Migration and Mobility

Migration and Mobility

Our lab does cutting-edge research at the intersection of big data analytics and human migration studies. By analyzing different forms of non-traditional data sources, such as digital footprints left on social media or satellite imagery, our research complements traditional migration research by providing more timely migration estimates, and by quantifying new phenomena. This line of work contributes to the understanding of migration dynamics, as well as more targeted humanitarian response during disasters.

Methods

Social media analysis: has emerged as a valuable method for studying migration and mobility, leveraging user-generated content to gain timely insights into migratory trends. In particular, tapping into social media advertising platforms has proven useful in settings from Colombia to Ukraine.

Satellite imagery: is an emerging tool for understanding mobility and displacement. By providing detailed, real-time views of the Earth's surface, these images help researchers identify makers of movements such as shifts in the distribution of visible cars. This technology offers a new vantage point, providing data that is often inaccessible through traditional means, thus improving our ability to effectively respond to displacement challenges.

Contact

Ingmar Weber

iweber (AT) cs (DOT) uni-saarland (DOT) de

Relevant papers

• "VME: A Satellite Imagery Dataset and Benchmark for Detecting Vehicles in the Middle East and Beyond" - Noora Al Emadi, Ingmar Weber, Yin Yang, Ferda Ofli. Scientific Data (2025).

• "Assessing Timely Migration Trends Through Digital Traces: A Case Study of the UK Before Brexit" - Francesco Rampazzo, Jakub Bijak, Agnese Vitali, Ingmar Weber, Emilio Zagheni. International Migration Review (2024).

• "Stop, in the Name of COVID! Using Social Media Data to Estimate the Effects of COVID-19-Related Travel Restrictions on Migration" - Jordan D Klein, Ingmar Weber, Emilio Zagheni. Demography 61 (2), 493-511 (2024/4/1).

• "Nowcasting daily population displacement in Ukraine through social media advertising data" - DR Leasure, R Kashyap, F Rampazzo, CA Dooley, B Elbers, and others in Population and Development Review (2023).

• "Using Facebook and LinkedIn data to study international mobility" - CC Vieira, M Fatehkia, K Garimella, I Weber, E Zagheni in Data Science for Migration and Mobility (2023).