CDU Research




For postgraduate places

Research Degrees and
Scholarships Officer
08 8946 6548
research.degrees@cdu.edu.au

For research projects

Manager Research Office
08 8946 6708
research@cdu.edu.au
Research

CDU Researcher Profile

Find a researcher by: Last name | Research area
Name: Dr Waqar Ahmad Dr Waqar Ahmad
Qualifications: BSc (Hons)
MSc
M.A.D.E
PhD
Main role: Senior Lecturer - GIS/Remote Sensing
Phone: +61 8 8946 6805
Fax: +61 8 8946 6712
Email: waqar.ahmad@cdu.edu.au
Address:

School of Science and Primary Industries
Faculty of Education, Health and Science
Charles Darwin University
Darwin NT 0909
Australia

Research Interests

Waqar's research interests include:

  • Land use/cover mapping using remote sensing/GIs
  • Radar remote sensing for environmental monitoring
  • Remote sensing applications in tropical environment management
  • Remote sensing applications in barrier reef mapping and monitoring
  • Integration of remote sensing/ Geographic Information
  • Habitat mapping using spatial technologies

Waqar's achievements/awards:

  1. Nominee for the 'Teaching Excellence Award', Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia, 2003.
  2. Visiting Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA, USA from 1998 to 1999
  3. Winner of the Higher Education 'Teaching Excellence Award', Northern Territory University, 1997.
  4. Institutional nominee for the 'Australian Award for University Teaching 1998'.
  5. Winner of the 'Science Quality Award', Faculty of Science, Northern Territory University, Darwin, Australia, 1994.
  6. Nominee for the 'Teaching Excellence Award', The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 1992.

