GIS Day Featuring PROGRESS Research

Talk 1: Leveraging GeoAI for Gun Violence Prevention and Reduction

Ruibo Han, Department of Geographical Sciences and PROGRESS Scholar

Abstract: This presentation introduces a project that leverages GeoAI—the integration of geospatial sciences and artificial intelligence—to advance gun violence prevention and reduction. Through data integration visualization and modeling, the project identifies spatial and temporal patterns of gun violence, highlights key socioeconomic and community factors, and develops prescriptive models for risk assessment and intervention. A web-based platform demonstrates interactive tools that engage community stakeholders, policymakers, and researchers with intuitive maps, visualizations, and scenario-based insights. Preliminary findings reveal persistent and emerging hot spots of violence, along with correlations between upstream determinants and shooting incidents.

Bio: Dr. Ruibo Han serves as the Director of the Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Programs at the Center for Geospatial Information Science and as a PROGRESS Scholar. With over two decades of experience in the geospatial domain, he previously held positions at the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa before joining the University of Maryland. His research focus spans GeoAI, big data analytics, web and mobile GIS, and urban dynamics. In November 2023, Ruibo was invited by UMD President Darryll J. Pines to join his Presidential Commission on Artificial Intelligence. This multidisciplinary commission is charged with exploring, evaluating, and providing findings and recommendations to Senior Leadership on the responsible development, deployment, and ethical use of AI technologies within the university community. 

Read more about this PROGRESS research project.