[OSGeo-UK] Subject: Spring-Summer 2026 GIS Training from Dr Nick Bearman: Turn Your Research Questions Spatial

[Nick Bearman]

Hello,

Do you ever find yourself wondering about the where behind your research 
data?

This April and May, I'm running two GIS courses specifically designed 
for social science researchers, in partnership with NCRM. These aren't 
generic GIS courses – they're built around the questions you actually 
need to answer and the data you actually work with, with an opportunity 
to ask me specifically about your work.

Introduction to Spatial Data and R as a GIS

You'll learn to:
- Create your first maps from research data
- Understand when and why spatial analysis adds value
- Use spatial libraries such as `sf` to manage spatial data objects
- Basic data cleaning and transformation techniques for spatial & 
non-spatial datasets

Advanced R for Spatial Analysis and Statistics

You'll cover:
- Advanced spatial analysis techniques
- Research-grade modelling and hypothesis testing
- Introduction to the fundamentals of Spatial Statistics
- Hands-on practice with GeoDa and R for spatial data analysis

Why These Courses Work Differently
✓ Practical outcomes: You'll leave with skills you can immediately apply 
to your own projects
✓ Supportive environment: Small cohorts, plenty of Q&A time, no 
assumption that you're already technical
✓ Open source tools: Learn R & RStudio – free, powerful, and used by 
researchers worldwide

“Nice balance of theory and practice. Also useful to learn what to look 
for if things go wrong. Content was flexible to include what might be 
useful for our work.”
Vickie, Analyst, Public Health Wales

"Clear & exceptionally well-paced, with lots of opportunities to delve 
into the excellent support materials."
Russell F (DSRA)

Not sure?

Check out the free 1 hour seminar I recorded with InStats on "What is GIS?"
https://instats.org/seminar/what-is-gis-free-seminar

"This short, but free seminar was quite good to get a general overview 
of GIS. It was a good introduction to see how GIS could be useful to 
your research and what courses and resources might be useful to acquire 
GIS-related skills that you can use for your own projects."
Lukas S (University of Bologna)

More details:

Introduction to Spatial Data and Using R as a GIS
https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/training/show.php?article=14372
Tue 28th and Wed 29th Apr 2026, 10am – 1pm (UK/London), online, NCRM

Advanced R as a GIS: Spatial Analysis and Statistics
https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/training/show.php?article=14377
Tue 19th and Wed 20th May 2026, 10am – 1pm (UK/London), online, NCRM

https://nickbearman.com/training-courses

Any questions about whether the course is for you? Please email me and 
I'm happy to help you choose the right starting point.

Looking forward to helping you in your GIS journey.

Best wishes,
Nick.

-- 
Nick Bearman
+44 (0) 7717745715
nick at nickbearman.com | nick.bearman at ucl.ac.uk

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