CV

Wenwu’s primary research interests are centered on geographic information science and geocomputation. More specifically, his research interests include the:

1) spatial and temporal modeling of complex adaptive spatial systems (CASS);

2) application of artificial intelligence and, in particular, machine learning and software agents in the study of CASS;

3) use of cyberinfrastructure technology to support the resolution of computationally intensive geospatial problems.

Wenwu’s dissertation (defense past: 11/29/2007; degree awarded: 08/08/2008; Department of Geography at the University of Iowa) is entitled as “Geographically-Aware Intelligent Agents” (GAIA; see TOC or Extended Abstract). GAIA integrate functionality from agent-based models, machine learning, and GIS into a single framework that faciliates the design of agents that are contextually-aware, knowledge-driven, and adaptive within geospatial environments. This framework provides solid support for the computational modeling of adaptive individuals within coupled human and natural systems (e.g., animals in ecosystems, pedestrians in built environments, and drivers in transportation systems), often identified as complex adaptive systems.

Modeling the adaptive movement behavior of elk in the northern range of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is a case study in Wenwu’s dissertation to illustrate the utility of the GAIA framework in solving complex adaptive geospatial problems. Currently, Wenwu is working on 1) applying the GAIA framework into the modeling of rangeland management, pedestrian movement, and diffusion of infectious disease (West Nile Virus), and 2) integrating the GAIA framework with service-oriented computing, and high-performance and parallel computing to enable large-scale spatially explicit agent-based modeling.

• Tang, W., Wang, S., 2009 “HPABM: A Hierarchical Parallel simulation framework for spatially-explicit Agent-Based Models” Transactions in GIS 13(3):315-333
• Tang, W., Malanson, G.P. and Entwisle, B., 2009, “Simulated village locations in Thailand: A multi-scale model including a neural network approach” Landscape Ecology 24 (4): 557-575 pdf
• Tang, W. 2008. “Simulating complex adaptive geographic systems: A geographically aware intelligent agent approach” Cartography and Geographic Information Science 35(4):239-263 pdf
• Wang, S., Padmanabhan, A., Myers, J. D., Tang, W., and Liu, Y. 2008. “Towards Provenance-Aware Geographic Information Systems.” In: Proceedings of the 16th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems (ACM GIS 2008), November 5-7, 2008, Irvine, CA, USA pdf
• Bennett, D.A., and Tang, W., 2008. “Mobile aware intelligent agents” In: Understanding Dynamics of Geographic Domains, edited by M. Yuan and K. Stewart. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, pp. 171-186.Google Book
• Tang, W., Wang, S., Bennett, D.A. & Liu, Y., 2008. Design and implementation of a service-oriented agent-based simulation architecture. In: Workshop of the Design of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) for Geospatial Science for 5th International Conference on Geographic Information Science, Park City, Utah, USA. pdf
• Tang, W., 2007, “Development of a spatially-explicit agent-based simulation package for modeling complex adaptive geographic systems” Proceedings of the UCGIS Summer Assembly, 2007, Yellowstone National Park, USA. pdf.
• Bennett, D.A., and Tang, W., 2006, “Modeling adaptive, spatially aware, and mobile agents: Elk migration in Yellowstone” International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 20(9): 1039-1066.

Chinese Martial Arts, Basketball, Fitness, and Classical Music

CyberInfrastructure and Geospatial Information Laboratory (CIGI)
Department of Geography
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Room 324 Davenport Hall
607 South Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Campus Mail Code: MC-150
Phone 217-244-9315

OR

2122B
National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA)
1205 W. Clark St.
Urbana, IL 61801
Campus Mail Code: MC-257

Email wentang@uiuc.edu

Wenwu’s Useful Links