ProfessorMatthew Wilson

Matt is the Director of the Geospatial Research Institute | Toi Hangarau and a Professor in the School of Earth and Environment | Te Kura Aronukurangi. His research is in the broad areas of hydrology and geographical information science, with a primary focus in the assessment of flood risk using computational modelling and geospatial analysis techniques, and the assessment of uncertainty. He is particularly interested in the use of remote sensing and machine learning methods within environmental analyses. Matt is part of the Rongowai team, developing algorithms for assessing surface water from remote sensing signals obtained from an Air New Zealand Q300 aircraft.

He is leading the development of environmental “digital twins”, which automate complex analytical processes using disparate data, particularly those from remote sensing. Building on a successful prototype, current research is embedding nature-based scenarios for flood mitigation within automated modelling of flooding, enabling community-centred risk assessments. In related work, he is using virtual reality to communicate the implications of flooding for communities.

Originally from the UK, prior to coming to New Zealand in 2017 he was based in Trinidad & Tobago for several years, where he helped to establish academic teaching programmes and carried out research in the implications of climate change on water resources across the Caribbean. He maintains interest in the region as an affiliate of the Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI), based at the ODI in London, UK.