Why your tweets can really matter in a natural disaster
Retrieving information from tweets during natural disasters can save lives. PhD student Kiran Zahra collaborates with linguists and international organizations to develop the appropriate methods.
Social media as a research tool: What are you exactly doing?
I make sense out of unstructured and informal text on Twitter. In particular, I analyze tweets posted during natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes to extract information, e.g. on casualty reports and help-calls. Such information is required by humanitarian organizations to gain situational awareness and plan relief operations. As nowadays internet is available almost everywhere, people extensively use social media to share disaster-related information.
However, the challenge is to identify the most relevant parts of tweets out of an abundance of data. If we collect tweets based on particular disaster-related keywords this will also include tweets of someone who feels "flooded" with information or experiences an "earthquake" in his relationship. This is what we call noisy data. My research is about how to get rid of this noise.
And how do you do that?
We use machine learning techniques to classify the tweets. However, these algorithms require well prepared training data sets beforehand for high performance. Time is of essence during disasters and preparing new training datasets can cost lives. That's why we investigated whether an algorithm trained on a data set of an earthquake in Italy accurately detected the right tweets also of an earthquake in Myanmar that coincidentally happened at the same time by only swapping place names in both datasets. And it actually worked. These results help to ensure efficient and timely data analysis on Twitter.
How do you know the information is credible?
Using specific linguistic features, we can distinguish from whom the information originates. Particularly valuable is the information provided by eyewitnesses, since these people directly observed the event. But also reports about family and friends present in disaster-hit region shared by people who are located in other parts of the world are very important.
What about the legal and ethical aspects of using information like tweets for research?
That's an important point. We are in the process of finding good approaches to address ethical concerns while at the same time ensuring reproducibility. Researchers often operate in gray areas without clear guidelines. Soon we will discuss this important issue for geographic information science in a workshop which I co-organize. The name of the workshop is LESSON 2019, standing for "Legal Ethical factorS crowdSourced geOgraphic iNformation" and takes place here in Zurich on October 8 and 9. The interest in the scientific community is enormous. We have received many high-level submissions for contributions.
How did it happen that you came to the GIUZ for your PhD?
I come from Pakistan where I studied geography with a focus on geographic information science and remote sensing. I was also interested in computer science and took some programming courses during my bachelor studies. I always wanted to do a PhD and applied for a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship to work with Ross Purves.
Last year you won the first place at the Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) organized by Graduate Campus, UZH.
Yes, this was a great experience. We had three minutes to bring our research across to a general audience. For me, it all started with attending a course in "Storyboarding as a Research Tool" a few months earlier. We should draw our research in a single sketch. I discovered that I can create a story out of the individual sub-projects of my PhD. They are all interconnected as parts of one bigger research question. I think it's one of the dangers of a publication-based doctoral thesis, that you just get lost.
You were one of three selected UZH students participating in the LERU Doctoral Summer School in Edinburgh this July.
It was an amazing summer school! It focused on international research collaborations, a topic I am very interested in since I work with linguists, computer scientists and people from the disaster domain. I encounter many challenges in these collaborations and was so happy to get answers in this summer school. Together with other PhD peers from several European universities we compiled a guide on international research collaborations for early career researchers.
All these activities and courses besides the actual research work have taught me a lot. I see this as an important part of my PhD training. It gave me more confidence and polished my communication skills.
And what do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to socialize with other families. We meet every now and then to cook and eat together. My son really enjoys this. I am a good cook. Even in my private life it looks as if it's all about communication and people!
LESSON 2019: Legal Ethical factorS crowdSourced geOgraphic iNformation
October 8-9, 2019, University of Zurich
LERU Doctoral Summer School 2019, Edinburgh
Best practice guide for international research collaborations
More news
- Moderne Taglöhnerei
- Checking the pulse of society
- Das Blätterorakel
- Die Schweiz schützt die Artenvielfalt nicht genug
- «Wir wiegen uns in falscher Sicherheit»
- Wem gehört der Raum?
