Spatial Microsimulation: Principles and Application
   
 

Started: 20 February, 2008
Finished: 22 February, 2008
Primary Contact: Daniel Patrick

Members:
Daniel Patrick, David O'Sullivan
Related files:
- Brief bio - Dr Dimitris Ballas

Details:

Victoria University of Wellington, Railway Building West wing, 4th Floor, Room RWW415 (session 1) and Room RWW402 (session 2, Computer lab).

Spatial microsimulation is an emerging technique for developing detailed synthetic datasets describing household characteristics at a local level, by combining aggregate census data and more detailed sample household survey datasets. The method produces detailed portrayals of the household composition and mix of neighbourhoods, which can be used to inform analysis of spatial variations in the impact of social policy initiatives in taxation, general social policy, education, and health. The workshop presenter, Dr Dimitris Ballas (University of Sheffield, UK) is an internationally recognised leader in this field through his close involvement in the SimBritain spatial simulation toolkit.

Two workshops will be held, one at the University of Auckland (20 February, 2008) and one at Victoria University Wellington (22 February).
The workshops will comprise seminar/lecture materials in the morning followed by lab-based workshop activities in the afternoon (proposed schedule below).

The Wellington workshop will be included in the New Zealand Social Statistics Network’s (NZSSN) Summer Short Courses Programme 2008. The NZSSN short course programme attracts a mix of academics, research students, and policy professionals from the government agencies in Wellington.

Download workshop flyer for reference or circulation Spatial Microsimulation Workshop Flyer


The two workshops will be identical and will follow the schedule below:

  1. Introduction – Associate Professor David O’Sullivan, The University of Auckland (9.30am)

  2. Session 1: Seminars and Discussion (9.35am – 12.30pm)

    • Session 1a: Seminar – Overview of "Microsimulation" and "Spatial Microsimulation" in the Social Sciences. Dr Dimitris Ballas, University of Sheffield (9.35am – 10.20am)

    • Refreshment break and discussion (10.20am – 10.35am)

    • Session 1b: Seminar – Spatial Microsimulation for socio-economic impact assessment. Dr Dimitris Ballas, University of Sheffield (10.35am – 11.20am)

    • Refreshment break and discussion (11.20am – 11.35am)

    • Session 1c; Spatial Microsimulation for social policy analysis. Dr Dimitris Ballas, University of Sheffield (11.35am – 12.30pm)

    • Discussion (12.30pm – 12.45pm)
Lunch (12.45pm – 2.00pm)
  1. Introduction Session 2, workshop – Associate Professor David O’Sullivan, The University of Auckland (2.00pm)

  2. Session 2: Workshop – computer lab (2.00pm – ~5pm)

    • Session 2a: Workshop – Introduction to Spatial Microsimulation Java Software (2.05pm – 3.05pm)

    • Refreshment break (3.05pm – 3.20pm)

    • Session 2b: Workshop – Using Spatial Microsimulation to estimate and map missing information (3.20pm – 4.20pm)

    • Session 2c; Workshop – Discussion of possible applications in New Zealand (New Zealand data and policy issues)
Refreshments will be provided, and lunch for the workshop (session 2) registrants.

There is no charge for this workshop.

For more information please email nzssn@nzssn.org.nz.

We are grateful for the financial assistance provided by SPEaR and the School of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science at the University of Auckland, without which we could not offer this workshop.