Dr. Emmett Ientilucci
Rochester Institute of Tehcnology

SPECTRAL SESSIONS

Dr. Emmett Ientilucci is the Gerald W. Harris Endowed Professor in RIT's Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science. He works in the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing (DIRS) group. His research interests are in General Remote Sensing, Spectral Image Processing and Exploitation, Hyperspectral Target Detection, Radiative Transfer, and Radiometric Calibration. He is the recipient of the 2020-21 Richard and Virginia Eisenhart Provost's Award for Excellence in Teaching, is a member of the IEEE Eta Kappa Nu international honor society, Sr. member of SPIE and member of Optica and the International Society of Explosives Engineers. He is currently the IEEE Region 1 Area Chair serving the NE USA.

Dr. Philip Brodrick
NASA / JPL

SPECTRAL SESSIONS

Dr. Philip Brodrick is a data scientist, software systems engineer, and research technologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Phil focuses on utilizing imaging spectroscopy to understand environmental interactions, ranging from predicting drought impacts on vegetation to quantifying the impact of surface mineralogy on global radiative forcing. In this inherently data rich field, Phil emphasizes embedding data science solutions into mission designs. He is the acting Project Scientist for the Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT), and the project algorithm scientist for the upcoming Surface Biology and Geology (SBG-VSWIR) mission. He is also active with a variety of airborne spectrometer programs, including AVIRIS, AVIRIS-NG, AVIRIS-3, and more.

Abstract

EMIT: From Earth System Models to Methane Detection
The EMIT imaging spectrometer on the International Space Station has proven to be a valuable resource for studying both the surface and atmosphere; ranging from constraining the sign of dust-related radiative forcing to identifying methane and carbon dioxide point sources globally. This talk will outline EMIT, discuss some of the breakthroughs and capabilities uncovered during its two years of operations, and discuss the pathway forward for integration with future orbital imaging spectroscopy missions.

David Burridge
Director of Enterprise Solutions, NV5

SPECTRAL SESSIONS

David is the Director of Enterprise Services at NV5 Geospatial. He has worked in the data analytics software business for over 25 years, including over 17 years in image analysis and exploitation and most recently the automation of image analytics in the cloud. He currently leads the team delivering ENVI® Inform, which delivers image-derived information at scale using ENVI’s proven analytics hosted in a scalable cloud environment.

Focus Webinar  |  Wednesday, October 30

Maximizing the Value of Airborne and Satellite Acquisitions via Automated Analytics and Cloud-Based Storage
Deriving actionable insights from remotely sensed data continues to be a challenge due to the quantity and size of the data. This session dives into the innovative use of automated analytics combined with cloud-based storage to revolutionize data accessibility and utility for end users. Through real-world case studies featuring diverse data modalities (spectral, SAR, and optical) from both airborne acquisitions and satellite monitoring, we will explore how these technologies are not only overcoming traditional barriers but also unlocking new potential for data-driven decision making.

David Blair
Headwall Photonics

SPECTRAL SESSIONS

David Blair is the General Manager for the Remote Sensing business at Headwall Photonics. He has over 20 years of experience in imaging systems from the UV to LWIR, including 10 years in the hyperspectral industry. David is responsible for advancing product portfolios that include turnkey remote sensing solutions for precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, defense, and industrial applications. David has also served leadership roles in Sales, Engineering, and Operations while at Headwall.

Dr. Robert Siegmund
GAF

SAR SESSIONS

Dr. Robert Siegmund is a senior product developer/manager at GAF. Since 1996 he works in the field of SAR/InSAR processing and management in the remote sensing industry, with both airborne and spaceborne focus. From his practical experience in international or global projects, he combines in depth technical and scientific expertise with product management and business development know-how. Currently his activities are dedicated to operations of the German and European Ground Motion Service plus application development based on these services.

Abstract

Utilization of Ground Motion Core Services in a Practical Perspective
Natural and anthropogenic ground motion represents geohazards whose effects are of supra-regional or local significance, e.g. extending over coastal areas or affecting local infrastructure. In a European context, this results in the need to provide comparable, coherent and calibrated deformation measurements on a wide area basis.

