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NODES will mobilize the tools of citizen and data science combined with Earth observations to monitor, analyze, and foster progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To realize this vision, NODES will exploit novel data ecosystems in which several actors interact via infrastructure, analytics, and applications to produce, analyze, exchange, and consume data.
Three main cross-fertilizing pillars characterize the research focus of NODES:
- Advancing the field of citizen science: NODES will remain at the forefront of citizen science from conceptual advancements to innovations in citizen science practice, including the development of new means to acquire, analyze, and openly share citizen science data, as well as how citizen science can contribute to the SDGs and sustainability.
- Enriching Earth observation: NODES will utilize new types of Earth observation technology (e.g., high-resolution imagery, drones, and the Internet of things (IoT)) and develop applications that focus on the interplay between Earth observation and citizen science using Geo-Wiki tools, various forms of remote sensing, and on-site observation.
- Exploiting the digital revolution: NODES will harness the opportunities arising from the digital revolution by exploiting advancements in computing capabilities, data science (e.g., machine and deep learning), environmental informatics, and the geospatial sciences, among others, to enhance integrated systems science research and generate new and innovative data sets for further insights.
Projects
Urban ReLeaf - Citizen-powered data ecosystems for inclusive and green urban transitions
Open-Earth-Monitor Cyberinfrastructure (OEMC)
Staff
Martina Dürauer
Research Software Developer (NODES)
Zoriana Romanchuk
Research Assistant (NODES)
Kristina Ivanovic
Finance Assistant (NODES, FAB)
Dilek Fraisl
Senior Research Scholar (NODES)
News
03 April 2025
Celebrating Research on Health at IIASA; World Health Day 2025
Researchers at IIASA are studying the direct and indirect effects of climate change on health, shedding light on healthy aging drivers and metrics and analyzing interconnections between the components of multi-dimensional national well-being.
14 March 2025
Launch of New Citizen Science Picture Pile Campaign on Livestock and Grassland Management
Want to contribute to the European Union’s climate neutrality target but not sure how? Join the latest Picture Pile campaign as part of IIASA’s LAMASUS project. Help us to identify livestock and grassland management practices from photographs, which will be used to validate a new geodatabase on land use management.
14 February 2025
Strengthening citizen science and sustainability monitoring in Europe
Researchers from the IIASA Novel Data Ecosystems for Sustainability (NODES) Research Group are part of the newly launched RIECS-Concept (Towards A Pan-European Research Infrastructure for Excellent Citizen Science), a project designed to develop a conceptual framework for a pan-European citizen science research infrastructure. The initiative aims to enhance the role of citizen science in data collection, validation, and policy engagement, ensuring long-term sustainability and broader participation in scientific research across Europe.
Events
Focus
17 October 2024
AI at IIASA for earth monitoring in the era of transition
As the TED AI conference unfolds in Vienna, Ian McCallum, IIASA Novel Data Ecosystems for Sustainability Research Group Leader, brings a fresh perspective on the pivotal role of artificial intelligence in Earth monitoring. He explores how AI can revolutionize our understanding of environmental changes and support sustainable practices in an era marked by significant transitions.
29 August 2024
Experiencing the science that we write about
IIASA researcher, Linda See, shares her experiences at the coalface of where plastic pollution is collected by volunteers during a beach cleanup event.
Publications
Gustafson, E.J., Lucash, M.S., Shvidenko, A., Sturtevant, B.R., Shchepashchenko, D. , Mast, C., & Williams, N. (2025). Climate change threatens the sustainability of current timber harvesting practices across a latitudinal gradient in Siberia. European Journal of Forest Research 10.1007/s10342-025-01782-5. Moorthy, I. , Hager, G. , Harwell, T. , Brozek, S., Karagiannopoulou, K., Lampkowski, M., Temmerman, L., Veeckman, C., & Woods, M. (2025). Citizen science for data-informed, resilient cities. In: Dresden Nexus Conference, 8-10 April 2025, Dresden, Germany. Fraisl, D. , Neves, M., Seidu, O., Darpoh, C.K., Basnyat, A., Usheva, F., Tungbani, B., Ankamah, D., See, L. , & Gadgil, A. (2025). Leveraging Citizen Data to Improve Public Services and Measure Progress Toward Sustainable Development Goal 16. Sustainable Development 10.1002/sd.3441. (In Press) Sun, X., Giljum, S., Maus, V. , Schomberg, A., Zhang, S., & You, F. (2025). Robust Assessments of Lithium Mining Impacts Embodied in Global Supply Chain Require Spatially Explicit Analyses. Environmental Science & Technology 10.1021/acs.est.4c12749. Moorthy, I. , Hager, G. , Harwell, T. , Brozek, S., Karagiannopoulou, K., Lampkowski, M., Temmerman, L., Veeckman, C., & Woods, M. (2025). Citizen science for green urban transitions: Stories from Urban ReLeaf cities. In: Sustainable and Climate-Neutral Cities for an Inclusive and Equitable Urban Future, 28 February 2025, Rome, Italy.