Research Published in a Prestigious Q1 Journal

As part of the distinguished research activities of the Environmental Research Center at the University of Mosul, Dr. Zakariya Nafi Mahmoud has published a scientific research article entitled:

“Reducing Subjectivity in Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: Machine Learning-Informed Multi-Criteria Analysis with Spatial Uncertainty Assessment”

The article was published in the international journal Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment, issued by SAGE Publishing. The journal is ranked in the first quartile (Q1) and indexed in both Scopus and Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science).

The research aims to address the challenges associated with subjective weighting in Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approaches while enhancing transparency in machine learning models used for landslide susceptibility mapping. The study integrates machine learning techniques with multi-criteria analysis and spatial uncertainty assessment to achieve more accurate and objective results.

The findings demonstrated that combining machine learning with multi-criteria analysis improves the reliability of landslide susceptibility maps. The SAW model achieved the highest predictive performance, while the FBCR model produced a high-confidence susceptibility map with clear interpretation of the influencing factors. Furthermore, incorporating uncertainty assessment within a GIS environment transformed conventional maps into confidence-aware decision-support tools, enhancing their usefulness for planning and risk management in complex geographical settings.

This scientific achievement reflects the Environmental Research Center’s commitment to supporting high-quality research and developing innovative solutions to environmental and developmental challenges. The study contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and Goal 13 (Climate Acti