Coding theory is a major component of Applied Algebra. It has many applications in the mathematics of communications and has many links with other scientific disciplines, such as electrical engineering and computer science. Coding theory arises in almost every imaginable digital communications and storage system. In UCD, it is taught at the undergraduate level in the module MATH30180 An Introduction to Coding Theory.
Initiative
Crisis GIS: Developing Digital and Sustainability Competencies Through Participatory Spatial Science in a Humanitarian Context
About this initiative
Project aim: Crisis GIS will establish real-world humanitarian GIS practice as a shared cross-disciplinary teaching methodology at UCD, anchored in the UCD.
For students, the primary outcomes are transformative learning experiences that combine advanced technical skill development with authentic humanitarian application and intercultural civic engagement. Students will gain:
- Advanced GIS competencies in damage assessment mapping, displacement and shelter mapping, water and sanitation network analysis, aerial imagery processing, and digital elevation modelling using professional open- source platforms;
- Critical data literacy including the ability to evaluate incomplete, damaged, and ethically complex datasets and make principled, statistically justified and risk-aware decisions about spatial communication in crisis contexts;
- Humanitarian and sustainability competencies, including systems thinking across interlocking crises, normative reasoning about equity and resource allocation, and strategic competency in translating geospatial analysis into actionable municipal tools;
- Intercultural and professional communication skills developed through direct collaboration with Al-Bureij Municipality counterparts and the production of municipal-standard briefing documents.
Concrete project deliverables include:
- A validated cross-disciplinary humanitarian GIS teaching framework (replicable across UCD schools and Irish HEIs);
- Four applied research case studies on water distribution equity, sanitation, pest/vector control, and solid waste management co-authored with Al-Bureij counterparts;
- A suite of open GIS datasets for Al-Bureij;
- A full OER pack including module design guides, data ethics case studies, and COIL implementation protocols for humanitarian GIS education.
A student-facing digital showcase will present project outputs publicly, supporting professional portfolio development.
For faculty and staff, the project will produce a tested pedagogical framework for embedding humanitarian GIS and COIL collaboration into applied geospatial science curricula for adoption by other schools and institutions across Ireland and internationally.
| Project Lead | Dr Jeremy Auerbach |
|---|---|
| College | UCD College of Social Sciences and Law |
| School | UCD School of Geography |
| Partner Colleges | UCD College of Science
UCD College of Arts and Humanities |
Lead organisations
Affiliated organisations
Linked open educational resources
Contributors
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