Recent Publications

  1. Whiteside, T and Ahmad, W (2005). A comparison of object-oriented and pixel based classification methods for mapping land cover in Northern Australia. In proceedings SSC2005 Spatial intelligence innovation and praxis: Spatial Science Institute, Australia. ISBN 0-9581366-2-9.
  2. Whiteside, T and Ahmad, W (2005). A multi-scale object-oriented approach to mapping land cover using satellite imagery. In proceedings NARGIS2005. Applications in Tropical Spatial Science. Charles Darwin University, Australia. CD.
  3. Fegan, M., Devonport, C and Ahmad, W. (2005). Fusing GIS and image data to update cover type mapping. In proceedings NARGIS2005. Applications in Tropical Spatial Science. Charles Darwin University, Australia. CD.
  4. Slam, M. A., Gao, J., Ahmad, W., Neil, D., and Bell, P.,(2004). A composite DOP approach to handle bottom reflectance in mapping water quality parameters from TM imagery. Remote Sensing of Environment Journal. 92 (1) 42-51.
  5. Whiteside, T and Ahmad, W (2004) Object –oriented classification of ASTER for Land cover mapping in monsoonal northern Australia. In proceedings 12th Australasian Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Conference, Freemantle WA. CD, ISBN 0-9581366-1-0. Spatial Science Institute, Australia.
  6. Taiwo, B.F., Hill, G.J.E, Ahmad, W and Devonport, C (2003). Evaluating the effectiveness of remotely sensed data sets for estimating population & building data in Dili metropolis East Timor). In Proceedings, Spatial Sciences, Canberra, 2003-10-08.
  7. Khwaja, Z.H., Ahmad, W and Williams, R.J (2003). An evaluation of alternative image classification techniques for the identification and mapping of tropical savanna landscape in Northern Australia. Geocarto International, 18 (1) 33-44.
  8. Ahmad, W and Hill, G.J.E (2003) Use of varied resolution remotely sensed data for the management of tropical savannas, north Australian case study. Proceedings South East Asian Natural Resources and Environment Management conference University of Malaysia, Sabah, October.
  9. Islam, M. A., Gao, J., Ahmad, W., Neil, D., and Bell, P., (2003). Image calibration to Like value in quantitatively mapping quality parameters of shallow coastal waters from multitemporal TM data, manuscripts submitted to Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, Vol 69, pp567-573.
  10. Khwaja, Z.H., Ahmad, W and Williams, R.J (2002). Integrated varied resolution imageries and GIS for mapping land cover in tropical savannas of Northern Australia. Asian Pacific Remote Sensing Journal Vol 15, 65-84.
  11. Islam, M. A., Gao, J., Ahmad, W., Neil, D., and Bell, P.,(2002). Quantification of chlorophyll concentration by means of multi-temporal remote sensing in shallow coastal waters: challenge and feasibility. Proceedings of the 11th Australasian Remote Sensing Photogrammetry Conference, Brisbane, Australia. 2-6 Sep. CD pp 287-295.
  12. Fegan, M., Devonport, C and Ahmad, W (2002). Using archival GIS data to label pixels. In Proceedings 11 Australasian Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Conference, Brisbane, Australia. 2-6 Sep. CD # 885.
  13. Menges, C.H., J.J, Hill, G.J.E and Ahmad, W (2001) Use of airborne video data for the characterisation of tropical savannas in northern Australia: the optimal spatial resolution for remote sensing applications., International Journal of Remote Sensing, Vol 22, No 5 727-740.
  14. Bell, D., Menges, C.H., Ahmad, W and vanZyl, J.J (2001). The application of Dielectric Retrieval Algorithms for Mapping Soil Salinity in a Tropical Coastal Environment Using Airborne Polarimetric SAR. Remote Sensing of Environment, 75 (3) 375-384.
  15. Menges, C.H., vanZyl, J.J, Hill, G.J.E and Ahmad, W (2001) A procedure for the correction of the effects of variation in local incidence on airsar data. International Journal of Remote Sensing, Vol 22, No 5, pp829-841.
  16. Menges, C.H., Greg, G.J.E., Ahmad, W., van Zyl, J.J (2001) Incidence angle correction of AIRSAR data for land cover classification. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing Journal. Vol 67 (4), pp 479-489.
  17. Bell, D., Menges, C.H.,Bartolo, R., Ahmad, W and vanZyl, J.J (2001). A MultistageApproach to Mapping Soil Salinity in a Tropical Coastal Environment Using Airborne SAR and Landsat TM data, Proceedings IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), Sydney, Australia, July 9-13.
  18. Khwaja, Z.H., Ahmad, W and Williams, R.J (2001). Some issues concerning regional mapping of the Savanna lamdscape by remote sensing and GIS in northern Australia. Proc. 5th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 03-05 July, CD-Rom.
  19. Fegan, M., Devonport and Ahmad, W (2001) Automation of image classification by fusion with GIS data. Proc. 5th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 03-05 July, CD-Rom.
  20. McIntyre, D.L, Ahmad, W and Menges, C (2001). Mapping the environmental weed Mimosa pigra on the Mary River wetlands, Northern Territory, using TopSAR and Landsat ETM data. Proc. 5th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 03-05 July, CD-Rom.
  21. Yue, Z, Whitehead, P and Ahmad, W (2001). Wildfire mapping in tropical Savanna of the northern Territory of Australia. Proc. 5th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 03-05 July, CD-Rom.
  22. Zhang,Y., Whitehead, P., Ahmad, W and Menges, C (2002). An operational approach for mapping bushfire history in the tropical savannas of northern Australia. In Proc. 26th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing, Taipei,Vol 1, pp609-614.
