Justin Gleeson

Director of AIRO

Justin Gleeson is the Director of the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) and Technical Manager of spatial projects at the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA). Justin has a BA and MA in Economic Geography from the National University of Ireland, Galway and an MSc in GIS from the University of Leeds. Following a 5 year term in the commercial GIS industry in the UK, Justin joined NIRSA as Technical Manager of spatial projects in 2006. Justin has been leading the development of the All-Island Research Observatory project for the past number of years and has secured its status as a key part in the national data infrastructure of Ireland. Justin is also involved in a wide range of other projects with the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) and well as Europe wide spatial planning projects.

Justin’s main research areas are in geographical information systems (GIS), spatial planning, demographics, social inclusion, mapping and spatial analysis and improving public data usage and dissemination.

Justin is also currently a Board Member of Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) and Vice President of the Irish Organisation for Geographical Information (IRLOGI).

 

Contact Justin

justin.gleeson@nuim.ie
+353 87 9700828

Eoghan McCarthy

Senior Data Analyst

A graduate of the Masters in Regional and Urban Planning programme in UCD, Eoghan joined AIRO following a number of years working as a consultant in transport planning sector in Ireland and the UK. With a strong background of planning knowledge combined with expertise in the area of spatial data analysis, Eoghan is currently the data management and visualisation coordinator for AIRO. His brief is to develop and maintain spatial planning data systems for AIRO, undertake research projects in the area of spatial planning and to develop bespoke data visualisations using the latest off the shelf and open source mapping and visualisation software.

Eoghan's main research areas are in the development of interactive mapping and visualisation systems to aid the improvement of evidence informed planning in Ireland. A key aspect of Eoghan's current work is focused on the integration of cross border datasets to develop an all-island spatial planning toolkit.

Eoghan has expert knowledge in a series of key data and mapping software's: ESRI ArcGIS, ArcGIS Viewer for Flex, ArcGIS for Server, QGIS, Mapinfo, Tableau and FME.

 

Contact Eoghan

eoghan.mccarthy@nuim.ie
+353 1 708 6688

David Jordan

GIS Analyst

David works with the All-Ireland Research Observatory (AIRO) as a postdoctoral GIS analyst involved in Census mapping and report writing. David is also a graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a B.A. in Geology and a PH.D in Geology and Geomorphology.

Prior to working as a GIS Analyst for AIRO, David was employed at ESB Networks as a GIS Technician, maintaining the ESB's geodatabase detailing Ireland's extensive electrical network. Following his time with ESB Networks, He worked as a GIS Analyst at the Parks and Landscape Department of Dublin City Council, carrying out advanced geospatial analysis for Dublin's Open Space Strategy. This innovative project aimed to find the optimal placement parks and recreational facilities in relation to Dublin's dynamic population using objective analysis of Census data gathered in 2011.

David has also worked as a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Biology and Environmental Science and a tutor in the School of Geography, at University College Dublin. His postdoctoral research involved exploring ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (NOx) and nitrate runoff from agricultural land by reconfiguring land use patterns using LUMASS, an advanced multi-objective optimisation software. Following this he has also worked as a tutor in the School of Geography, where he taught GIS techniques to undergraduate students and MSc geography students studying Urban Design and Planning.

Contact David

david.jordan@mu.ie
+353 1 708 6688

Dr Ainhoa González

Affiliated environmental analysis expert

 

Ainhoa González is an Assistant Professor in the School of Geography, University College Dublin, and the Head of School of Teaching and Learning. She is an environmental planner and her research focuses on developing and applying geospatial analysis tools and methods for assessing environmental change and impacts, to better inform planning and decision-making. Ainhoa has published extensively on environmental assessment and GIS, as well as prepared a number of guidance manuals for the Environmental Protection Agency. She teaches Environmental Geography, Environmental Assessment and Geographic Information Systems at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She is the programme director for the MSc in Applied Geospatial Analysis at UCD. Ainhoa collaborates with AIRO on a number of projects that aim to develop and deliver spatial decision support system to support private and public sector planning in Ireland.

 

Contact Ainhoa

Ainhoa.Gonzalez@nuim.ie