Jane Goodall Institute's Dr Lilian Pintea to deliver keynote at Geo Week 2026

As geospatial technologies continue to expand their influence beyond traditional markets, Geo Week 2026 will turn the spotlight on conservation. The event has confirmed Dr Lilian Pintea, vice president of conservation science at the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), as a keynote speaker at the conference, which will take place from 16-18 February at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, USA.

In his keynote on 'Mapping technologies accelerating conservation', Dr Pintea will examine how advanced mapping and remote sensing technologies are reshaping conservation practice worldwide. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience, he has been at the forefront of applying satellite imagery, GIS, Lidar, AI and community-centred mapping to protect chimpanzees and their habitats across Africa.

In close collaboration with Dr Jane Goodall, whose pioneering research transformed global understanding of wild chimpanzees and modern conservation, Dr Pintea has helped drive a technological shift that continues to influence how governments, researchers and local communities approach environmental stewardship.

Real-world impact of geospatial technologies

“Dr Pintea’s work exemplifies the extraordinary real-world impact geospatial technologies can have when paired with human-centred conservation,” said Carla Lauter, senior content manager at Geo Week. “His keynote will resonate deeply with geospatial professionals who understand that accurate data, advanced tools and thoughtful implementation can change lives, policies and ecosystems.”

“I am very excited about this opportunity to share Jane Goodall’s vision and our work, including exciting new developments around GeoAI in supporting collaborative research and conservation, with the local communities that live alongside wildlife habitat,” said Dr Pintea. 

At Geo Week 2026, Dr Pintea will showcase how the Jane Goodall Institute is deploying advanced technologies such as Lidar, drone-based mapping and AI-driven data integration to deepen understanding of complex ecosystems. These tools enable researchers to analyse forest structure in detail, model chimpanzee habitats in three dimensions and link acoustic, behavioural and environmental data in ways that were previously not possible. The resulting insights are accelerating restoration efforts, strengthening habitat models and supporting resilience in regions under increasing pressure from climate change.

Geospatial industry and Dr Jane Goodall’s legacy

Beyond the technology itself, Dr Pintea’s work highlights a broader principle shaping modern conservation: innovation must deliver value for both ecosystems and the people who depend on them. While the Jane Goodall Institute is widely recognized for its conservation programmes, scientific research and youth engagement, his keynote will focus on how geospatial technologies can help translate global conservation ambitions into locally grounded action. Access to reliable data, local participation and informed decision-making are central to this approach.

Dr Pintea will also reflect on the role of the geospatial industry in carrying forward Dr Jane Goodall’s legacy. He will argue that future tools and platforms must be designed with transparency and equity in mind, ensuring that communities most affected by environmental change are equipped to shape their own responses.

As Earth observation, AI and spatial analytics continue to advance, the keynote will underline the sector’s potential to deliver practical outcomes – turning data into insight, insight into collaboration, and collaboration into measurable impact on the ground.

View the keynote session, full conference programme, and speaker list for more information. Visit www.geo-week.com for more information on attending or exhibiting.