Design for Discovery: Enhancing the Usability of MAP-VERSE

 

Would you like to contribute to open science? Do you like UI/UX design? Are you maybe interested in user testing? 

MAP-VERSE (MAP Usability – Validated Empirical Research by Systematic Evaluation) metadata repository (https://map-verse.github.io/) was established by an international research initiative (https://map-verse.github.io/Repository/page/about/) that believes in open science. This platform provides researchers with structured access to best-practice datasets, specifically from eye tracking, neuroimaging (EEG, fMRI), and human sensing (EDA, cardiovascular activity, skin temperature) collected across various geospatial tasks in-lab, online, in virtual environments, or in real-world scenarios (see Keskin et al. 2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/agile-giss-6-30-2025).  

The BSc thesis will focus on the usability of the MAP-VERSE platform through: 

• User Interface (UI): adding new functionalities such as (but not limited to): 

• Enabling search by researcher names, research areas, or cartographic stimulus type 

• Visualizing links between studies using the same datasets or follow-up studies 

• User Experience (UX): usability testing with researchers via online questionnaires 

• Experimental design, data collection, and analysis of user studies 

 

The student is expected to improve the UI of the platform and gather insights on the UX, which could be further implemented. 

This research is planned to be co-supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vassilios Krassanakis from the University of West Attica, and (when necessary) in collaboration with Tong Qin and Bing He from the MAP-VERSE initiative. 

 

For more information: 
Contact: Dr. Merve Keskin, merve.keskin@plus.ac.at 
Start: As soon as possible 
Prerequisites/qualification: (not necessary but useful) familiarity with website creation on GitHub (e.g. Hugo), interest in empirical user testing  
Keywords: usability, website creation, metadata repository, open science 

Making Research Data Discoverable: Building MAP-VERSE’s Metadata Search Tools

 Would you like to contribute to open science? Do you like a bit of coding? Are you maybe interested in empirical studies? 

MAP-VERSE (MAP Usability – Validated Empirical Research by Systematic Evaluation) metadata repository (https://map-verse.github.io/) was established by an international research initiative (https://map-verse.github.io/Repository/page/about/) that believes in open science. This platform provides researchers with structured access to best-practice datasets, specifically from eye tracking, neuroimaging (EEG, fMRI), and human sensing (EDA, cardiovascular activity, skin temperature) collected across various geospatial tasks in-lab, online, in virtual environments, or in real-world scenarios (see Keskin et al. 2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/agile-giss-6-30-2025).  

The MSc thesis will focus on systematizing the data discovery functionality of MAP-VERSE by developing  

• Strategies for expanding dataset diversity (e.g. including studies using thematic maps, dashboards, mobile maps, etc.), and  
• Tools for relevant data collection such as API querying and, when necessary, web crawling on large open-access research data repositories (e.g., Harvard Dataverse, Zenodo, arXiv).  
• 
  

The student is expected to develop a metadata search and dataset validation tool to ensure metadata consistency and accuracy before inclusion in MAP-VERSE. 

This research is planned to be co-supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vassilios Krassanakis from the University of West Attica and (when necessary) in collaboration with Tong Qin and Bing He from the MAP-VERSE initiative.  

 

For more information: 
Contact: Dr. Merve Keskin, merve.keskin@plus.ac.at 
Start: As soon as possible 
Prerequisites/qualification: Python and HTML basics  
Keywords: knowledge discovery, development, metadata repository, open science 

Spatial and Modal Patterns of Traffic Law Enforcement in Barcelona: Insights from Open Government Data

Suggested by: Martin Loidl

Short description: Barcelona has implemented a comprehensive Open Government Data (OGD) strategy, making a wide range of urban data publicly accessible. Among these datasets is a detailed, geo-located record of traffic fines issued by law enforcement, including contextual information such as time, location, type of infraction, and road user category. This dataset presents a unique opportunity to explore the spatial, temporal, and modal dimensions of traffic law enforcement in an urban context.

Despite the central role of law enforcement in traffic management and safety, there is a notable research gap regarding the patterns and equity of traffic fines. This thesis aims to fill that gap by addressing questions such as:

• Modal equity: Are traffic fines proportionally distributed across different road user groups (e.g., pedestrians, cyclists, motorists) relative to their mode share?
• Spatial and temporal hotspots: Are there identifiable hotspots or time windows where specific road users are disproportionately fined?
• Safety correlation: Is there a spatial or temporal correlation between enforcement activity and traffic crash occurrences?
• Infrastructure linkages: Can fines issued to vulnerable road users (e.g., pedestrians and cyclists) be linked to deficiencies in infrastructure quality or design?
• Policy implications: What do the patterns of enforcement suggest about the priorities and effectiveness of traffic law enforcement strategies? 

