2025/10/09
[Event Report] Development Studies in the Age of AI: New Data, New Methods, and New Insights
On 18 September 2025, The Asian Satellite Campuses Institute (ASCI), the Graduate School of International Development (GSID), and the Institute for Space–Earth Environmental Research (ISEE) at Nagoya University, in collaboration with the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Cambodia, successfully conducted a hybrid international and interdisciplinary research workshop titled “Development Studies in the Age of AI: New Data, New Methods, and New Insights.” at National Incubation Center of Cambodia at Royal University of Phnom Penh.
The event brought together participants around 40 persons online and 30 persons onsite coming from Cambodia, Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Philippine, and Sri Lanka, etc. For onsite, we were having a wide range of participants from various academic institutions including Nagoya University, RUPP, National University of Management, Royal University of Law and Economics, Royal University of Agriculture, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, as well as relevant ministries such as National Institute of Statistics (Ministry of Planning), Ministry of Land Management Urban Planning and Construction, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries.
The workshop began with inspiring opening remarks from Dr. OUM Ravy vice rector and representative of H.E Dr. CHET Chealy rector of RUPP, and Dr. YAMAUCHI Akira director of ASCI followed by featuring five presentations as following:
Monitoring Economic Development from Outer Space by Dr. MENDEZ Carlos (Nagoya University, Japan)
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Mapping Poverty Vulnerability in Cambodia by Mr. KHOUN Theara (UNDP, Cambodia)
Turning Geospatial Data into Insights for Sustainable Development by Mr. TECK Vanna (Spatial Informatics Group, USA)
Urban Heat Island in a Tropical City of Phnom Penh by Assistant Professor SE Bunleng (RUPP, Cambodia)
Status, Challenges, and Opportunities for Ecosystem in Kep City by Dr. SEAK Sophat (RUPP, Cambodia)
Wrapping up with a Panel discussion on The GeoDevelopment Observatory of Cambodia: Motivation, Opportunities, and Challenges by all above speakers joining with Dr. SHIMIZUTANI Satoshi (Nagoya University, Japan), and Dr. NGOV Penghuy (RUPP, Cambodia).
The workshop was concluded by Dr. MENDEZ Carlos Associate Professor of GSID triggering curiosity and interest of participants into AI in general and GeoDevelopment Observatory of Cambodia in particular along with hope of next broader range of participation and more engagement-oriented workshop.
The event brought together participants around 40 persons online and 30 persons onsite coming from Cambodia, Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Philippine, and Sri Lanka, etc. For onsite, we were having a wide range of participants from various academic institutions including Nagoya University, RUPP, National University of Management, Royal University of Law and Economics, Royal University of Agriculture, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, as well as relevant ministries such as National Institute of Statistics (Ministry of Planning), Ministry of Land Management Urban Planning and Construction, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries.
The workshop began with inspiring opening remarks from Dr. OUM Ravy vice rector and representative of H.E Dr. CHET Chealy rector of RUPP, and Dr. YAMAUCHI Akira director of ASCI followed by featuring five presentations as following:
Monitoring Economic Development from Outer Space by Dr. MENDEZ Carlos (Nagoya University, Japan)
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Mapping Poverty Vulnerability in Cambodia by Mr. KHOUN Theara (UNDP, Cambodia)
Turning Geospatial Data into Insights for Sustainable Development by Mr. TECK Vanna (Spatial Informatics Group, USA)
Urban Heat Island in a Tropical City of Phnom Penh by Assistant Professor SE Bunleng (RUPP, Cambodia)
Status, Challenges, and Opportunities for Ecosystem in Kep City by Dr. SEAK Sophat (RUPP, Cambodia)
Wrapping up with a Panel discussion on The GeoDevelopment Observatory of Cambodia: Motivation, Opportunities, and Challenges by all above speakers joining with Dr. SHIMIZUTANI Satoshi (Nagoya University, Japan), and Dr. NGOV Penghuy (RUPP, Cambodia).
The workshop was concluded by Dr. MENDEZ Carlos Associate Professor of GSID triggering curiosity and interest of participants into AI in general and GeoDevelopment Observatory of Cambodia in particular along with hope of next broader range of participation and more engagement-oriented workshop.