Olaf Gerhard Schroth

Prof. Olaf Gerhard Schroth is a Professor of Geodesign and Landscape Informatics at the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT), leading Germany’s first professorship in this field. He holds roles managing CAD, GIS, and remote sensing laboratories, and oversees the IMLA Virtual Campus. His academic career includes postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia (2008-2012), roles as a lecturer at the University of Sheffield (2012-2017), and doctoral work at ETH Zurich (2003-2008).

His research focuses on digital methods for sustainable development, including geodesign, GIS, UAVs, and VR/AR for landscape planning. He emphasizes integrating technology with ecological and social goals, addressing climate adaptation and urbanization challenges. Teaching includes courses on data processing, IT in planning, and digital terrain modeling.

Key projects include flood risk mitigation in Indonesia, smart city microclimate modeling, and geodesign workshops for online education. He has supervised doctoral candidates like Junyi Zhao and Medria Shekar Rani, contributing to landscape informatics and participatory planning. His work bridges academia and practice, collaborating with firms and governments on projects like shelterbelt design in China and open data quality assessments in tourism planning.