ESGRS

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Agriculture Analytics
2026-06-03 10:00 - 11:00 (Asia/Dubai) | Virtual
AI/ML plays a crucial role in agriculture analytics, especially in geospatial crop monitoring and mapping. In your research-based talk, machine learning models will be covered for classifying crops using multi-sensor temporal datasets such as optical and SAR data. Talk will cover various types of issues while mapping specific crops as well as monitoring at sowing/harvesting and crop-burning fields. Issues can be within crop heterogeneity, spectral overlap, mixed pixel problem, minimum training data use, etc. AI techniques improve the detection of crop phenology and growth stages using time-series satellite imagery. Transfer learning can be applied to improve crop mapping accuracy with limited ground truth data. AI supports the detection and monitoring of stubble burning using satellite-based indicators. Integration of geospatial datasets with ML enables efficient acreage estimation and crop type discrimination. Advanced analytics help in understanding spatial variability for better resource and water management. Overall, AI/ML strengthens precision agriculture, food security assessment, and policy-level decision support.

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Dr. Anil KumarGroup Head, Geo-spatial Technology & Program Outreach at The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)Anil Kumar is a scientist/engineer “G” and the Group Head Geo-spatial Technology and Program Outreach of Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), ISRO, Dehradun, India. He received his BTech degree in civil engineering from IET affiliated to the University of Lucknow, India, and his M.E. degree as well as his PhD in soft computing from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India. So far, he has guided 13 PhD theses, and six more are in progress. He has also guided several dissertations of MTech, MSc, BTech, and postgraduate diploma courses. He always loves to work with PhD scholars, Master’s, and Graduate students for their research work, and motivates them to adopt a research-oriented professional career. He received the Pisharoth Rama Pisharoty award for contributing state of the art fuzzy based algorithms for earth observation data. His current research interests are in the area of soft computing-based machine learning, deep learning for single date and temporal multi-sensor remote sensing data for specific class identification and mapping through in-house development of the SMIC tool. He also works in the area of digital photogrammetry, GPS/GNSS, and LiDAR. He has written two books on ‘Fuzzy Machine Learning Algorithms for Remote Sensing Image Classification’ & Multi-Sensor and Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing-Specific Single Class Mapping with CRC Press. Won a challenge like Kritagya DA & FW Hackathon conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi, India, and Finalist of ‘ISRO immersion Challenge AI for Space and Geospatial conducted by NRSC-ISRO, Hyderabad, and IIIT Hyderabad.

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Beyond the Fringe: Pushing the Boundaries of Precision in Earth Observation
2026-06-29 10:00 - 11:00
This webinar explores the frontiers of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Earth observation, moving beyond conventional InSAR to advanced techniques that redefine measurement precision. We know that multi-stack PSInSAR reveals millimeter-scale urban subsidence and structural instability, but it is less well known that SAR coherence analysis enables rapid change detection, for example in conflict and disaster zones. The session further introduces SAR geodesy for centimeter-to-decimeter absolute positioning without ground control points, showcasing the path for  enabling GCP-free mapping. This talk bridges interferometric phase analysis with precise geodetic positioning and reveals how modern SAR is transforming from a displacement tool into a comprehensive geodetic observation system.

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Prof. Timo BalzVice-Director of the International Academy of GeoInformation at Wuhan UniversityTimo Balz was born in Stuttgart, Germany. He received the Diploma degree (Dipl.-Geogr.) in geography and the Doctoral degree (Dr.-Ing.) in aerospace engineering and geodesy from the University Stuttgart, Stuttgart, in 2001 and 2007, respectively. From fall 2001 to the end of 2007, he was a Research Assistant with the Institute for Photogrammetry, University Stuttgart. Between 2004 and 2005, he was a Visiting Scholar with Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. From 2008-2010, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS), Wuhan University. From 2010-2015, he was an Associate Professor for Radar Remote Sensing with LIESMARS. Since 2015, he has been a Full Professor with LIESMARS. Since 2021, he has been Vice-Director of the International Academy of GeoInformation, Wuhan University. He serves as Associate Editor for the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine and MDPI’s Remote Sensing. He is a member of the editorial board of Geo-Spatial Information Science and the Journal of Digital Earth. He is Chair of an ISPRS Commission I Working Group on SAR from 2016-2022 and again from 2022-2026. He has authored and co-authored more than 150 scientific articles in journals, books, and conference proceedings. Timo Balz’s research interests include surface motion estimation with SAR, data visualization, SAR geodesy, and SAR-optical fusion.

