The Summer Training Workshop on Spatiotemporal Innovation 2025

🚀 Explore the Cutting Edge of Spatiotemporal Science in the AI Era

The Summer Training Workshop on Spatiotemporal Innovation 2025: Geospatial AI & Generative AI

Date: Monday – Thursday, July 21 to July 25, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location:  Room S030 at Concourse Level, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Sponsored by the Spatial Data Lab, this hands-on workshop is designed to push the boundaries of spatiotemporal innovation using the latest advances in GeoAI (Geospatial Artificial Intelligence) and Generative AI. In an era where AI is reshaping every field, this workshop will immerse participants in cutting-edge AI-driven geospatial analytics, automation, and predictive modeling.

Participants will engage in replicable, scalable, and workflow-driven methodologies for analyzing complex spatiotemporal datasets. With a focus on GeoAI, Generative AI, and no/low-code solutions, this workshop will provide deep insights into how AI is transforming decision-making across multiple domains, including: Public Health, Business & Market Analytics, Social Media & Human Mobility , Remote Sensing & Earth Observation, Environmental Science.

This workshop offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with leading scientists and industry experts, fostering networking, innovation, and leadership development in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-powered spatial science.

Join us in exploring the future—where Geospatial AI and Generative AI redefine how we understand and shape the world around us. 🚀

Day 1: Charting the Course – Data Science, GeoAI, and Generative AI with Low/No-Code Innovation

In the spirit of discovery, we begin by equipping you with the tools to unravel the complexity of data and unlock new insights through AI-driven geospatial analytics.

1-0 Welcome and Introduction  ( 9:00AM-9:30AM)

1-1 Foundations for the Future ( Lectures, 9:30AM-10:30AM)

🔹 The Data Science Revolution – How AI-driven insights are transforming industries
🔹 GeoAI: The Convergence of AI and the Physical World – How spatial data meets machine learning
🔹 Generative AI: Creating the Future – From LLMs to GANs, reshaping knowledge and automation

1-2 No-Code Programming in  KNIME ( Tutorial,10:30AM-11:30AM)
🔹 The Power to Build Without Limits – The essential platform for AI-driven geospatial solutions

1-3 Hands-on Challenge (Workshop,11:30AM-12:00AM):

🔹 Your First Workflow in KNIME – Open KNIME, build a simple workflow, and visualize insights

1-4  Hands-on Breakthrough (Workshop,1:00PM-3:00PM):

🔹 From Raw Data to Insight – Constructing a fully automated AI workflow
🔹 Live Experimentation with AI – Applying Generative AI to enhance real-world datasets
🔹 Harnessing AI to Predict the Future – Building your first AI-powered forecasting model

Day 2: Mastering the Geospatial Revolution – Spatial Data Science & GIS

We venture into the world of geospatial analytics, where every dataset tells a story, and AI helps us uncover patterns hidden in space and time.

2-1  Discovering the Invisible Patterns in Space ( Lectures, 9:00AM-10:30AM)

🔹 The Power of Location Intelligence – How GIS is reshaping decision-making
🔹 Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) – Unveiling hidden geospatial patterns
🔹 Advanced Spatial Modeling – From spatial autocorrelation to dimensionality reduction

2-2 No-Code Programming in  KNIME for GIS ( Tutorial,10:30AM-11:30AM)

🔹 Geospatial analytics for KNIME – Introduction and application

2-3 Hands-on Challenge (Workshop,11:30AM-12:00AM)

🔹 Mapping the Unknown – Load spatial data into KNIME and create a geospatial visualization.

2-4 Hands-on Breakthrough (Workshop,1:00PM-3:00PM)

🔹 Geospatial Clustering in Action – Apply cutting-edge clustering methods to geospatial data
🔹 Hotspot Analysis & Predictive Modeling – Uncover real-world patterns
🔹 Generative AI Meets GIS – Implementing Generative AI for geospatial analysis

Day 3: AI Meets the Real World – Pioneering AI & GeoAI for Spatial Intelligence

Welcome to the cutting edge—where machine learning meets geospatial data to solve the world’s biggest challenges.

3-1 The AI Awakening ( Lectures, 9:00AM-10:30AM)

🔹 Machine Learning in Geospatial Science – How AI transforms spatial decision-making
🔹 From Decision Trees to Deep Learning – Understanding AI’s role in prediction
🔹 GeoAI: The New Frontier – Building AI models that “think” spatially

3-2 No-Code Programming in  KNIME for AI (Tutorial,10:30AM-11:30AM)

🔹 Machine Learning and Deep Learning in KNIME – Introduction and application

3-3 Hands-on Challenge  (Workshop,11:30AM-12:00AM)

Train an AI Model in KNIME - Build and evaluate a machine learning model with real data.

