Co-benefits of nature-based solutions in urban water management applying participatory 3D digital environments

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Organisation

University of Turku

Description

Nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas aim to provide multiple environmental, social and economic co-benefits to tackle effects of climate change and biodiversity loss in urban areas. NBS are crucial for flood as well as drought management and promoting biodiversity on the one hand but also for supporting quality of life and wellbeing for urban dwellers on the other hand. Reaching the climate and biodiversity targets requires to develop NBS for transformative urban planning that can profit of the participatory approaches based on 3D digital environments (Grêt-Regamey & Fagerholm, 2024). These technologies must not only assist decision-makers in adapting to changes but promote fast, transformative shifts in the relationship between human societies and nature. Place-based digital participatory approaches offer valuable planning support for cities for NBS governance, for example in terms of the preferred solutions or problem areas to prioritize, and also allow to engage citizens and various stakeholders in order to raise acceptance and awareness of required measures and include everyone in the planning process. This supports NBS implementation in ways that enable more just and resilience-driven decision-making. However, to enhance efficacy of participatory digital 3D environments to guide knowledge-informed NBS planning, their temporal dynamics, functionalities to foster creativity and multisensory experiences as well as usability assessment are among priority areas of development. Grêt-Regamey, A., & Fagerholm, N. (2024). Key factors to enhance efficacy of 3D digital environments for transformative landscape and urban planning. Landscape and Urban Planning, 244, 104978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104978

PhD project description:

We are seeking a talented doctoral researcher with good knowledge of human-nature interactions, socio-ecological systems and resilience, urban green infrastructure and nature-based solutions, and urban planning. The PhD project aims to apply 1) Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) methodology in the context of 3D virtual landscapes for survey data collection regarding citizens’ perception of NBS and develop this methodology into fostering multisensory experiences and 2) apply participatory methods based on 3D technology for studying perceptions of NBS across seasons with selected stakeholders. The PhD project also includes usability testing of 3D digital environments for urban planning through qualitative and quantitative methods applying expert-based, participant-based, and/or data analytics approaches. The doctoral researcher will collect online survey data and analyse it through 3D landscape metrics and other spatial and quantitative analysis methods. The researcher will also collect and analyse participatory workshop data in selected urban environments, and apply usability evaluation approaches for 3D digital environments.

Specific requirements:

The position requires an active approach, diligence and cooperation skills, willingness to team work, and a passion to learn new methods and perspectives. We expect a Master’s degree in geography, geoinformatics, landscape and urban planning, urban engineering, or related fields. The candidate would benefit of the following skills: participatory methodologies, PPGIS methodology, geospatial data analysis, including experience with 3D data analysis

Secondment/:

TBA

Dept./Faculty to which the thesis belongs

Department of Geography and Geology/ Faculty of Science

Principal supervisor

Prof. Nora Fagerholm

2nd supervisor

Dr. Carolin Klonner

3rd supervisor

–

Secondment host

TBA

More information:

https://sites.utu.fi/tohtorikoulutuspilotti/diwa-digital-waters-flagship/