International Lecture
The 18th ISDE International Lectures, with the theme of “Unlocking Space and Time: Towards SpaceTemporal Foundation Models”, was held on 5th November 2025. Space and time shape how cities breathe, move, and adapt. This keynote traced the journey from spatiotemporal modelling to SpaceTimeAI and the latest SpatioTemporal Foundation Models (STFMs or GeoFMs)—a new generation of spatio-temporal intelligence that blends AI, big data, and geoinformatics to build more resilient, human-centred cities. Drawing on real-world examples from transport, mobility, and urban representation, it highlighted how AI can learn from diverse data streams, adapt to disruptions, and capture the human sense of place. The talk also outlined emerging thinking on GeoFMs—their core representations, embedded geographic knowledge, model efficiency, and transformative potential for spatial intelligence and urban innovation.
Theme: Unlocking Space and Time: Towards SpaceTemporal Foundation Models
Organized by: International Society for Digital Earth
Supported by:
International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals
International Journal of Digital Earth
Big Earth Data
Invited Speaker:
Tao Cheng (University College London, Britain)
Moderator:
Changlin Wang (International Society for Digital Earth)
Programme:
| Central European Time, AM | |
| 8:00-8:05 | Welcome and Introduction |
| 8:05-9:05 | Topic: Unlocking Space and Time: Towards SpaceTemporal Foundation Models Speaker: Tao Cheng (University College London, Britain) |
| 9:05-9:30 | Group Photo and Q&A |
Short Bio of Invited Speaker:
Tao Cheng
University College London, Britain
Tao Cheng, FAcSS, is Professor of Geoinformatics and Vice-Dean (International) at University College London. She founded the UCL SpaceTimeLab, pioneering Spatio-Temporal AI for insights from urban big data. She is also Theme Lead for Mobility at the Alan Turing Institute and a member of the UK Department for Transport’s College of Experts. Her research on AI, big data, and urban analytics—developed with partners such as Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police, Public Health England, and Arup—has attracted over £27M in funding and multiple international awards.
About the previous ISDE International Lectures:
https://www.digitalearth-isde.org/list-34-1.html
About Prof. Tao Cheng:
https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/10774
Website of the UCL SpaceTimeLab:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/engineering/civil-environmental-geomatic-engineering/research/groups-centres-and-sections/spacetimelab
