Location Matters

About the Summer School
Spatial data is increasingly central to understanding health outcomes, social inequalities, environmental exposures, and access to services. For health and social scientists, integrating geospatial data strengthens empirical analyses – yet raises methodological challenges around data linkage, spatial units, and interpretation. For geoscientists, applying spatial expertise to societal and health-related questions requires engagement with domain concepts and interdisciplinary collaboration. Bringing these perspectives together, the “Location Matters” Interdisciplinary Summer School 2026 creates a focused space for methodological training, structured exchange, and research development. Participants will develop practical skills and interdisciplinary perspectives for working with spatial data in societal and health-related research contexts.

Where & When? University of Bremen, Germany | 13 – 17 July 2026
Maximum Participants: 20-25
Fees: Free of charge (supported by BMFTR funding through “DataNord” project)
Language: English
Application Deadline: 4 May 2026
Website: www.uni-bremen.de/data-science-center/geospatial-summer-school-2026
Apply here: www.uni-bremen.de/data-science-center/geospatial-summer-school-2026/application

Who Can Apply
We invite applications from researchers in the following fields:

• Social Sciences – e.g., sociology, political science, economics, educational sciences, psychology
• Health Sciences – e.g., epidemiology, public health
• Geosciences – e.g., geography, geoinformatics, cartography, spatial data science, environmental and earth sciences
• Related disciplines with a clear interest in geospatial analysis for social and health sciences.

Please note:

• Applicants must be affiliated with a university or research institution or be enrolled in a doctoral program.
• Applications are welcome from researchers based in Bremen, across Germany, and internationally.
• The program is tailored for PhD researchers. Advanced Master’s students and postdocs may be considered if places are available.

During the one-week program, participants will:

• Build transferable geospatial workflows using QGIS and reproducible R pipelines
• Strengthen their methodological strategy for spatial re-search questions
• Integrate geospatial data with surveys, administrative records, and other domain datasets
• Improve the clarity and impact of their spatial analyses through visual analytics and cartographic principles
• Receive expert and peer feedback on their data, methods, and analytical strategy
• Expand their interdisciplinary research network

A Best Poster Award will recognize outstanding poster presentations. All participants who complete the program will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Program & Format
The summer school combines five complementary formats to create an intensive, research-focused learning environment designed to strengthen participants’ skills and advance their own research. The full schedule will be published soon on our Website.

Application Process
Participation is limited. Applicants will be selected based on motivation, fit to the program, the relevance of their research interests, and the aim of forming a balanced interdisciplinary cohort.

What to submit?
Applicants are asked to complete the online Application Form and upload a short motivation letter (300-500 words).

Applicants may indicate whether they wish to present their work in a lightning talk and poster session. If this is not yet certain at the time of application, presentation can also be confirmed during registration, when a title and short abstract will be requested.

Interest in an expert consultation in the “Bring-Your-Own-Data Clinic” can be indicated either in the application form or during registration. Booking details, available time slots, and pre-submission guidelines will be shared after registration.

Please consult the Website for full application details and submission instructions.

Important Dates

• Application deadline: 4 May 2026
• Notification of acceptance: 18 May 2026
• Registration Deadline: 31 May 2026
• Summer School in Bremen: 13-17 July 2026

CfA (PDF)