About
Stuart Charters is an Associate Professor at the School of Landscape Architecture, Lincoln University, New Zealand. His academic career spans research and teaching in computational agroecology, human-computer interaction, and software engineering. He serves as the Programme Director for the Master of Applied Computing and was previously seconded to be the Director of SIGNAL ICT Graduate School. Currently, he holds the position of Director of the Centre for Geospatial and Computing Technologies at Lincoln University.
Dr. Charters holds a PhD and BSc (Hons) from the University of Durham, United Kingdom. His educational background provides a strong foundation for his interdisciplinary research that bridges technology, agriculture, and ecology, with applications in landscape architecture and sustainable agricultural systems.
Charters' research focuses on the intersection of technology, agriculture and ecology, which he terms 'computational agroecology,' and on human aspects of computing including Software Engineering, Visualisation and eResearch. His work investigates how humans engage and interact with technology, with emphasis on both the design and deployment of environmental and agricultural technology, data presentation for consumption, and processes around human engagement. He particularly emphasizes that 'the ability for people to effectively engage with technology and interpret data is essential for technology adoption and effective data based decision-making.' His work in Evidence based Software Engineering aims to improve research reporting quality and provide methods to assess research evidence impact on practice or policy.
His recent publications reveal a strong interdisciplinary focus spanning computational agroecology, IoT security, digital tools for landscape planning, and human-computer interaction in agricultural contexts. His work frequently employs geospatial modeling, multi-agent systems, and visualization techniques to address challenges in sustainable agriculture, landscape management, and technology adoption. A notable trend is his increasing focus on integrating ecological health with technological solutions in agricultural settings, particularly in New Zealand high-country environments.
Charters actively supervises postgraduate research across diverse areas including neural networks for agricultural vehicles, IoT trust systems, technology's impact on elderly quality of life, and agile software development. His teaching includes directing the Master of Applied Computing program, which helps people transition into tech careers from any degree background. He has examined numerous courses including Industry Project COMP693 and Research Essay COMP698.
He maintains an active international research network, collaborating with colleagues in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. His ORCID identifier is 0000-0002-1560-0805, and he is available for collaborative projects, industry engagement, and student supervision in Masters and PhD programs.
