Dr. Michael F. Goodchild

Distinguished Lecturer

Professor Emeritus
Holder of the Jack and Laura Dangermond Chair
Department of Geography
College of Letters and Science
University of California, Santa Barbara

Michael F. Goodchild is globally acknowledged as the “Father of Geographic Information Science (GIScience),” widely credited with coining the term “Volunteered Geographic Information” (VGI) and is considered the foremost expert on the topic.

His work has been instrumental in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between GIScience, urban science, computer science, and other fields, laying the foundation for the advancement of spatial databases, data modeling and the integration of spatial data with other information systems.

Goodchild’s contributions have positioned GIS as a hub for innovative approaches to spatial data analysis, geodesign and the development of digital twins.

He earned his Ph.D. from McMaster University in 1969.

He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a fellow of the Royal Society and the British Academy.

Honors include the Prix Vautrin Lud, the highest award in the field of geography, and the Founder’s Medal from the Royal Geographical Society. He has also received five honorary degrees.

With 598 peer-reviewed articles and 15 books or book chapters, Goodchild’s written works are highly regarded for their relevance to contemporary GIS discourse and their insightful recommendations for future directions in the field.

Goodchild will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Architecture.