Open thesis topics
Master’s thesis: Analyzing the update dynamics and quality-driving factors of OpenStreetMap
Chair of Cartography and Visual Analytics, Technical University of Munich
OpenStreetMap (OSM) has grown into one of the most influential sources of volunteered geographic information, yet the mechanisms behind its continuous evolution and the factors shaping its data quality remain only partially understood. This thesis investigates how OSM is updated over time and which factors drive its data quality. The work combines spatial-temporal analysis of OSM contribution patterns with an examination of the social, geographic and technical drivers that influence the completeness, accuracy and currency of the data.
The project is an opportunity to work with large-scale geospatial datasets, develop a deeper understanding of crowdsourced mapping, and contribute to ongoing research on the reliability of open geographic data. It extends our recent work on the urban mechanisms behind OpenStreetMap updates across 88 German cities.
What we are looking for
Applications are welcome from motivated students who bring:
- A solid background in Geographic Information Science (GIScience), including familiarity with spatial data concepts and analytical methods.
- Strong geospatial data-processing skills, with practical experience in handling, cleaning and analyzing geographic datasets (e.g. using Python, PostGIS, QGIS or comparable tools).
- A reasonable level of English academic writing ability, sufficient to document methods and results clearly.
How to apply
Please get in touch with a short statement of your background and motivation, along with your CV and — optionally — a transcript:
Yuhan Jiang — yuhan.jiang@tum.de
I look forward to hearing from you.