This page and repository represent the collection of resources for Quantitative Spatial Science. This is a research group consisting of academics and students from school of Geographical, University of Bristol, who are interested in human geography, quantitative methods and spatial sciences. Follow the university official web page for more information.
We meet for an hour once a week during academic year to discuss what's new in the world of quantitative geography and get inspired by presentations from researchers within our group, but also from the outside. This page provides you with useful information such as when do we meet, where, who is talking, but also link to form where you can provide your feedback or suggestions for sessions.
Wednesday lunchtimes mostly - but look out for some alternative days on the schedule from time to time!
See the below table.
For those we cannot physically join us, we will set up a Zoom link to log in up to 10 min before the session.
There are three types of session.
- Discussion - Before this session, we provide you with reading 1 or 2 articles related to some specific topic, new idea or emerging issue. During the session then we give 10 min overview on the reading and facilitate discussion.
- Student Presentations - 1st year and 2nd year PhD students are required to give 30 min presentation on their research introduction and progress. In this session, each student has 20-25 min presentation followed by 5-10 min for questions. Third- or fourth-year students are not required to do this, but should feel free to arrange a slot to present about their research.
- Solo presentations - This session consists of 1 speaker presenting on their current or past research. Usually, there is 45 min presentation followed with 15 min questions, but this is not a requirement so it’s completely up to the speaker how he/she wants to use this time.
- Paper review - These sessions we will hear from a group member about a new article they are working on. The paper will then be reviewed by two members of the group, providing a forum for constructive and kind commentary before peer review. Bellow you can find schedule for this academic year.
If you have a suggestion for discussion, presentation topic you are interested in, know about someone from other university you want to hear about or just want to give us some feedback send us an email to caitlin.robinson@bristol.ac.uk.
| Week | Date and time | Overview | Room | Online option? | Chair | QUSS Social |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome week | 17/09/2025 | Session postponed | Caitlin Robinson | |||
| 1 | 24/09/2025 (4pm-5pm) | School Lecture: Krzysztof Janowicz (University of Vienna) "Can we know what AI will know?" Register here. | Peel Lecture Theatre | No | Rui Zhu | Drinks with University of Vienna (Tuesday 23rd!) |
| 2 | 01/10/2025 (12pm-1pm) | Peter Haggett's life and work session: Presentation and discussion to form the basis of joint QuSS publication. | Fry Building G.09 | No | Rich Harris and Tony Hoare | |
| 3 | 08/10/2025 (12pm-1pm) | Use of AI in research panel | Wills Memorial Building 3.23 | No | Emmanouil Tranos | |
| 4 | 15/10/2025 (12pm-1pm) | QuSS seminar: Lars Nesheim (University of Bristol): "Spatial retail competition: FABLE evidence on the spatial distribution of spending" | Fry Building G.09 | No | Emmanouil Tranos | |
| 5 | 22/10/2025 (12pm-1pm) | HCRG x QuSS seminar: Alexis Litvine (University of Oxford) | No | Joe Day | ||
| 6 | 29/10/2025 (12pm-1pm) | QuSS seminar: Evgeny Noi (University of Bristol) "Modelling urban population growth" | Fry Building G.13 | No | Lenka Hasova | |
| 7 | 05/11/2025 (12pm-2pm) | Geogographers salon: Material archives | Arts Complex LT2 | No | Naomi Millner | |
| 8 | 12/11/2025 (12pm-1pm) | QuSS seminar: Ruth Neville (University College London) | Arts Complex G65 | Caitlin Robinson | Mid-term social | |
| 9 | 19/11/2025 (12pm-1pm) | PhD research presentation: Shiqi Li (University of Bristol) "Transit-orientated development using deep gravity models" | Arts Complex G65 | Caitlin Robinson | ||
