ESA is coordinating with the SELPER organizer to deliver a training on EO for applications relevant to the region
As of August 19, 2021, NASA team determining participants for the conference, which will be held in November.
The training took place from 8-12 Novmber 2021.
Training Description: Training course preceding the XIX International SELPER Symposium. It was organized as a cooperation among various institutions, focused mainly (but not only) on the use of the Copernicus Sentinels (SAR and optical) for vegetation and natural disasters.
Summary of results:
About the training in general: The expertise and clarity of speakers was appreciated, the topics were deemed relevant and useful.
The practicals were appreciated because they illustrated the theory and were clear. Some participants mentioned they wished more hands-on sessions with time to repeat steps simultaneously (instead of demos), and some mentioned they’d wish for a programme with less contents. The use of open source tools was appreciated.
Participants indicated that no topics should have been left out of the programme. Regarding additional topics they may have wished to see included, some mentioned more scripting in Python / Java and cloud computing, as well as landscape dynamics and meteorology. Others signalled that the amount of topics was satisfying for the time available.
As suggestions for future trainings, they proposed parallel sessions, more hands-on sessions, and sessions adapted to time zones.
About the online format: Some attendees appreciated the online format since it enabled them to attend (easier to combine with their work, no travel costs, etc), to follow better, and to repeat the practical steps better. They missed getting support from speakers. They missed the social aspect with speakers and with other attendees, even wishing they could share their video camera more often. They also appreciated the fact that most contents were in Spanish. The time zone was not ideal for some attendees. Trouble with internet connections was also mentioned as a disadvantage for online events. A difficulty in concentrating, especially for longer periods of time, was also mentioned.
About the data: the majority of them specified that they will be using the data presented during the course, and some mentioned they appreciated the introduction to SAR data, which they hope or plan to use in the future.
About the software: similarly, the majority of respondents specified they would use some of the software shown, especially SNAP, EO Browser, Jupyter Notebooks, and some mentioned as well ESA RACE Dashboard. Note that many of the respondents are already users of SNAP and EO Browser. ESA RACE Dashboard was mentioned as a tool attendees did not know and some wrote they plan to use it soon.
About Jupyter Notebooks: Around 60% of the respondents found it rather useful, very useful or extremely useful, citing as advantages that it allows to control the processing parameters and that they plan on using it now that they got an introduction to it with clear examples.
Training Description: Training course preceding the XIX International SELPER Symposium. It was organized as a cooperation among various institutions, focused mainly (but not only) on the use of the Copernicus Sentinels (SAR and optical) for vegetation and natural disasters.