3-4  Hands-on Breakthrough  (Workshop,1:00PM-3:00PM)

🔹 Building Your First GeoAI Model – Train and optimize an AI model for spatial predictions
🔹 Unraveling the Secrets of Location-Based AI – Fine-tuning AI to adapt to spatial complexities
🔹 AI-Powered Future Predictions – Using GeoAI for urban planning, healthcare, and climate forecasting

Day 4: Generative AI – Unleashing the Power of AI Creativity in Spatial Science

We take AI to the next level—using Generative AI to automatically create, analyze, and interpret geospatial data in ways never before imagined.

4-1 Pushing the Boundaries of AI Creativity  ( Lectures, 9:00AM-10:30AM)

🔹 How Generative AI is Redefining Spatial Intelligence – The fusion of AI and GIS
🔹 Automated Spatial Data Generation with AI – Creating synthetic geospatial datasets
🔹 LLMs & the Age of AI-Augmented Decision Making – AI-powered geospatial question answering (GeoQA)

4-2 No-Code Programming in  KNIME for GenAI (Tutorial,10:30AM-11:30AM)

🔹 LLM and GenAI in KNIME – Introduction and application

4-3  Hands-on Challenge  (Workshop,11:30AM-12:00AM)

AI-Generated Maps & Insights – Use Generative AI to automatically generate geospatial insights.

4-4 Hands-on Breakthrough  (Workshop,1:00PM-3:00PM)

🔹 Social Media Analysis with AI – Extracting geospatial insights from Twitter/X and OpenAI
🔹 Building an AI Workflow with DeepSeek – Automating data-driven decision-making
🔹 Generative AI for Spatial Data Automation – Auto-generating reports, dashboards, and maps

Day 5: Real-World Applications – GenAI & GeoAI for a Better Future (Feature talks)

The final day is a grand showcase of cutting-edge applications—where you will witness how AI and GeoAI are revolutionizing industries.

5-1  Feature talks-AI in Action

🔹 GeoAI in Healthcare Analytics
🔹 GenAI in Remote Sensing & Land Classification 
🔹 GeoAI and GenAI for Social Media 🔹 GeoAI and GenAI for llocation extraction  

Afternoon: Program Wrap-up

🔹 Your AI-GeoAI Masterpiece – Key takeaways and future learning paths
🔹 Closing Ceremony & The Future of AI – How you can shape the next revolution

🔹 Open Discussion

Requirement:

It is desirable that applicants have a background in geographic analysis. All participants are expected to complete a group project and make a presentation on their group’s research. Those who complete the program and participate in a group project will receive a certificate. Those outstanding participants will be invited to join the research team of the Spatial Data Lab project.

Application:

To apply, please submit your application, including your CV and the abstract of your research via this form: https://forms.gle/zRKsqMxtHMVDBxbY7 before May 10, 2025. Application will be open until all seats are filled. Detailed agenda and lodging information will be sent to the accepted applicants later. Participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging expenses. Please visit http://spatialdatalab.org for more information or contact spatialdatalab@lists.fas.harvard.edu for questions.

Registration Fee:

 $2,980 registered/paid before 0:00 am ET, June 1, 2025

 $3,680 registered/paid after 0:00 am ET, June 1, 2025

Location:

The onsite event will take place at 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge MA 02138 (map).

Frequently Asked Questions & Answers:

Q: Is any prior experience expected or required?

A: Background in geographic analysis and Python programming is preferred but not required.

Q: How big is the workshop?

A: The onsite workshop can host up to 30 participants.

Q: What software will I need for the workshop?

A: The workshop will primarily rely on KNIME, an open-source software which can be downloaded from http://knime.com and installed on personal computers. The instructions and some sample case studies will be sent to accepted participants two weeks before the workshop.

Q: Must I attend the workshop in person or will a remote option be available?

A: While we acknowledge the benefits of in-person instruction, we will be offering an option for remote synchronous attendance over Zoom, as well as recorded sessions for later review.

Q: Is this workshop free?

A: It is free to apply, but if you are admitted, you must pay the registration fee to attend. We don’t offer scholarships and cannot waive the registration fee for this workshop.

Q: How much is the registration fee?

A: It is $2,980 before June 1, 2025 and $3,680 after June 1, 2025. The registration will cover: (1) complimentary access to the recorded workshop presentations and PPTs; (2) data and workflows for all assignments in this workshop.

Q: How to pay the registration fee?

A: The payment instruction will be sent to those applicants once accepted.

Q: Does this course provide sponsorship for a US visa?

A: If you are admitted to this workshop, you will receive an acceptance letter from Harvard’s Center for Geographic Analysis. There is no other "visa sponsorship" we will provide beyond the acceptance letter.

Q: When will I hear the admission decision once I submit my application?

A: The decision is expected to be made in mid-may 2025.

Q: How to stay connected with my classmates/alums after taking this workshop?

A: Upon completing this workshop, all participants are added to a Spatial Data Lab mailing list. Those outstanding participants will be invited to join the research team of the Spatial Data Lab project.