| 10 | 26/11/2025 (4pm-6pm) | School talk: James Cheshire (Univeristy College London): 'Library of Lost Maps.' | Peel Lecture Theatre | No | David Richards and Caitlin Robinson | |
| 10 | 03/12/2025 (4pm-6pm) | Geographers Salon: Maps we live by | Peel Lecture Theatre | No | Naomi Millner | |
| 11 | 04/12/2025 (10am - 4.30pm, Note this is a Thursday!) | Gambling Hub event: The spatial dimensions of gambling workshop. Regiester here | Lady Hale Moot Court, 8-10 Berkeley Square | No | Emmanouil Tranos | |
| 12 | 10/12/2025 (12pm - 1pm) | Publishing journal articles panel: Panelists include Lenka Hasova, Hao Zhang, plus open discussion. An opportunity to hear from QuSSers at a range of career stages, and to share your own experiences. | Fry Building G.09 | Caitlin Robinson | End of term social | |
| TB1 Assessment period | 17/12/2025 | No seminar | ||||
| Winter vacation | 24/12/2025 | No seminar | ||||
| Winter vacation | 31/12/2025 | No seminar | ||||
| Winter vacation | 7/01/2026 | No seminar | ||||
| Preparation week | 14/01/2026 | No seminar | ||||
| 13 | 21/01/2026 (1 - 2pm) | Seminar cancelled due to school assembly | ||||
| 14 | 27/01/2026 (Note this is a Tuesday! 12-1pm) | PE x SES x QuSS seminar: Mehebub Sahana "Decolonising Green Restoration: Indigenous Knowledge and Epistemic Justice in Nature-Based Solutions in the Bengal Delta" | SR2 | Yes - see calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 15 | 04/02/2026 (12-1pm) | Becky Collins (University of Bristol) "Maths and statistics anxiety in teaching" | Fry Building G.13 | Yes - see calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 16 | 11/02/2026 (12-1pm) | Qiujie Shi (University of Bristol) "Behind the rising periphery: Divergent paths in the global urban hierarchy" | Fry Building G.13 | Yes - see calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 17 | 19/02/2026 (Note this is a Thursday! 4pm-6pm) | Geographers Salon: Time travel | Peel Lecture Theatre and Common Room | No | Naomi Millner | |
| 18 | 27/02/2026 (Note this is a Friday! 9am-5pm) | Peter Haggett Celebration event | Rich Harris | |||
| 19 | 04/03/2025 (12-1pm) | Joe Day (University of Bristol) "On the Right Track: Changing Patterns of Migration at the Dawn of the Railway Age in England and Wales, 1851-1911" | Arts Complex G10 | Yes - see calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 20 | 11/03/2025 (12-1pm) | Ce Zhang (University of Bristol) TBC | Fry Building G.06 | Yes - see calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 21 | 18/03/2025 (12-1pm) (Note back-to-back seminar options today!) | SES x QuSS seminar: Ed Atkins, Caitlin Robinson and Tom Cantellow, "The salt fringe as an energy periphery: Energy efficiency in the private rental sector of seaside towns in England and Wales" | G06 FRY Building | Yes - see calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 21 | 18/03/2025 (1-2pm) (Note back-to-back seminar options today!) | Turing seminar: Elena Simperl (Kings College London) "Open data infrastructure in the age of generative AI" | TBC | No | Rui Zhu | |
| Spring vacation | 25/03/2025 | No seminar | ||||
| Spring vacation | 01/04/2026 | No seminar | ||||
| Spring vacation | 08/04/2026 (1pm - 5pm) | QuSS Staff Away Afternoon | TBC | No | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 22 | 15/04/2026 | Ailish Craig (University of Bristol), "Communicating Uncertain Climate Futures" | G.06 Fry Building | Yes - see Calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 23 | 22/04/2026 | Rich Harris (University of Bristol) GeoAI discussion | Fry Building LG.20 | Yes | Caitlin Robinson | |
| 24 | 29/04/2026 | Scott Orford (Cardiff University) TBC | G.06 Fry Building | Yes | Caitlin Robinson | |
| TB2 Assessment period | 06/05/2026 | TBC | Peel Lecture Theatre | Yes- see calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| TB2 Assessment period | 13/05/2026 | TBC | Fry Building G.09 | Yes- see calendar | Caitlin Robinson | |
| TB2 Assessment period | 20/05/2026 | TBC | Fry Building LG.20 | Yes- see calendar | Caitlin Robinson |