  23. Bell, D., Menges, C.H., Bartolo, R.E., Ahmad, W., and vanZyl, J.J. (2000). A preliminary Investigation into the Use of SAR and TM Data Fusion for Mapping Saltwater Intrusion. Proceedings of the 10th Australasian Remote Sensing Photogrammetry Conference, Sydney Australia, 21-25 August, 12-13.
  24. Bell, D., Menges, C.H., Ahmad, W., and vanZyl, J.J. (2000). Vegetation correction of Airsar data for soil salinity in a tropical coastal environment. Proceedings, 39th Annual Congress of the Australian Society for Liminology (incorporating the inaugural Australian Wetlands Forum), Darwin, NT Australia, 7-10 July.
  25. Menges, C. H., Bell, D., van Zyl, J. J., Ahmad, W., and Hill, G. J. E., (2000), Image Classification of AIRSAR Data to Delineate Vegetation Communities in the Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia. Proceedings of the 10th Australasian Remote Sensing Photogrammetry Conference, Sydney Australia, 21-25 August, 1286.
  26. Bartolo, R. E., Bell, D., Pfitzner, K., Menges, C. H., Hill, G. J. E., Ahmad, W., Hosking, J., and Astondoa, E., (2000), Current Research and Future Directions for Coastal Remote Sensing in Northern Australia. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference Remote Sensing for Marine and Coastal Environments, Charleston, South Carolina, USA, 1-3 May, I450-457.
  27. Zhang,Y., Whitehead, P., Ahmad, W and Menges, C (2000). An operational approach for mapping bushfire history in the tropical savannas of northern Australia. In Proc. 21st Asian Remote Sensing Conference, Taiwan December 4-8, pp609-614.
  28. Fegan, M., Ahmad, W and Devonport, C. Beginning an investigation into the use of fusion of image and non-image data for the automation of classification of a tropical wetland. Proceedings IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), Sydney, Australia, July 9-13.
  29. Fegan, M., Ahmad, W and Devonport, C. Automating image classification, a preliminary foray using archival GIS data to label pixels. Proceedings IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), Sydney, Australia, July 9-13.
  30. Ahmad, W., Hill, G.J.E., O’Grady and Manges, K (2000) Use of multi-spectral scanner data for the identification and mapping of tropical forests of northern Australia. Asian Pacific Remote Sensing Journal. Vol 11(1), pp 13-23.
  31. Colly, T., Ahmad, W and Hill, G.J.E. (2000) Remote sensing of salinity in a north Australian floodplain. Asian Pacific Remote Sensing Journal. Vol 11(1), pp 37-47.
  32. Ahmad, W., Neil, D and Hill, G.J.E. (2000). Use of landsat TM data for mapping morphological and ecological zones in the Greta Barrier Reef (GBR) of Australia. Sixth International conference on Remote Sensing for Marine and Coastal Environments, Charleston, South Carolina, 1-3 May.
  33. Bartolo, R.E., Bell, D., Pfitzner, K., Manges, C., Hill, G.J.E., Ahmad, W., Hosking, J and Astondoa, E (2000). Current research and future directions for coastal remote sensing in Northern Australia. Sixth International conference on Remote Sensing for Marine and Coastal Environments, Charleston, South Carolina, 1-3 May.
  34. Phinn, S.R., Neil, D.T., and Ahmad, W., 1999. Remote sensing of coral reef environments - a fresh start? Australian Coral Reef Society Annual Scientific Conference, South Molle Island Resort, Whitsunday Islands, Australia. 3 - 6 Sept., Abs. p. 51.
  35. Ahmad, W, Neil, D.T. and Phinn, S.R., 1999. Reef zonation and cover mapping using Landsat TM data: Capricorn Group (southern GBR). Australian Coral Reef Society Annual Scientific Conference, South Molle Island Resort, Whitsunday Islands, Australia. 3 - 6 Sept., Abs. p. 63.
  36. Ahmad, W., Neil, D, Phinn, S and Hill, G.J.E (1999). Use of Landsat TM data for mapping morphological and ecological zones in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) of Australia. In Asia-Pacific Congress on the Biology of the Environment. Singapore National University, 21-24 November, 1999. Pages 13-18.
  37. Ahmad W., Menges, C. and Hill, G.J.E, (1999). The application of remotely sensed data for monitoring reef zonation changes in Northern Australia. Proc. 4th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 28-30 June, CD-Rom #41.
  38. Fegan, M., Devonport, C and Ahmad, W. (1999). A method of automatically evaluating the degree of spatial fit between recorded ground truth and image spectral classes. Proc. 4th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 28-30 June, CD-Rom #30.
  39. Menges, C. and Ahmad W., (1999) Evaluation of AIRSAR data for the classification of vegetation communities in the tropical savannas of northern Australia. Proc. 4th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 28-30 June, CD-Rom #33.
  40. Hayder, K; Ahmad, W and Williams, R.J (1999) Use of varied resolution imagery for land cover mapping in semi-arid tropical savannas at Kidman Springs, northern Territory, Australia. Proc. 4th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 28-30 June, CD-Rom #05.
  41. Menges, C.H ., van Zyl, J. J., Ahmad, W., and Hill, G.J.E., (1999) Classification of vegetation communities in the tropical savannas of northern Australia using AirSAR data. Pacific Rim AIRSAR Significant Results and Planning Workshop, Maui, Hawaii, 24-26 August.
  42. Pfitzner, K and Ahmad, W (1999) Remote sensing of rehabilitated mine site using modular airborne imaging spectrometer (MAIS) data, Rum Jungle, Northern Territory, Proc. 4th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 28-30 June, CD-Rom #29.
