Fellow
University of Lancashire Email: kkantamaneni [at] lancashire.ac.uk
Professor Robert Walsh
Co-Director – UN-SPIDER UK RSO
University of Lancashrie Space -Lead
University of Lancashire Email: RWWalsh [at] lancashire.ac.uk