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Climate Change and Dust Monitoring from Space: Advancing Earth Observation for Resilience in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions
2026-07-07 10:00 - 11:00
Arid and semi-arid regions are among the most vulnerable environments to climate change, land degradation, water stress, heat extremes, and atmospheric dust. This webinar will explore how satellite Earth observations, remote sensing, GIS, climate modeling, and data science can be used to monitor climate-related hazards and support evidence-based decision-making. Special attention will be given to dust dynamics, air quality, desertification, land surface changes, coastal and marine vulnerability, and the broader impacts of climate change across the MENA region.
Drawing on regional and international examples, including applications from Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Mediterranean region, the presentation will highlight how space-based observations can improve our understanding of interconnected Earth system processes and support climate resilience, sustainable development, and adaptation planning. The webinar will also discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence, geospatial analytics, and integrated risk assessment in transforming satellite data into actionable knowledge for governments, researchers, and environmental decision-makers.

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Prof. Hesham El-AskaryDirector Earth Systems Science and Data Solutions Lab at Chapman UniversityProf. Hesham M. El-Askary is a Professor of Earth Systems Science and Remote Sensing at Chapman University and Director of the Earth Systems Science and Data Solutions Lab. He is also the former Vice President for Special Projects and Space Missions at the Egyptian Space Agency. Currently, he serves as an Advisor to the Director General of ICESCO, a consultant and science lead for the UN International Organization for Migration, and a consultant/advisor with UNESCO on open science and capacity-building initiatives. Prof. El-Askary is an internationally recognized Earth systems scientist with more than two decades of experience in remote sensing, Earth Observation, GIS, climate change impacts, environmental modeling, natural hazards, and data-driven solutions for sustainable development. He currently contributes to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Seventh Assessment Report cycle, with a focus on climate change impacts, adaptation, vulnerability, risk, exposure, and Mediterranean-region climate challenges. This builds on his earlier IPCC contribution to the Desertification chapter of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land. His research focuses on the use of satellite Earth observations, geospatial analytics, artificial intelligence, and environmental modeling to understand complex interactions among the atmosphere, land, water, coastal, marine, and human systems. His work has addressed sea-level rise, land degradation, desertification, drought, flash floods, air quality, dust storms, coral reefs, mangroves, renewable energy, water resources, biodiversity, and climate resilience across Egypt, the MENA region, and other vulnerable regions. Prof. El-Askary has led and contributed to major projects funded by NASA, NSF, USDA, the European Union, Horizon 2020, and regional institutions.

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Geosynchronous SAR
2026-07-29 10:00 - 11:00
The recent proposal to the European Space Agency for Hydroterra+, a geosynchronous SAR in C-band with small eccentricity, to study the evolution of the water vapour in the atmosphere, will be presented. Another possible solution, ARGOS, considering MIMO formations, will be recalled.
The studies that were carried out at the Politecnico di Milano from 1999, reusing from COMSAT satellites the broadcast TV or audio signals, will also be recalled.
Finally, published examples will be shown of interferometric images taken by the first experimental geosynchronous SAR. This has been recently orbited by the People’s Republic of China, with a significant eccentricity, and thus covers higher latitudes.