- Ehre für die Engadiner Blockgletscher – und für die Permafrostforschung
- Pflegen grenzenlos
- Klimakonferenz COP27: Wer bezahlt die Folgen von Klimaschäden?
- GIUZ @ Berlin Science Week: Nov 4-8
- Erschreckend schöne Bilder
- Rockglaciers of the Engadine are one of 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites
- Prof. Harold Haefner (1933-2022)
- Worse than 2003: Swiss glaciers are melting more than ever before
- Longer, Hotter and More Frequent Heat Waves in Swiss Cities
- Ein letzter Rest Zukunft für die Alpen-Gletscher
- Gletschererlebnis nur für Mädchen
- Extreme Heat and Drought Events Require More Systematic Risk Assessment
- Sri Lanka am Abgrund – wie kam es dazu?
- «Es braucht eine Trendwende»
- Eating plants
- NEW: Organic Food Hub at Irchel
- Scientific images that ask questions
- Making landscape services tangible
- Climate and biodiversity: Parliament meets science
- Ein Labor, das die Grenze schafft
- Die goldenen Jahre sind vorbei
- Digitalisierung zum Anfassen
- Studying fjord ecosystems in Greenland
- Oben mitspielen
- IPCC Report: Taking action now can secure our future
- International Day of Women and Girls in Science
- Faire Arbeitsbedingungen in der Gig-Economy
- Gletscher - Gradmesser der globalen Erderwärmung
- Sustainable and climate-resilient management of high-Andean ecosystems
- "Almost like mission impossible"
- Rund um die Uhr auf Abruf
- «Enorme Anstrengungen nötig»
- Missed the inaugural lectures?
- The Miner and the Neon Fish: Decolonizing Alpine Ecologies
- Thinking locally to solve the climate change and biodiversity crises
- GIUZ Researchers at COP26
- Running a world class database on glaciers
- Sind die Alpengletscher noch zu retten?
- Glacier observation from space
- Towards integrative water management policies in the Andes
- New Assistant Professorship in Labour Geography
- GIUZ postcards: colourful, diverse and practical
- Zu gut, um wahr zu sein
- Schleicher's Dream
- Scientifica 2021: "Synthetic naturally"
- Wasserschloss mit Meeranschluss
- Welche Verantwortung trägt die Schweiz?
- Encapsulating the ecosystem for soil research
- "Embracing Diversity of Opinion"
- Chamoli Disaster Could Happen Again
- «Das Anwendungspotential ist riesig»
- Science and Nature Festival auf dem Campus Irchel: 22. - 30. Mai 2021
- The WGMS contributed to the European State of the Climate report
- Pandemics, biodiversity and climate
- Geografische Daten der Schweiz für alle verfügbar
- Today is World Water Day
- Swiss water bodies in a changing climate
- Live-in-Betreuung in der Krise
- Landscape services and basic landscape knowledge
- Schutz vor Extremhochwasser an der Aare
- Chamoli disaster in India
- #WomenInScience
- How remote sensing can help protect biodiversity
- Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
- The first 125 years
- 2020 WDS Data Stewardship Award
- «Expedition 2 Grad» gewinnt den Bundespreis Ecodesign
- UZH signed the “Climate Alliance Declaration to G20 Leaders“
- Boost for polar research
- On the river
- Würdigung der «Teachers of the Hour»
- Risk guidelines for glacial hazards in the Indian Himalaya
- Transnationale Altenbetreuung im Lockdown
- Glaciers are retreating unabated
- "Reversing the Gaze": A new research project in Political Geography
- Environmental Data from Space
- Wenn die «Stimme des Berges» warnt
- Honorary professorship at University of Nottingham to Christian Berndt
- Eminent Ecologist 2020: Bernhard Schmid
- GIUZ alumna is the new SDC director general
- Erwärmung des Permafrosts in der Schweiz
- “We’re pioneers in Switzerland”
- Precision Predictions for Hydropower Plants
- On Thin Ice
- “Giving people room for creativity”
- 1.5 Billion People Will Depend on Water from Mountains
- How can local populations be won over to protected areas?