The global availability of consistent data series from Sentinel-1 plus validated and operational evaluation methodology, in particular “Persistent Scatterer Wide Area Processing (PSI-WAP)”, enables a coherent estimation of surface deformation from local to pan-European scale. In that sense national services were started, e.g. in Germany with the 2019 release of the German Ground Motion Service. Lead by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and in close cooperation with European expert and development teams, the EGMS was implemented and put into operation. It has been operationally available to a broad user community since July 2022, is updated annually and has since been regarded as a reference for the valorization of quality-assured and validated ground motion information.

We discuss the utilization of ground motion information for various applications and use cases, addressing user requirements versus technical framework, potential and limits of a practical use of ground motion services.

René Mania
Airbus Defence and Space

SAR SESSIONS

With a master's degree in geosciences completed six years ago, René Mania advanced his research expertise through an unfinished PhD in volcanology and remote sensing at the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), specializing in topographic analysis and Synthetic Aperture RADAR. Now at Airbus Defence and Space, he applies his extensive knowledge, focusing on 3D data processing and artificial intelligence.

Abstract

4D Urban Growth Analysis Based on SAR Imagery
Digital Surface Models (DSMs) are a fundamental dataset in Earth observation applications and therefore essential in monitoring and planning of urban areas. Recent advancements in bi-static Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) have led to the development of highly accurate global-scale DSMs, such as the WorldDEM DSM and its successor, the WorldDEM Neo DSM. However, due to the SAR-inherent side-looking acquisition geometry, these DSMs often produce unrealistic terrain structures in urban areas. To mitigate these deficiencies, recent developments in deep learning have introduced the ability to reconstruct heights from high-resolution single- and/or dual-aspect SAR amplitude imagery in urban areas. These models are trained using annotated SAR images, including radar-inherent layover effects, with very high-resolution normalized heights above ground. Predicted normalized height values are then projected onto bare-ground Digital Terrain Models to achieve the final DSM. This presentation will discuss the advantages and challenges of using deep learning-driven dual-aspect SAR images-based DSMs for monitoring urban growth and temporal changes.

Mark Lafitte
International Atomic Entergy Agency (IAEA)

SAR SESSIONS

Marc Lafitte is the Section Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Safeguards' State Infrastructure Analysis Section, where he oversees the analysis of satellite imagery and geospatial data. With over 30 years of experience in remote sensing, satellite imagery, and geospatial analysis, Marc holds a university degree in Earth Science. Throughout his career, Marc has accumulated extensive expertise in supporting military operations using satellite imagery, particularly during his time in the French navy. He played a key role in developing the French military's IMINT capabilities, including SAR and Infrared technologies. Later, he led the Non-Proliferation unit at the EU SatCen for over 10 years. In September 2019, Marc took the helm of the Satellite Imagery and Geospatial Section at the IAEA, bringing his wealth of knowledge and experience to the organization.

Andreas Müterthies

EFTAS

SAR SESSIONS

As head of the Business Development department at EFTAS Fernerkundung Technologietransfer GmbH, Dr Müterthies is involved in the development of processes for deriving and updating geoinformation from aerial and satellite images. In particular, his work focuses on the development of processes for the automatic extraction of information from SAR- and optical image data to update environmental information. Since 2016, he has been Vice President of the German Umbrella Organisation for Geoinformation (DDGI e.V.) and Coordinator of the Copernicus Commission of the DDGI.

Patrick O’Keeffe
NATO Centre of Excellence for Operations (COE CSW)

SAR SESSIONS

Patrick O’Keeffe is an international technology and security policy expert focusing on the multidisciplinary environment of aerospace, maritime, and cyber. With a background as CEO and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of technology companies, commercial pilot, commanding officer in the military as well as fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK), Patrick O’Keeffe is supporting various entities in the transformation of aerospace, maritime, and cyber strategies and policies. Patrick O’Keeffe served as a German Navy Officer in various positions including the German Ministry of Defence and at a NATO Centre of Excellence, facilitating between NATO partners, organizations of the United Nations, academia and industry, and presents as guest speaker and opening keynote at technology and security conferences. An aerospace engineer specialized in unmanned systems and satellite operations and a former military aviator, Patrick O’Keeffe studied international law and economics and publishes on international security and space capabilities.

