John P. Wilson keynotes at Taiwan GIS conference

On July 11, 2024, SSI Founding Director John P. Wilson, Ph.D., delivered the keynote address at the 30th Taiwan GIS Conference in Taipei, Taiwan.

In keeping with the conference theme “Smart Mapping for a Sustainable Future”, Dr. Wilson described the geospatial approaches he is leading at the University of Southern California to build more sustainable, livable and resilient communities for a warming planet.

His multi-disciplinary research team is engaging with the community in South Los Angeles with the most vulnerable populations to mitigate heat and air pollution impacts with the most effective deployment of an urban forest. The Urban Trees Initiative is analyzing five study areas–Boyle Heights, City Terrace, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights and Ramona Gardens–to identify priority streets for planting street trees and to identify the tree species best suited for carbon sequestration and reducing the urban heat island effect.

Read more about the USC Urban Trees Initiatives results and action plan.