- Alpine-wide observation of glacier mass loss from space
- Teachers of the Hour
- ValPar.CH - Values of the ecological infrastructure in Swiss parks
- Teaching award nomination for Hendrik Wulf
- Sustainable Research, Teaching and Operations
- WGMS contributing to European State of the Climate 2019
- Additional e-media for geography
- Neuer CrowdWater Kurs online
- COVID-19: Information for students
- Public events cancelled until 31 May 2020
- Risks in the tropical Andes
- Mercator Award for Simon Etter and Barbara Strobl
- New Assistant Professorship in Social and Cultural Geography
- «Wir bräuchten eine Greta Thunberg für die Biodiversität»
- The Underestimated Threat
- Disappearing glaciers: UZH media highlight 2019 comes from GIUZ
- Swiss polar expeditions
- The "Geographie Alumni UZH" society: a platform for people interested in Geography
- Swiss Data Cube at the WEF in Davos
- New unit "Space, Nature and Society"
- GIUZ experts for the federal administration
- Saving the World
- WGMS Letter of Concern to COP25
- Alexander von Humboldt: Trailblazer of Science
- Grassroots ideas to halt biodiversity loss
- To space and back again: mapping Earth to save it
- The world's highest mountains hold vital climate change lessons
- GIUZ treasures on Swiss television
- Problematic 24-hour care at home
- Fertile Ground
- Biochar could be the solution to crop burning in India
- Local experts for global reports
- Blogging political geography
- Crossing Borders
- Talk show «Zoom Persönlich»: Working Mom
- Forscher simulieren auf dem Klausenpass den Ernstfall
- Scientifica 2019: Science Fiction – Science Facts
- 1894–2019: 125 years of internationally coordinated glacier monitoring
- Monitoring the Matterhorn with Millions of Data Points
- Reise bis zum Ende der Eiszeit
- GEO 401: Integrative Project in the "Berner Seeland"
- Conflict Minerals, Inc. – Transnational Regulation, Fragmented Authority and Violent Resource Networks in Eastern Congo
- At a Glacial Pace
- Fostering permafrost research and scientific exchange
- Four Scientific Institutions will Monitor Switzerland from Space
- Klimaindikator Gletscher
- Land Talks
- Ideal Backdrop for Projections
- Liberale Kräfte geraten ins Kreuzfeuer
- Struggling for the golden mean
- Sri Lanka, Muslims and violence
- Scientific Image Competition: Distinction for "Rainfall Simulation in the Alps"
- Gender and Space
- Global warming is shrinking glaciers faster than thought
- Dangerous glacial lakes across Tibetan Plateau
- Den globalen Zusammenhang vermitteln
- Auch die Betreuerin braucht mal Pause
- Der Permafrost in der Schweiz erwärmt sich wieder
- Tauender Permafrost: Eine tickende Zeitbombe
- Panta rhei - everything flows
- Our research page now in a new look
- Universität studiert die Katzenseen
- Science Info Day 2019
- Old and alone in Nepal
- Listen to the landscape
- Farewell to Prof. Ulrike Müller-Böker
- Mountain glaciers: Vanishing sources of water and life
- Training fürs "Bio-Navi"
- HILLSCAPE project: Movie about the 2018 fieldwork
- GIUZ-Alumnus Ruedi Haller wird neuer Nationalparkdirektor
- Ein fliegender Wächter für die Ökosysteme der Erde
- Boost to UZH’s Climate Research
- Ein Jahr der Extreme für Schweizer Gletscher
- Zum Klimabericht tragen viele bei
- «Es sind mehrere Gründe, die zur Ablehnung führten»
- «Das Nachtleben bietet eine Gegenwelt zum Leistungsdruck»
- Variety from above
- Tackling global problems together
- Im Zeppelin auf der Suche nach Plastik
- Tango into the abyss
- Professor Shahul H. Hasbullah (3 September 1950 - 25 August 2018)
- NASA lands at UZH
- Sarah Speck receives the 2018 BioOne Ambassador award
- Scientists set out to explore microbial life in glacier streams
- The Alpine Journey - Live from Grindelwald
- GIUZ Open Doors Event
