Msilikale Msilanga
Msilikale Msilanga is a PhD researcher at the University of Turku’s Department of Geography and Geology, focusing on digital geospatial research and community mapping with free and open-source software (FOSS). Since 2011, he has led World Bank-supported urban resilience mapping initiatives in Tanzania and across Africa for disaster risk management. He manages the Resilience Academy, a collaboration that enhances geospatial and ICT education, promotes data sharing, and supports youth employability. For over seven years, he has been coordinating its implementation with five Tanzanian universities, including the University of Dar es Salaam, Ardhi University, State University of Zanzibar, Sokoine University of Agriculture, and Moshi Cooperative University, together with partner universities in Finland. His doctoral research focuses on Urban Resilience in African Cities through Geospatial Data-Driven Solutions and Decision-Making.
Session
This session provides a space for university students and alumni to pitch their visual solutions to a data visualization challenge competition. This is a way to empower university students and recent graduates with practical geospatial data visualization skills. The session is organized by the Resilience Academy to offer students and alumni from the University of Dar es Salaam, Ardhi University, Sokoine University of Agriculture, and State University of Zanzibar a hands-on experience in developing real-world solutions for specific client needs. In collaboration with GIZ, the challenges in the session are focused on supporting urban water and climate resilience in Tanzania’s rapidly growing cities of Mwanza and Tanga.
During the session, there will be two introductory presentations to familiarize participants with the program. Following these, student teams will pitch their solutions to the challenge. The session will conclude with the announcement of the winning groups and the presentation of awards.
Visualization Challenge 2025: https://resilienceacademy.ac.tz/data-visualisation-c/water-security-climate-resilience-visualization-challenge-transforming-data-into-actionable-insights-for-tanga-and-mwanza-cities/