  43. Bell, D., vanZyl J.J., Menges, C and Ahmad, W (1999) An evaluation of dielectric retrieval algorithm in the tropical savannas, Proc. 4th North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Conference, Darwin, Australia, 28-30 June, CD-Rom #30.
  44. Menges, C.H ., O’Grady, A., and Ahmad, W., (1999) Relationships between biophysical parameters and polarimetric AirSAR data in the tropical savannas of northern Australia. Pacific Rim AIRSAR Significant Results and Planning Workshop, Maui, Hawaii, 24-26 August.
  45. Menges C. H., Hill G. J. E., and Ahmad W., (1998) Landsat TM Data and Potential Feeding Grounds for Threatened Marine Turtle Species in Northern Australia. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 19, 6, 1207-1221.
  46. Menges C. H., Crerar, J., Hill G. J. E., and Ahmad W., (1998) A Method for Estimating the Effect of Variation in Local Incidence Angle on AIRSAR Data. Proceedings of the 9th Australasian Remote Sensing Photogrammetry Conference, Sydney Australia, 20-24 July, No 145, CD-Rom.
  47. Ahmad, W;. vanZyl, J.J;. Menges, C, O'Grady, A and Hill, G.J.E (1998) Preliminary results of supervised and unsupervised AIRSAR data classification techniques in the tropical savannas of northern Australia, PACRIM Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) Workshop, Sydney, 26-28 July.
  48. Devonport, C.C., Hill, G.J.E., Ahmad, W., Menges, C., and Carter, J. (1998) GIS for Marine Turtle Conservation and Management in Northern Australia. Marine Turtle Conservation and Management in Northern Australia, Darwin, 3-4 June, .41-48.
  49. Williams, R.J., Ahmad, W., Hill, G.J.E. and Cook, G.D. (1997) Synthetic aperature Radar data and environmental gradients in the Northern Territory, Australia: Applications in the ecology of tropical savannas. Proc. International Workshop on RADAR Image processing and Applications, University of NSW, Sydney, 6-8 Nov., pp25-29.
  50. Ahmad, W., Williams, R.J., Cook, G.D. and Hill, G.J.E. (1997) Synthetic Aperture Radar data and environmental gradients in the Northern Territory, Australia: The environment, the data and the land cover types. Proc. International Workshop on RADAR Image processing and Applications, University of NSW, Sydney, 6-8 Nov., pp 21-25.
  51. Carter, J.L., Hill, G.J.E. and Ahmad, W. (1997) Choosing imagery for the intertidal and subtidal zones of the Arnhem Land coast. NARGIS ‘97. Proc. 3rd North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop, Cairns, 28-30 Apr, pp 78-88.
  52. Hill, G.J.E., Ahmad, W., Menges, C.H. and Cook, G.D. (1997) The role of remote sensing in monitoring the management of a Mimosa pigra stand in the Northern Territory. NARGIS ‘97, Proc. 3rd North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop, Cairns, 28-30 April, pp 46-57.
  53. Ahmad, W., Khwaja, Z.H., Menges, C.H., Hill, G.J.E., Williams, R.J. and Cook,G.D. (1997) Airborne Radar as an input to conventional remote sensing in the Kidman Springs area of the Northern Territory. NARGIS ‘97. Proc. 3rd North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop, Cairns.pp 64-73.
  54. Menges, C.H ., Ahmad, W., Khwaja, Z. H., Hill, G.J.E., and Cook, G.D. (1997) The role of remote sensing in monitoring the management of a Mimosa pigra stand in the Northern Territory. NARGIS 97. Proc. 3rd North Australian Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop, Cairns, 28-30 Apr, 29-41.
  55. Ahmad W. and Hill, G.J.E. (1996) Potential of remote sensing data for classifying Trochus reseeding sites. Proc. Trochus hatching and Reseeding Workshop, ACIAR, Darwin, 6-7 June, pp13.
  56. Williams, R.J., Hill, G.J.E., Ahmad, W. and Cook, G. (1996) Remote sensing and savanna ecology and management: Applications along the IGBP North Australian Tropical Transect (NATT). Presentation to 10th CEOS Plenary Canberra, 13-15 Nov., pp4.
  57. Menges C. H., Ahmad W., Khwaja Z. H., and Hill G. J. E, (1996) Merging Minimum Distance to Mean and Maximum Likelihood Algorithms for Classifying Mimosa Pigra in Northern Australia. Asian-Pacific Remote Sensing Journal, 9, 1, 51-59.
  58. Hill, G., Ahmad, W., Menges, C., Carter, J., Kent, B., McCarthy, M. and Kelly, G. (1996) Development of self-study CAL materials on remote sensing image processing operations. CAUT Teaching Workshop for Qld and NT, Brisbane, 1-2 February.
  59. Hill, G., Ahmad, W., Carter, J., Kelly, G., Menges, C., Hall, C., Kent, B., McCarthy, M. and Stevanovic, V. (1996) Advanced Image Processing (Computer Aided Learning Package), Darwin, Northern Territory University & University of Queensland.
  60. Islam, M.A; Neil, D; Ahmad, W; Bell. P and Gabric, A. (1995) Water quality parameter mapping in shallow coastal water area, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Australia, through the integration of remote sensing and GIS. In. D.T Neil, Narelle J., Hall and I.R Tibbitts (eds). The marine Environment Conference 'Environmental Quality, Ecology and Management in Australasia and Oceania' Brisbane, 14-17 February, pp 89.
  61. Ahmad, W. and Hill, G.J.E. (1995) Land cover classification of the Mary Riverfloodplain with an emphasis on the effect of salt water intrusion. NARGIS ‘95. Proc. 2nd North Australia Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop, Darwin, 18 - 20 July, pp76 - 83.
  62. Ahmad, W. and Hill, G.J.E. (1995) A classification strategy for mapping trochus shell habitat in Torres Strait, Australia. ACRES UPDATE, February, pp 6-9.