The dataset is available at https://opendata-ajuntament.barcelona.cat/data/en/dataset/denuncies_sancions_transit_bcn_detall. Research carried out can be co-supervised by local experts based in Barcelona.

References, suggested reading:

• Chaloux, N., & El-Geneidy, A. (2019). Rules of the Road: Compliance and Defiance among the Different Types of Cyclists. Transportation Research Record, 2673(9), 34-43. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198119844965 
• Yasanthi, R. G. N., Wickens, C. M., Jonah, B., Mehran, B., & Suggett, B. (2024). Determinants of traffic safety enforcement behaviour among police officers: A narrative review. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 16, 101206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2024.101206
• Castillo-Manzano, J. I., Castro-Nuño, M., López-Valpuesta, L., & Pedregal, D. J. (2019). From legislation to compliance: The power of traffic law enforcement for the case study of Spain. Transport Policy, 75, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2018.12.009 

Start/finish: anytime

Prerequisites/qualifications: Interest in planning and mobility research as well as in advanced spatial analysis. Data management and analysis skills are ultimately required. Scripting and coding skills are benefitial.

 

BEAM: Extending the European Assets Map methodology

Suggested by: Johannes Scholz, Daniel Hölbling and Manuel Strohmaier (Joanneum Research Life)

Keywords: Risk Assessment, BEAM Methodology, Geospatial Data Generation

Objective:

1. Extend the Basic European Assets Map (BEAM) methodology, which estimates asset values in €/m², to additional European countries using publicly available data sources such as OpenStreetMap, CORINE Land Cover, Urban Atlas, and Eurostat.
2. Develop a consistent, Europe-wide dataset to support improved and comparable assessments of potential damages from natural hazards, enabling more robust risk analyses at the continental scale.
3. Compare and evaluate the resulting dataset against a dataset developed by JOANNEUM RESEARCH, and explore enhancements through the integration of geographically localized building data.

Short Description:

Natural hazards pose varying levels of risk across Europe, and consistent, spatially resolved asset data are essential for effective risk assessment. The Basic European Assets Map (BEAM) provides monetary asset values per unit area (€/m²) and has already been implemented and validated for Germany (Copernicus Emergency Management 2020). This thesis aims to generalize and apply the BEAM methodology to other European countries using harmonized, openly available data sources. The result will be a comprehensive and standardized dataset for estimating damage potentials across Europe. To ensure reliability and usability, the new dataset will be compared to a reference dataset developed by JOANNEUM RESEARCH and further improved by incorporating detailed, geographically referenced building information. This work contributes to the foundation for large-scale, comparative risk assessments in the context of natural hazards.

Start: ASAP

Copernicus Emergency Management Service Risk and Recovery Mapping 2024: https://mapping.emergency.copernicus.eu/download/EMSN076/EMSN076_Final-Report_v1_20082025.pdf

Developing Calibration-Free Webcam Eye Tracking for Web Map Interaction

 How can we interact with web maps without using our hands? Can webcams replace traditional input devices and make map-based tools more inclusive? How can we estimate and refine a user’s gaze without a calibration phase? 

This MSc thesis will focus on developing a browser-based, calibration-free eye tracking system for hands-free web map interaction. The student will build a gaze-aware map prototype using open-source libraries (e.g., WebGazer.js) and apply statistical modeling (e.g., least squares) to continuously refine gaze accuracy without requiring a manual calibration phase. Key features such as gaze-based pan, zoom, and select interactions will be integrated and tested on a custom-built web map interface. 

The research contributes to digital accessibility for users with upper-limb impairments. The student will have the opportunity to contribute to a broader interdisciplinary initiative on inclusive cartographic design and collaborate with researchers in human-computer interaction, eye tracking, and web mapping. 

For more information: 
Contact: Dr. Merve Keskin, merve.keskin@plus.ac.at 
Start: As soon as possible 
Prerequisites/qualification: Basic experience with JavaScript, web development, or eye tracking libraries (e.g., WebGazer.js) is an advantage but not necessary. 
Keywords: Eye tracking, gaze-based interaction, web mapping, accessibility, user-centered design