Dr. Emlyn Hagen
NV5

SAR SESSIONS

Dr. Emlyn Hagen is the Director for NV5 Geospatial`s European Defence & Intelligence sales. Emlyn’s passion for remote sensing started 20 years ago at the DLR in Germany and CRISP in Singapore, and uses his skills today to provide innovative, realistic and focused remote sensing solutions to clients.

Before joining L3Harris, Emlyn was CTO of iMMAP and leading the USAID funded Disaster Risk Reduction Program in Afghanistan (2015-2018). For 8 years Emlyn supported the NATO CI Agency as a geospatial expert. He worked in theater support for Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan as on various NATO GIS/RS research projects. The execution of the “Afghanistan Flood Hazard Map” project was highly visible, and it was nominated for the World Future Foundation (WFF) award.

Emlyn was the Lead Geographic Information Manager for the Shell Oil operations in Jordan (2010-2015). His work on "Communication Access and Proximity Maps" was nominated for the Shell CEO Global HSSE Award. It resulted into effective and safe operations for the 300 staff exploring a 20.000 km² hostile desert environment. Additionally, he was the Geomatics Technical Adviser of a 1.2 Billion US$ project.

Emlyn has published two books and multiple peer reviewed scientific papers. He was born in Belgium and currently lives in Augsburg, Germany; he acquired his PhD at the NUS Singapore and MSc at the University of Munich.

Dr. Savlatore Stramondo
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)

SAR SESSIONS

Salvatore Stramondo received the Laurea (M.S.) Degree in Electronic Engineering in 1996 from the University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy, and the Ph.D. in Geoinformation in 2007 from the University “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy. He joined the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) in 1997 where he is Research Director. From February 2017 to December 2023 has been the Director of the National Earthquake Observatory of Italy. Since January 2024 is Contract Professor of Earth Observation Data Analysis at the Dept. of “Ingegneria Informatica, Automatica e Gestionale – DIAG” at Sapienza Univ. (Rome). His main research activities concern the application of Satellite EO to Earth Sciences.

Dr. Paolo Pasquali
Technical Director and President, Sarmap

SAR SESSIONS

Paolo has been enjoying the last 25 years investigating the many aspects of extracting useful and reliable information from Synthetic Aperture RADAR imagery, developing algorithms and exploring different applications. After realizing in his years in the academia at Politecnico di Milano and University of Zurich that these goals are not just dreams, he co-founded sarmap to bring this experience into operation, leading the development of the SARscape software package.

Focus Webinar  |  Thursday, November 7

Expanding the Value of SAR Data in Defense Applications
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has been utilized in the Defense sector for decades. Recent technology advances have made it possible for analysts to generate results faster than ever before. In addition, the abundance of new sensors with very high spatial and temporal resolution as well as many developments in information extraction algorithms opens new possibilities for extending visual interpretation of SAR data with automated approaches that can generate additional intelligence.

This presentation will cover the evolution of SAR data and its many applications across defense and intelligence, as well as how SAR can be leveraged to solve complex problems with ease.

Vicki Lukas
USGS National Geospatial Program

LiDAR SESSIONS

Vicki Lukas is the Chief of Topographic Data Services in the USGS National Geospatial Program, where she helped initiate and oversees the 3D Elevation Program, the 3D Hydrography Dataset, and the future vision of the 3D National Topography Model of The National Map. Vicki has over 30 years of experience as a Geographer at the USGS, including overseeing partnership activities and national network of The National Map Liaisons.

