Karim Malik, an assistant professor in the School of Environment, uses advanced technology to address key ecological challenges. His work combines environmental science with cutting-edge tools to tackle pressing issues facing our planet.

In his research, Dr. Malik employs remote sensing, artificial intelligence (AI), and geospatial tools to uncover and address environmental changes. His innovative approaches include forecasting land use shifts and developing algorithms to monitor snow, aiming to deepen our understanding of human impacts and climate change effects.

Malik’s goal is to advance environmental monitoring capabilities and formulate strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change. His work is geared towards creating actionable insights that inform policy and promote sustainable environmental practices.

DailyNews will showcase the contributions and insights of members of the Black Scholars Institute leading up to its official launch on Sept. 26 and connected with Malik to discuss his research goals and experience.

Q: Tell us about your research interests and what projects you’d like to pursue at UWindsor.

A: My research interests include:

• Remote sensing of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to detect anomalous changes in environmental quality parameters due to human-induced disturbances.

• Landscape similarity analysis to understand human impacts (spatial processes) on landscape structure and function.

• Developing artificial intelligence, computer vision, and deep/machine learning models to model, detect, quantify, and forecast land use and land cover change.

• Integrating geospatial tools, remote sensing, and AI methods to develop robust Earth monitoring tools.

Research projects:

• Land-use and land cover modelling and forecasting.

• Ecosystem restoration assessment using geospatial tools and AI and machine learning.

• Global warming and climate change impacts on snow.

• AI-based super-resolution of coarse-resolution Earth observation data.

• Harmful algal bloom quantification via remote sensing and AI/machine learning.

Q: Can you share a bit about your academic journey and what inspired you to pursue a career in education?

A: My journey to pursue a career in geography began at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, where I completed my MSc degree. I took Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as one of the courses toward completing my degree. This inspired me to pursue a PhD in geography, specializing in geomatics at Wilfrid Laurier University. After my PhD, I joined the University of Toronto and taught GIS and GIS programming courses for three years.

Q: What led you to become a part of the University of Windsor’s Black Scholars Institute?

A: My quest to play an instrumental role in strengthening the network of Black scholars and to inspire and mentor future generations of Black scholars.

Q: Could you explain the significance of your work and research interests?

A: My work integrates geospatial tools, computer vision, and deep/machine learning to model, quantify, and forecast the impacts of natural and human-induced disturbances. By deploying these new technologies, we can monitor human disturbances (e.g., land degradation, deforestation), understand climate change impacts, and formulate better mitigation and adaptation strategies and policies.

Q: What do you believe are some of the most pressing challenges in your field today?

A:

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are regarded as black boxes; therefore, they are not fully trusted. Pursuing explainable AI has been my only option.

• Detecting significant change from spurious change remains a fundamental challenge.

• Testing for the statistical significance of change has been a daunting task.

Q: In what ways do you hope your research will influence environmental planning?

A: My work will provide tools to help policymakers devise effective land use and land cover change strategies and understand the future trajectory of resources that support livelihoods. My research in AI, computer vision, machine learning, and remote sensing will help develop tools for water quality assessment and ecosystem restoration evaluation. The algorithms I develop for snow monitoring will deepen our understanding of climate change impacts and provide impetus for policymakers to develop climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. Overall, my research will enhance public awareness of human impacts and climate implications for sustainable development on Earth.