Research output per year
Research output per year
Researcher, Senior Researcher
Abdulhakim Abdi is a geographer and environmental scientist whose research investigates landscape dynamics and human-environment interactions at multiple scales. With expertise in ecosystem remote sensing, Abdulhakim examines the drivers and impacts of land-use change, aiming to bridge scientific knowledge and policy for sustainable landscape management. His interdisciplinary approach integrates large-scale spatial data, machine learning, and ecosystem monitoring tools, enabling him to capture and interpret complex patterns of environmental change. He has written on diverse dimensions of global environmental change such as monitoring areas of conservation concern; the link between biodiversity and land-use; satellite remote sensing; mapping with machine-learning; impacts of climate change; and public perceptions of, and stakeholder interactions in, environmental change, among other topics.
Abdulhakim holds a PhD in Geobiosphere Science from Lund University and a joint MSc in Geospatial Technologies. He has a diverse educational background in geoscience, which he leverages in his research to analyze socio-environmental feedbacks in landscapes and explore how human activity shapes—and is shaped by—natural systems. Currently, as principal investigator of a project in southern Sweden, he applies advanced remote sensing techniques to map forest tree species composition, using a combination of satellite observations, UAV data, and machine learning to develop high-resolution biodiversity assessments that support conservation efforts.
His work also involves collaboration with ecologists, climate scientists, and social scientists, fostering a multifaceted perspective on issues such as biodiversity, climate impacts, and resource management. By connecting different disciplinary insights, Abdulhakim addresses environmental questions from a holistic perspective—seeking answers to how landscapes can be managed sustainably in a time of rapid global change.
In addition to his research, Abdulhakim is an active educator in geospatial sciences. At Lund University, he teaches courses in GIS and environmental monitoring, where he leads a hands-on module in geospatial technologies, from basic to advanced applications. His educational contributions emphasize practical skills and critical thinking, equipping students with the tools needed to analyze and address complex environmental issues.
You can find him on LinkedIn or on his personal website. A list of his publications can be found on Google Scholar or ORCID.
• Research Scientist: Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sweden. 01/2022 – Present.
Parental Leave (100%): February 2020 – July 2020. (6 months)
• Postdoctoral Researcher: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. 07/2019 – 12/2021. Supervisor: Prof. Rasmus Fensholt.
• Postdoctoral Researcher: Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sweden. 08/2018 - 06/2019. Supervisor: Prof. Lars Eklundh.
• Project Assistant: Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sweden. 01/2018 - 08/2018. Supervisor: Prof. Jonas Ardö.
Parental Leave (100%): June 2017 – January 2018. (6 months)
• Visiting Scholar: Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. 08/2015 – 12/2015. Supervisor: Prof. Ranga Myneni.
• Geographic Information Specialist: Polar Geophysics Group, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. 08/2010 – 10/2012. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Robin E. Bell.
• Visiting Researcher: GIS/Remote Sensing Lab, Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Front Royal, VA, USA. 04/2010 – 08/2010. Supervisor: Dr. Peter Leimgruber.
• Project Geoscientist: Energy, Environment and Infrastructure Unit, Science Applications International Corporation, Hackensack, NJ, USA. 05/2007 – 08/2008. Supervisor: Mark Hasting.
• Geotechnician: Energy, Environment and Infrastructure Unit, Science Applications International Corporation, Hackensack, NJ, USA. 04/2005 – 05/2007. Supervisor: Jillian M. Loughlin.
PEDAGOGICAL TRAINING
Completed all the requirements for prospective associate professors (docent) including:
COURSES
Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sweden
School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, Halmstad University, Sweden
Social Research and Development Institute, Hargeisa, Somaliland
College of Agriculture, University of Hargeisa, Somaliland
Dept. of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management, Copenhagen University, Denmark
Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University
Center for Sustainability Studies, Lund University, Sweden
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian Institution, USA
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SUPERVISION
ONGOING
HOSTED VISITING STUDENTS
SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Abdi, H. (PI)
2022/01/01 → 2026/12/31
Project: Research
Abdi, H. (PI)
2019/07/01 → 2022/12/31
Project: Research
Abdi, H. (PI)
2024/08/15 → 2025/06/30
Project: Research
Olsson, P. (PI), Abdi, H. (Researcher), Kendall, L. (Researcher), Clough, Y. (Researcher), Nielsen, P. P. (Researcher) & Morell, K. (Researcher)
2024/01/01 → 2027/12/31
Project: Research
Rundlöf, M. (PI), von Post, M. (Researcher), Abdi, H. (Researcher), Smith, H. (Researcher) & Schneider, F. (Project coordinator)
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
2024/01/01 → 2026/12/31
Project: Research
Sjöström, C. (Organiser), Litsmark, A. (Participant), Thomasson, A. (Participant), Ganslandt, E. (Participant), Enström, E. (Participant), Holmgren, E. (Participant), Margiotta, C. (Participant), Labastida, D. L. (Participant), Zhong, H. (Participant), Sattler, K. (Participant), Ochsner, M. (Participant), Davila, N. (Participant), Schüller, V. (Participant), Prentice, H. C. (Participant), Johansson, H. (Participant), Sparr, E. (Participant), Brady, M. V. (Participant), Knaggård, Å. (Participant), Nordin, E. (Participant), Abdi, H. (Participant), Friberg, J. (Participant), Rydälv, C. (Participant), Thomson, E. (Participant), Berghof, M. (Participant) & Farewell, A. (Participant)
Activity: Other › Pedagogical development work
Abdi, H. (Invited speaker), Reese, H. (Invited speaker) & Eriksson, L. (Invited speaker)
Activity: Talk or presentation › Public lecture/debate/seminar
Abdi, H. (Interviewee)
Activity: Other › Media participation
Abdi, H. (Presenter)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Abdi, H. (Presenter)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Abdi, H. (Recipient), 2017 May 12
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Johansson, E. (Recipient) & Abdi, H. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Other distinction