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Prof. Fabio RoccaEmeritus Professor of Telecommunications at Politecnico di MilanoCoordinator of the first EU Programme for Geosciences (1990 – 95). Member of the Scientific Councils of the Institut Français du Pètrole (1989 – 2003), Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (1998 – 2001), OGS (1994 – 2010). For the European Space Agency, in Mission Advisory Groups on SAR (1991 – 2015) and in the ACEO (2015 – 2019). Associate to ASI (2017 -2023) and in the Dragon program (ESA – NRSCC) from 2004. Co-founder of two spin-off companies: TRE, Aresys. Past President (1987) and Honorary Member (1998) of the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers and Honorary Member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (1989). Awards: 1979 Honeywell Award (computer tomography), 1990 EAGE Schlumberger Award (seismic bistatic processing), 1995 Italgas Award (PLL demodulators), 1998 Special Commendation Award of the SEG (3D computerized seismic model), 1999 Eduard Rhein Award (motion compensation in video coding). Doctor Honoris Causa in Geophysics by the French Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale and the Institut Polytechnique de Lorraine (2001). EAGE 2009 Erasmus Award; 2012 ENI Award for New Frontiers for Hydrocarbons (long-term differential interferometry). Chinese Government International Scientific Technological Cooperation Award for 2014. Commemorative Medal for the 70th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China

Prof. Andrea Virgilio Monti-GuarnieriProfessor at Politecnico di MilanoAndrea Virgilio Monti-Guarnieri, M.Sc. cum laude (1988) in electronic engineering, IEEE member, full professor within “Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria”. He is co-founder of the POLIMI inter-departmental laboratory GEO-LAB. He has been chairing courses on digital and statistical signal processing, telecommunications, and RADAR. He coauthored over 400 scientific publications, of which 83 are international peer-reviewed publications. H-index (Google): 45, citations: 9300, 4 conference awards, and applications for five patents. He has been a reviewer of many scientific journals, past editor of IEEE Transactions on Radar Systems, and present editor of MPI Remote Sensing. He has been in scientific-technical committees of international workshops and symposia on Radar and Earth Observation: Fringe workshop, Living Planet Symposium, PolinSAR, EUSAR, IEEE-IGARSS, IEEE-Radar conference, CEOS-SAR. He collaborated with the Argentine space agency CONAE for the SAOCOM L-band satellite.

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GeoAI in Geospatial Research: Challenges and Opportunities
2026-08-12 17:00 - 18:00
Since its introduction in 2017, Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) has grown rapidly in remote sensing and GIS research. This technology does not just introduce a new topic; it changes how we approach geospatial science by prioritizing predictive power over scientific understanding. This webinar reviews the history of AI in GIS and highlights recent major accomplishments. We will explore new research opportunities and discuss the challenges that could hinder GeoAI or impact the future of geospatial research and education.

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Prof. May YuanAshbel Smith Professor of Geospatial Information Science at The University of Texas at DallasMay Yuan is the Ashbel Smith Professor of Geospatial Information Sciences in the School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, with all her degrees in Geography: B.S. 1987 from National Taiwan University, and M.S. 1992, and Ph.D. 1994 from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association of Geographers, and the University Consortium of Geographic Information Science. She currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Geographical Information Science. Previously, she served as a program director for Human-Environment and Geographic Science at the U.S. National Science Foundation (2022-2025), on Scientific Advisory Committee of the Geospatial Science and Human Security Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2020-2025), NOAA’s Environmental Information Working Group (2016-2022), Landsat Advisory Group (2019-2022), National Geospatial Advisory Committee (2016-2021), and Editorial Board of Annals of American Association of Geographers (2005-2017) and as President of the Cartography and Geographic Information Society (2019-2020) and of the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (2011-2012). Her research has been supported by NSF, NASA, DoD, DHS, DOJ, DOE, NOAA, USGS, NIST, and NIH. She and her students at the Geospatial Analytics and Innovative Applications Lab explore ways to understand the dynamics of people, events, and places, and how interactions between spatial behaviors and the environment affect brain health and cognitive development.

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