Conference Proceedings: Strategy Report of CEOS

CNES
Contact: Francis Fiszleiber
E-mail: francis.fiszleiber@cnes.fr

GDTA
Contact: Pierre-Yves REVILLION
E-mail: pyr@gdta.cnes.fr

Main Activities:
The nature of work at CNES is EO techniques, technology, applications and research. CNES develops concept and conducts the implementation of EO satellites programs, operates the in orbit satellites like Spot, and proposes to the Government the French space policy. The main focus of EO is towards disaster management and mitigation, support in agriculture survey and monitoring forestry, urban planning, coastal management etc.

EO Education & Training:
CNES's EO education and training is done through GDTA. CNES is involved in EO education at school level and teaching of teachers in EO tools and applications. GDTA is dedicated to training of professionals on operational applications of EO technologies on a worldwide basis. GDTA organizes many short-term courses and customized courses for professionals training (http://www.gdta.fr). For education activities, CNES has devoted 1 MF per year and 4 persons. Similarly, for training activities, GDTA has devoted 4-5 MF per year and 28 persons.

CNES organises conferences, TV programs, exhibitions, and edition of books-magazines-films-videos for general public awareness. It offers a post graduate course in remote sensing delivered at GDTA. It also does summer universities for teachers.

CNES has developed many EO Education/training materials such as books, multimedia CD's, web education materials, etc. which can be made available on commercial basis.

CNES has access to variety of EO data viz., SPOT, ERS, Vegetation, Polar, Topex Poseidon, Jason (in 2001).

CNES is an active member of GDTA and brings both financial and in-kind support to some of its international co-operative training programmes (South Africa, India, Thailand, Mexico, China, etc.).

Thrust areas for EO Education/training identified by CNES are - optical technology, radar and all technologies linked with oceanography, risk management and water resources.

Suggestions:
CEOS could establish an international forum of concentration and exchange of views, and could identify potential projects, which could be implemented with a bilateral (or tri lateral) basis.

CSIRO
Contact: Jeremy Wallace
E-mail: Jeremy.Wallace@cmis.csiro.au

Main Activiites:
CSIRO is a large research organisation, which has had a wide involvement in R&D and also the processing & use of remote sensing data; Areas in which the data have been used range from Environmental Monitoring, Marine, Mineral Exploration and Forestry; technical aspects of calibration, statistical procedures, visualisation etc are included in the range of activities. The CSIRO EOC is coordinating the R&D effort across CSIRO.

EO Education & Training:
CSIRO has close links with several universities, and acts as a host for postgraduate students from many disciplines. CSIRO does not run regular courses for undergraduate students, but many groups in CSIRO had run specialist training courses both within Australia and overseas.

CSIRO has conducted training courses in Malaysia and the Philippines.

CSIRO's particular interest is statistical techniques for extracting information from images & sequences of images.

CSIRO considers that Training and technology transfer to companies and government agencies is also an important work.

Therefore, CSIRO acts as a EO resource within Australia, which provides expertise, and training to Industry and to higher education, and, in special cases conducts training courses. There are some areas where CSIRO expertise is particularly strong, and where the EOC is building R&D capacity.

CRI
Contact: Stella Belliss;Stella.
E-mail: BellissS@landcare.cri.nz

Main Activities:
CRI provides research and services concentrated upon sustainable land use management, especially in understanding and protecting indigenous biodiversity, management and control of introduced pests, developing land management and monitoring strategies and understanding climate change processes to manage and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Around 70% of image processing/remote sensing personnel time is devoted to research concerning methodology development for remote sensing and application demonstration projects; approximately 30% of activity involves commercial projects. CRI develops EO techniques, conducts applications and training and education, and conducts research on specific applications. CRI coordinates with the major remote-sensing satellite operators in the world, selling both raw and value-added data and products to New Zealand clients.

EO Education & Training:

CRI has no regular training programmes but it is having a plan for developing customized user specific training courses.

CRI has organised training courses for Turkey & Iran participants.

CRI does general marketing of satellite data and services and has access to NOAA data for SW Pacific. CRI would consider sharing this data.

CRI would like to assist in curriculum development or loaning of experts on commercial or cost-recovery basis only.

Suggestions:
In general endorsement of CEOS WGEDU activities.

DLR
Contact: Robert Meisner
E-mail: Robert.meisner@dlr.de

Main Activities:
The German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) is part of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR). Its various departments are located at DLR facilities in Oberpfaffenhofen, Köln-Porz and Neustrelitz. DFD develops and operates ground segments for German and international EO programs, including data reception, processing, archiving and distribution activities. The associated systems technologies assure continuous, long-term access by both scientific and commercial users to the data and information products of the most important earth observation satellites. The main focus is on development and implementation of environmental protection techniques, traffic control, support of planning processes (urban, agricultural, resources mgt.) etc.

EO Education & Training:
DFD is engaged in training the next generation of scientists, in close co-operation with universities through lectureships and an extensive internship program, and by providing opportunities to carry out thesis research and dissertations. 23 persons are involved in conducting such activities.

DLR organises courses for general public awareness, school level, academic level (leading to degrees) and professional level (on job type).

DLR has developed many training materials such as books, multimedia CD's, web education materials, videos etc.

DLR has access to many EO data viz., ERS, ENVISAT, IRS, LANDSAT, NOAA, MODIS, GOME.

DLR will support EO education and training activities in terms of providing financial help, fellowships, EO materials, assist in curriculum development, sending experts etc. if regulated and coordinated by national/international co-operation programs.

Thrust areas identified by DLR are - GIS, Environmental projects, radar Interferometry, Disaster Management, Real-time processing, Resources Management (water ...) and techniques for better data distribution (e.g. via WWW)

Suggestions:
CEOS should coordinate material for multi-use purposes (presentation material, videos, CDs etc.). It should have coordinating functions for preparation and distribution of relevant material. CEOS should use education and training projects for public outreach activities.