Remote Sensing software related publications

  1. Ahmad, W and Hill, G.J.E (1990). “Image management” microBRIAN work book No 1. Remote Sensing Unit, Department of Geographical Sciences & Planning, Australian Key Centre in Land Information System, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia 74 pp.
  2. Ahmad, W and Hill, G.J.E (1990). “Image management” microBRIAN work book No 2. Remote Sensing Unit, Department of Geographical Sciences & Planning, Australian Key Centre in Land Information System, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia 41 pp.
  3. Ahmad, W and Hill, G.J.E (1991). “Image classification” microBRIAN work book No 3. Remote Sensing Unit, Department of Geographical Sciences & Planning, Australian Key Centre in Land Information System, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia 32 pp.
  4. Ahmad, W and Hill, G.J.E (1991). “Image classification” microBRIAN work book No 4. Remote Sensing Unit, Department of Geographical Sciences & Planning, Australian Key Centre in Land Information System, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia 41pp.
  5. Ahmad, W and Hill, G.J.E (1992). “Image rectification and registration” microBRIAN work book No 5. Remote Sensing Unit, Department of Geographical Sciences & Planning, Australian Key Centre in Land Information System, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia 77 pp.
  6. Ahmad, W and Hill, G.J.E (1992). “Advanced Image classification” microBRIAN  work book No 6. Remote Sensing Unit, Department of Geographical Sciences & Planning, Australian Key Centre in Land Information System, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia 63 pp.
  7. Ahmad, W (1994). “Digital Image Processing” using ERDAS IMAGINE. Remote Sensing and GIS Unit, Northern Territory University, Darwin Australia. 118 pp.
  8. Hill, G., Ahmad, W., Carter, J., Kelly, G., Menges, C., Hall, C., Kent, B., McCarthy, M. and Stevanovic, V. (1996) Advanced Image Processing (Computer Aided Learning Package), Darwin, Northern Territory University & University of Queensland. CD.

Current Projects

 

Recent Completions Supervised

PhD

  • Pfitzner, Kirrilly: Application of hyperspectral remote sensing for minesite rehabilitation assessment. 30/08/04
  • Zulfiquar Khwaja: Study of remote sensing and GIS for the assessment of their capabilities in mapping the vegetation form and structure of tropical savannas in northern Australia. Lodged: 29/04/2002
  • Darren Bell: Measuring soil salinity using airborne Multi-frequency Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar and its application to the north Australian tropical coastal wetlands. Lodged: 23/04/2002
  • Carl Menges: Image Processing of Multi-frequency Polarimetric AirSAR Data to characterise the vegetation communities of the Tropical Savannas in Northern Australia. Lodged:28/02/01
  • Md Anisul Islam: Development of Water Quality Monitoring System for Shallow Coastal waters:18/6/01
  • Anthony O'Grady: Patterns of tree and stand water use in the Eucalypt open-forest of savannas of north Australia. Lodged: 01/08/00

Go to top of page