Ron Chapple
NV5

LiDAR SESSIONS

Ron Chapple is the VP Global Strategic Solutions - Digital Twins for NV5. He works with a team of geospatial and building analysis professions that deliver industry-leading projects for airports, urban environments, building infrastructure, and data centers. Ron’s unique background in storytelling connects digital twins and technology. Ron’s clients include the BBC, PBS, and National Geographic. Ron won an EMMY for work on a PBS project and nominated for several other EMMY Awards. Ron pioneered the use of remote sensing as part of a Pulitzer Prize award-winning project with USA Today.

Abstract

Demystifying Digital Twins
The phrase “digital twins” is bantered about in conversations and vendor presentations at a dizzying rate. It seems like everyone has a different definition for digital twins. Ron Chapple, VP Global Strategic Solutions for NV5, will demystify digital twins by walking the audience through the history and the future trajectory of digital twins. The presentation will also include NV5 project analysis of urban and environmental digital twin projects, how to tell fact from fiction, creating your own roadmap for digital twin integration, and thought-provoking predictions.

Eric Brown
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)

LiDAR SESSIONS

Eric Brown is the Vegetation Management Manager for Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) in Grid Assets, responsible for the Electric Transmission and Distribution Vegetation Management Program. Eric was formerly the Supervising Northern Program Manager for Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Electric Transmission Vegetation Management Program. During his 20 years with PG&E (8 as a contractor), he held roles of increasing responsibility in both Electric Transmission, and Distribution.

Eric has over 28 years of experience working in the Vegetation Management industry, which includes areas of industrial forestry, range management, and utility forestry respectively. Eric has a B.S. in Natural Resource Management with emphasis in Forestry and Range Management from University of Nevada-Reno (1998). He is a Certified Arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

Abstract Overview

• General concepts of electric utility infrastructure vegetation-related “total” wildfire risk quantification
• The general benefits of utility vegetation management (UVM) in managing total wildfire risk and enhancing electric utility. safety/reliability/environmental benefits while ensuring affordability.
• An innovative use of Remote Sensing Tools for Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) to objectively quantify and reduce utility infrastructure vegetation-related wildfire risk and consequences to the lowest level.

Anders Ekelund
Hexagon, Geosystems Division

LiDAR SESSIONS

With 20 years of experience, working with various airborne technologies, Anders Ekelund serves as Vice President for airborne bathymetric LiDAR of the Hexagon’s Geosystems division. In this role, he is responsible for developing competitive solutions and services for customers in the bathymetric industry.

Prior to the acquisition by Hexagon in 2013, Ekelund was Managing Director of the Airborne Hydrography AB (AHAB), a company developing, producing and distributing airborne bathymetric LiDAR systems and software solutions.

Ekelund holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanics Engineering, specialised in automatic control theory from Linköping University, Sweden.

Charles de Jongh
Field

LiDAR SESSIONS

Charles de Jongh holds a master in cartography and geographical information science. He has more than 20 years of experience in the marine geospatial field, mostly specializing in solutions for hydrographic surveying and data processing. Charles is based in Oslo, Norway, where he works for the survey company Field, focusing on the provision of airborne bathymetric Lidar services.

Andrés Vargas
Technical Domain Expert, NV5

LiDAR SESSIONS

An engineer by education, Andres has worked in the geospatial industry for the past 12 years. His expertise in sensor systems has helped bridge the gap between the world of acquisition and production. Andres is responsible for sensor integration, testing, and calibration, and oversees the topobathymetric data processing workflow. Additionally, Andres has been instrumental in developing NV5’s topobathymetric LiDAR acquisition and calibration methods. As NV5’s capabilities have grown, Andres now oversees the UAS remote-sensing production within the organization.

Focus Webinar  |  Wednesday, November 13

State-of-the-Art Solutions to Enhance Riverine Mapping
In this focused webinar, we will explore new solutions that employ advanced LiDAR sensors to transform flood hazard mapping, create flood risk assessments, and provide data necessary for mitigation programs. We will highlight two recent projects where traditional limitations were overcome to meet client objectives.