Research Associate in African heritage and geospatial data science
Ahmed is a Remote Sensing Geoscientist working at the intersection of landscape archaeology, environmental change, and digital heritage. He holds a BSc in Surveying Engineering from the University of Khartoum (2013), an MSc in Engineering Surveying and GIS from the University of Nottingham (2017), and a PhD in Remote Sensing and GIS from the University of Nottingham (2022). His doctoral research developed remote sensing and geospatial methods to analyse sand dune dynamics and their impacts on landscapes in arid and coastal environments.
Ahmed previously worked as a Research Associate on the Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (EAMENA) project at the University of Leicester between September 2022 and January 2026. During this time, he developed the Machine Learning Automated Change Detection (MLACD) tool an open-access, cloud-based framework for monitoring threats to archaeological sites.
Working with the MAEASaM project provides an exciting opportunity to develop scalable digital monitoring frameworks that help us better understand both human-induced and environmental changes, while supporting sustainable landscape management and strengthening heritage protection across Africa.
Beyond research, Ahmed enjoys playing musical instruments, especially the oud, as well as cycling and travelling, which allow him to explore new cultures and landscapes.