The 23rd ISDE International Lectures

ISDE International Lectures, organized by the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE), are a series of online events that feature invited lectures by well-known international experts in the field of Digital Earth. The purpose of the events is to bring international scholars in the relevant research fields of Digital Earth together to exchange academic perspectives, share research results, and disseminate the most cutting-edge and authoritative concepts of Digital Earth.

The 23rd ISDE International Lectures

The 23rd ISDE International Lectures features the theme of “Querying Spatial Data with Natural Language”. Two invited speakers will present an approach for querying spatial data models such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and CityGML using natural language. The proposed framework combines a relational database for storing semantic and geometric properties with a knowledge graph representing spatial relationships within 3D models. These components are orchestrated through iterative LLM reasoning, enabling natural-language queries across heterogeneous spatial datasets.

Theme: Querying Spatial Data with Natural Language

Date & Time:

13 November 2026, 18:00-19:00 (AEDT)

13 November 2026, 06:00-07:00 (CET)

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 Speakers:

Sisi Zlatanova (The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)

Rabindra Lamsal (The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)

Moderator:

Sisi Zlatanova (The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)

Programme:

Zoom Link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81256350961?pwd=CkZHgCjSrRbT3kwwagjmt6T9rq9fM5.1

Meeting ID: 812 5635 0961, Passcode: 964812

Contact:

ISDE Secretariat (Email: isde@radi.ac.cn, Tel.: 86-10-82178912)

Short Bio of Invited Speakers:

Sisi Zlatanova

SHARP Professor at UNSW Sydney

Sisi Zlatanova is a SHARP Professor at the UNSW, Sydney, School of Built Environment, where she leads the GRID Lab. She obtained her PhD from Graz University of Technology in Austria. Her research focuses on 3D spatial modelling and spatial information systems, with particular emphasis on the integration of BIM and GIS, 3D indoor modelling, spatial data management, visualisation, and advanced 3D representations. Working with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, she advances the capabilities of spatial information systems through the application of artificial intelligence and emerging digital technologies.

In recent years, her work has focused strongly on 3D methods and frameworks to support Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) applications. She is also actively contributing to the development of Spatial Digital Twins by employing agents and large language modeling technology for intelligent monitoring, analysis, and improved understanding of complex urban environments. Alongside her research activities, she is deeply involved in the development and promotion of international geospatial standards. She plays an active role in the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and has been a key contributor to the development of the IndoorGML standard.

Prof. Zlatanova has a long record of leadership within the international geospatial community. She has served as President of Technical Commission IV “Spatial Information Science” of ISPRS from 2016 to 2026 and is member of the UDMS board since 2010. She is also one of the founders and a regular organiser of the Gi4DM, 3DGeoInfo, and Indoor3D conference series. Prof. Zlatanova has authored more than 650 scientific publications and edited 23 books. Her global research impact is further reflected in her inclusion in Stanford University’s list of the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists.

Rabindra Lamsal

Postdoctoral Fellow at UNSW Sydney

Rabindra Lamsal is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the GRID Lab, UNSW, contributing to the Resilient and Intelligent Infrastructure Systems (RIIS) ARC ITRH in collaboration with FrontierSI.

He earned his PhD from the School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, specializing in large language models (LLMs) and natural language processing (NLP). His current research focuses on developing state-of-the-art systems that provide easy, natural-language interaction between humans and data. This includes designing intelligent chatbots capable of conversing with complex 3D data such as BIM IFC and CityGML.

Moderator:

Sisi Zlatanova

SHARP Professor at UNSW Sydney

Extended Materials:

School of Build Environment, UNSW Sydney:

https://www.unsw.edu.au/arts-design-architecture/our-schools/built-environment

GRID Lab, UNSW Sydney:

Http://grid.unsw.edu.au

Resilient and Intelligent Infrastructure Systems (RIIS):

https://riis.org.au/

ARC Centre for Next-Gen Architectural Manufacturing (Arch_Manu):

https://archmanu.com/