Biography
James is a Lecturer in Computer Science at Birmingham Newman University, where he delivers modules across the software development and cyber security curriculum. His academic and professional interests centre on the representation and visualization of fuzzy, place-based ‘platial’ data within geospatial computing, with a growing focus on the application of large language models in this space. James also organises initiatives in student engagement, including events and hackathons, while actively collaborating with industry and local communities.
He completed his PhD at the Nottingham Geospatial Institute and Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training at the University of Nottingham, where his research, alongside Ordnance Survey, explored the digital curation of leisure walking experiences. His thesis contributed novel frameworks and tools, including the WalkGIS and WalkGrid systems, for analysing the subjective experience of leisure walking. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and received competitive research funding for work in geospatial computer science and human-computer interaction.
Other Activities
Research Interests
James’ research explores how people engage with place and space through digital systems, with a focus on making geospatial technologies more contextual, personal, and meaningful. His work combines geospatial computing, information visualisation, and human-computer interaction to investigate how uncertain, fuzzy, and subjective aspects of the environment can be represented in data and software. Drawing on mixed methods and interdisciplinary approaches, he has developed tools such as WalkGIS and WalkGrid to support richer, user-centred route recommendations. More recently, he has begun examining the role of hierarchical technologies in enhancing the interpretability and flexibility of mobile geospatial computing, aiming to support nuanced interactions with location-based data in everyday and in-situ contexts.
Teaching
James teaches across undergraduate Computer Science programmes at Birmingham Newman University, with a focus on practical, project-based learning in web development, software development, and cyber security. He delivers his lectures through a student-centred approach that emphasises real-world problem solving, project-based learning, and industry-relevant skills. His teaching integrates interactive labs, live coding, and projects that mirror professional practice. He also champions extracurricular initiatives like hackathons and actively engages with industry and educational partners to enhance employability and applied learning opportunities.
Previously, he was a Demonstrator at the University of Nottingham, where he supported undergraduate and master’s modules in programming, software engineering, and digital systems as part of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering.
Administrative Responsibilities
James is responsible for the design and delivery of modules in software development and cyber security, including curriculum planning, creation of teaching materials, assessment design, and quality assurance. He contributes to the ongoing development of the course portfolio to ensure alignment with current industry standards and emerging technologies. Beyond the classroom, he leads student engagement initiatives such as Hack Quest hackathons and supports outreach and recruitment through partnerships with local colleges and stakeholders.
Membership of Professional Organisations
James is a Professional Member of the British Computer Society and an Affiliate Member of the British Cartographic Society. He is also a Student Affiliate of the Royal Institute of Navigation and a Network Member of the Association for Geographic Information. Additionally, he has served as a peer reviewer for Urban Research & Practice.
Conferences and Other Research Activity
In addition to publications, James engages in a range of research activities that support knowledge exchange, collaboration, and the wider academic community. These include:
Funding and Awards
· Horizon CDT Large Impact Grant, University of Nottingham (2024)
· Horizon CDT International Travel Grant, University of Nottingham (2024)
· Researcher Academy Conference Fund: International Events, University of Nottingham (2022)
· EPSRC-funded PhD Studentship, Horizon CDT, University of Nottingham (2020–2024)
· British Computer Society Prize for Outstanding Performance in Technology Cluster, Nottingham Trent University (2019)
Posters
· Designing a Framework for Recommending Personalised Leisure Walking Experiences – IEEE COINS 2024 PhD Forum
· A Spatial-Platial Approach to Recommending Engaging Leisure Walks – GIScience 2023 Poster Session
Magazine Articles
· Survey of Leisure Walking Behaviours and Activity Tracking Use – Coordinates Magazine (2023)
Presentations and Talks
· Designing a Framework for Recommending Personalised Leisure Walking Experiences – IEEE COINS PhD Forum (2024)
· WalkGIS: Geographic Information System for Exploring Leisure Walking Through Linked Video Narratives – Conference on Interdisciplinary Perspectives on People, Environment, and Health (2023)
· A Framework for Curating Engaging Leisure Walking Experiences – Royal Institute of Navigation: Next Gen Nav (2022); OS Workshop 2022, 2023, and 2024.
· Curating Engaging Leisure Walking Experiences – Outdoor Recreation Network Academic Research Group Meeting (2022)
· Personalising Walking Route Recommendations through Engagement with Places of Interest – OS Walking Workshop (2021); GIScience Research Away Day, Leicester (2021)
Publications
Williams James (2024). “Towards a Framework for Personalising Leisure Walking Route Recommendations”. In: Web and Wireless Geographical Information Systems. W2GIS 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14673. Springer, Cham, pp. 211–217. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-60796-7_16.
Williams James, Pinchin James, Hazzard Adrian, Priestnall Gary, Cavazzi Stefano, and Ballatore Andrea (2023). “WalkGIS: Exploring Platial Analysis of Leisure Walks via Linked Video Narratives”. In: 31st Annual Geographical Information Science Research UK Conference (GISRUK). Glasgow, Scotland, pp. 1–6. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7825302.
Williams James, Pinchin James, Hazzard Adrian, Priestnall Gary, Cavazzi Stefano, and Ballatore Andrea (2023). “Emerging Platial Narratives and Themes from a Leisure Walking Study”. In: Fourth International Symposium on Platial Information Science (PLATIAL’23). Dortmund, Germany, pp. 23–28. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.8286259.
Williams James, Cavazzi Stefano, Pinchin James, Hazzard Adrian, Priestnall Gary, and Ballatore Andrea (2022). “Context for Leisure Walking Routes: A Vision for a Spatial-Platial Approach”. In: Spatial Data Science Symposium 2022 Short Paper Proceedings. Online. doi: 10.25436/E20W2J.
Williams James, Pinchin James, Hazzard Adrian, Priestnall Gary, Cavazzi Stefano, and Ballatore Andrea (2022). “An Emerging Conceptual Model for Curating Engaging Leisure Walking Recommendations”. In: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Location Based Services (LBS 2022), pp. 1–3.
Williams James, Pinchin James, Hazzard Adrian, and Priestnall Gary (2021). “Survey of Leisure Walking Behaviours and Activity Tracking Use: Emerging Themes and Design Considerations”. In: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Location Based Services (LBS 2021). TUWien, pp. 136–141. doi: 10.34726/1760.
Kanjo Eiman, Anderez Dario Ortega, Anwar Amna, Al Shami Ahmad, and Williams James (2021). “CrowdTracing: Overcrowding Clustering and Detection System for Social Distancing”. In: 2021 IEEE International Smart Cities Conference (ISC2). Manchester, United Kingdom, pp. 1-7. doi: 10.1109/ISC253183.2021.9562914.