- Charcoal: Major Missing Piece in the Global Carbon Cycle
- IPA Lifetime Achievement Award to Wilfried Haeberli
- Malerberuf im Wandel
- How the Alps inform polar research
- Greater Zurich Area – a Center of Competence for Geographic Information Display
- Towards an operational glacier monitoring service: Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service
- In the Engine Room of the World
- First UZH Space Hub Research Flight Campaign
- How Pizzas Went Online
- Virtual cities
- Eine Ausstellung auf Reisen
- CrowdWater: An App for Flood Research
- Summerschool on Governance at the Edge of the State
- Creative, bold, innovative
- Pictures of research
- WGMS contributed to European State of the Climate report
- Short break in the warming of the alpine permafrost
- Geochronology Summer School
- Was Landschaften leisten, wird nicht immer respektiert
- Frequently cited comment on glacier mass loss
- Interdisciplinary Master's thesis topics
- Wie ein Dübendorfer Experiment zur Internationalen Raumstation geflogen ist
- Summer school "Gender and Space"
- New Assistant Professorship in Earth System Science
- “The state functions according to its entirely own logic”
- When Olga from Poland takes care of grandpa
- “The army plays a double role”
- Sara Fabrikant and former PhD Student Marco Salvini win Breheny Prize
- Second issue of the Global Glacier Change Bulletin series
- Volunteer work in Guarda
- Digital pathfinders
- What Swiss landscapes need to be worth to us
- Nature protection in times of climate change and globalisation
- Mapping Functional Diversity of Forests with Remote Sensing
- Mysterious underground streams in the Ybrig mountains
- Online course on water in Switzerland
- Machine-Vision Drones Monitor Animals in the African Savanna
- Warning of rockslides due to research
- The rockslide of Bondo and the global warming
- The Oberaarglacier's bleak future
- New Assistant Professorship in Remote Sensing of Water Systems
- Deglaciation in Switzerland
- Identification of forest vegetation
- The five most beautiful projects for hobby researchers
- Michael Schaepman named Vice President
- Alumna Andrea Scheller profiled
- Mapping for remote places
- Asian glaciers - water source for millions of people
- How language shapes our sense of place
- Climate data for countries of the global south
- Medical tourism: Critically ill africans undergo medical treatment in India
- Lack of snow in winter season 2016/2017
- No more lonely cowboys
- Distinguished dissertation
- The underrated engagement of teaching staff
- A tipping point for Greenland and its ice caps
- Bacteria, deadwood and climate change
- EU funding for a GIUZ research project
- Just being like everybody else
- “Our object of interest is about to melt away”
- Migration in Val Müstair
- Alumna Maria Lezzi profiled
- Precipitation radar in the Peruvian Andes
- Global center for biodiversity research
- Lost talents
- The night’s liquid gold
- Nature conversation in flux
- Why microinsurances don't work as a private market
- Glacier stories from Grindelwald
- The virtual butler
- When passer-by search for traces
- Taking stock of charcoal in the world's soil
- Rock glaciers crawl slowly down the slope
- Internally displaced persons in Eastern Congo
- The voice of the dark sides of the Olympic Games
- The ways cartographers create the illusion of depth on maps
- UZH launches Digital Society Initiative
- Medically disenfranchised people find hope in India
- Care Migration - A part of the family?
- Prix Média for research on sponsoring at universities
- WGMS Jubilee
- Animated graph shows rise of temperature
- Indigenous peasant organizations in Latin America
- War waste in greenland
- For smaller Olympic Games
- Max Maisch interviewed in the Glattaler journal