- Chung-En Tsern won first prize in the 2025 GeoDS Masters Dissertation Scheme, competing against 28 other student projects to scoop the top award
- His dissertation, in collaboration with Virgin Media GHD, presented a sophisticated approach for combining spatial and temporal data to learn urban characteristics
- View Chun-En Tsern’s project poster here
Chung-En Tsern, who recently graduated with an MSc in Urban Spatial Science from UCL, completed his studies with an award-winning dissertation project. For his project, entitled ‘Dynamic Urban Function Representation: Learning Urban Characteristics from Points of Interest, Land Use, and Human Mobility Patterns’ and sponsored by industry partner Virgin Media GHD, he was awarded first prize at the GeoDS Data Partner Forum, held in Oxford last year.
Commenting on Chung-En’s dissertation, the jury said: “The thesis is ambitious and clearly positioned within active research using embedding techniques and LLMs to synthesise multi-source urban data. The work demonstrates significant effort in conveying results through detailed visualisations and clear description of the novel methodology.
“This project presents a very intriguing approach for combining spatial and temporal data, showcasing the richness of datasets now available to analysts, and details the opportunities to extend traditional urban classifications using modern techniques.”
Here, Chung-En shares his experience working on a GeoDS Masters Dissertation Scheme project for his dissertation, and describes the academic and professional benefits he gained.
What attracted you to apply for and work on this project in partnership with GeoDS?
I was primarily interested in the opportunity to pursue a project that involved industry collaboration to tackle a real-world business challenge. The scheme offered a unique dual benefit: the ability to contribute to academic research, while gaining valuable insights into the commercial sector. It also provided access to high-quality, proprietary industry data — which is often the most significant obstacle to conducting robust, impactful analysis in an academic setting.
What problem or need did you investigate through this project? How did your work seek to address this?
The project investigated using spatial and temporal data to identify urban characteristics. My work addressed this by developing a framework focused on the fusion of complex data provided by the industry partner. The most significant technical challenge was how to effectively integrate these heterogeneous spatiotemporal variables. To overcome this, I had to embrace my dissertation as a key opportunity for self-learning, and leveraging contemporary resources, including AI tools, to rapidly acquire the necessary methods. My process was guided by intellectual curiosity and a systematic approach of iterative testing and refinement, acknowledging that definitive answers are rarely present in research, but progress is guaranteed through experimentation.
Can you tell us a little bit about your collaboration? What was it like working with the Virgin Media GHD team?
I collaborated closely with the Virgin Media GHD team, attending their offices weekly and maintaining regular communication. A significant requirement was to develop the research on their Databricks platform, which provided crucial practical experience in implementing advanced analytics within a corporate cloud server environment. I benefited greatly from actively engaging with the team, building relationships with colleagues, and delivering a formal presentation of my research findings to both the Virgin Media and GHD teams.
How do you think the skills that you learned on the MSc Urban Spatial Science programme helped you with your work with Virgin Media GHD?
Though I already had some technical skills before embarking on this programme, I still gained immense value from learning advanced methods and, crucially, mastering a much higher standard of rigour and systematic methodology for conducting research. As an international student, having a supportive ecosystem — encouraging and intellectually engaging coursemates, alumni networks, and my supervisor — was invaluable. The benefits went far beyond the technical skills taught in lectures.
Can you tell us about your experience at the Data Partner Forum in Oxford?
The event in Oxford was a profoundly rewarding experience, and it was a great honour to present my dissertation on stage and to network with a diverse group of geospatial data specialists from various UK universities. It was insightful to see the breadth of opportunities for applying spatial science across different industries. I only wish there had been more time to discuss each student’s research in greater depth.
What have you been doing since completing your studies? How are you applying/planning to apply what you’ve learned during this project to your current/future endeavours?
I’m now focused on pursuing a career in London, which offers great professional opportunities and a world-leading environment for geospatial data analysis, by actively seeking geospatial data analyst or data consultant roles.
Is there any advice you’d give to prospective applicants of the GeoDS Masters Dissertation Scheme?
Do not hesitate to apply — just pick a topic you are genuinely passionate about and be ready to fully commit to. The professional and academic benefits you will gain from the scheme will significantly exceed your expectations!
About the GeoDS Masters Dissertation Scheme
The GeoDS Masters Dissertation Scheme offers an exciting opportunity to link master’s students, their university supervisors and leading smart data organisations, through projects that harness smart data to solve business-critical problems.
GeoDS has successfully run the scheme for over a decade, previously as the Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC), providing students across a wide range of disciplines in any UK university the chance to enhance their academic experience and professional prospects, and enabling industry and other external partners to leverage their data assets and advance strategic initiatives.
Applications for the GeoDS Masters Dissertation Scheme 2026 are now open: find out more now.
To stay up-to-date with the latest announcements, follow GeoDS on LinkedIn.
