Michael Sinclair

Dr. Michael Sinclair is a Lecturer in Urban Analytics at the University of Glasgow, affiliated with the Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy and the Urban Big Data Centre. He convenes the MSc in Urban Analytics and co-leads the Socio-Environmental Action research cluster. His research focuses on leveraging novel data sources (e.g., mobile apps, social media) to address societal and environmental challenges, particularly human-nature interactions and greenspace valuation. Sinclair leads projects funded by the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

His work emphasizes ethical use and representativeness of big data, with applications in urban policy, ecosystem services, and environmental sustainability. Sinclair has secured grants totaling over £1M, including projects on greenspace accessibility and urban data dashboards. He supervises students on GIS and urban analytics topics and contributes to policy-relevant datasets like Tamoco Open Spaces.

Notable achievements include developing methodologies for valuing nature-based recreation and advancing spatial interaction models for urban green spaces. His research bridges Human Geography and Environmental Science, with publications in journals like Ecosystem Services and Global Environmental Change.