Nico Van de Weghe is full professor in Geographic Information Science anf GeoAI at Ghent University and director of the GeoAI Research Centre. His work focuses on spatiotemporal reasoning, movement analysis, and hybrid approaches to GeoAI—where knowledge-based and data-driven methods are combined. Over the past two decades, he has led research on how space, time, and movement can be better understood, represented, and analyzed using AI. His research has been applied in various domains including health care, criminology, mobility, and sports.
As an academic leader, Van de Weghe strongly believes in interdisciplinary collaboration. He sees GIScientists as connectors who bring together domain experts (e.g. medical researchers, social scientists) and technical experts (e.g. AI engineers, computer scientists). Within the field of health tech, he explores how AI can support better care by analyzing spatial patterns.
Van de Weghe is also actively involved in fostering GenAI literacy and critical reflection on technology in society.
Domains of expertise
- GeoAI
- GenAI
- GIScience
- Spatial Reasoning Moving Objects
Selected projects & research platform
GeoAI Research Centre
The GeoAI Research Centre at Ghent University brings together expertise from geography, artificial intelligence, and computer science to develop advanced techniques for spatial reasoning and analysis. The focus lies on hybrid GeoAI approaches combining machine learning with domain knowledge, applied in diverse fields such as health care, mobility, and environmental monitoring.
https://geoai.ugent.be
CHIST-ERA Geo-R2LLM project
This international project explores how large language models can be enhanced with geospatial reasoning. Ghent University contributes with its expertise in knowledge-based spatial analysis to improve contextual understanding and spatial awareness in LLMs.
webpage: to be developped
i4S – Innovation for Safety, Security and Society
As a key member of the interdisciplinary i4S consortium, Nico Van de Weghe contributes to advancing data-driven and AI-supported solutions for societal safety and security. His role focuses on the spatiotemporal analysis of movement and behavior, using GeoAI to detect anomalies, model risk, and inform policy across domains such as public health, mobility, and crisis management. i4S fosters close collaboration between academia, public authorities, and industry, bridging the gap between technological innovation and societal needs. Webpage: https://www.i4s.eu/
Selected publications
- "Van de Weghe, Nico; Cohn, Anthony; De Tre, Guy; De Maeyer, Philippe; ",A qualitative trajectory calculus as a basis for representing moving objects in geographical information systems,Control and cybernetics,35,1,97-119,2006,
- "Versichele, Mathias; Neutens, Tijs; Delafontaine, Matthias; Van de Weghe, Nico; ",The use of Bluetooth for analysing spatiotemporal dynamics of human movement at mass events: A case study of the Ghent Festivities,Applied Geography,32,2,208-220,2012,Pergamon
- "Qayyum, Amna; De Baets, Bernard; Baig, Muhammad Sulman; Witlox, Frank; De Tré, Guy; Van de Weghe, Nico; ",The Point-Descriptor-Precedence representation for point configurations and movements,International Journal of Geographical Information Science,35,7,1374-1391,2021,Taylor & Francis
Work details
- nico.vandeweghe@ugent.be
- Department of Geography, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 (S8), 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nico-van-de-weghe-7028613/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nico-van-de-weghe-7028613/
- ORCID number: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5327-4000