GIS for Good : Global to Local

For the Open Innovation Festival, we are glad to invite you to a unique event in Geneva as we have the honor to bring Brian Killough from the NASA on stage as well as five other experts. They will explain how the digitation of geography, through SIG especially, has been a revolution for environmental management at all scale. The lectures will be mainly in English.

An interactive part with Q&As from the public facilitated by Dr. Gregory Giuliani will follow.
At 7.30pm you are invited to continue the discussion around snacks and drinks.

PROGRAM IN BRIEF

1) Open Data Cubes: A Big Data Solution to Monitor the Environment, by Brian Killough, NASA

2) Offering Cutting-Edge Education on Geomatics for a Sustainable Environment, by Yaniss Guigoz, UN Environment/GRID-Geneva/UNIGE

3) Applied geography for sustainability - How does GIS help reaching the Sustainable Development Goals by Emanuele Gennai, ESRI

4) Crisis Informatics : Damage assessment during a disaster using crowdsourced social media imagery data, by Amudha Ravi Shankar, E2MC/UNIGE

5) Defining the Green Infrastructure du "Grand Genève" for preserving nature and human well being, by Anthony Lehmann, enviroSPACE/UNIGE

6) Les géodonnées du SITG en open data, une richesse d’informations à disposition de tous, by Pascal Oehrli, SITG

DETAILED PROGRAM:

1) Open Data Cubes: A Big Data Solution to Monitor the Environment

Abstract: The Open Data Cube (ODC), born in Australia, and now operating in Switzerland, is available to anyone in the world for improved use and impact of satellite data. This open source common architecture, based on analysis-ready data, can be flexibly deployed on a local or cloud computer to enable data interoperability and efficient time series analyses. Dr. Brian Killough, head of NASA’s Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Systems Engineering Office will present the status of the ODC initiative, examples of application products to monitor the environment, and how the ODC is growing interest in over 35 countries.

Speaker: Dr. Brian Killough has been with NASA for 30 years. He currently leads the Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) Systems Engineering Office (SEO). His office supports the international CEOS organization which is comprised of 60 Space Agencies and organizations coordinating satellite earth observation data for enhanced societal benefit. Under the leadership of Dr. Killough, the SEO has a significant role in the new Open Data Cube initiative for enhanced global use of large volumes of satellite data. Dr. Killough received his BS degree from the University of Virginia, his MS degree from George Washington University and his PhD from the College of William and Mary. He has authored over 20 technical papers and received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2016.

2) Offering Cutting-Edge Education on Geomatics for a Sustainable Environment

Abstract: As part of its continuing education program, the University of Geneva proposes a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), in English called «Geomatics for a Sustainable Environment». This CAS is made in collaboration with other institutions such as the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Research (EAWAG), the Geneva Botanical Garden, the Natural Capital project and the UN Environment/GRID- Geneva. It aims any person interested and/or involved in environmental sustainability and natural capitals : biodiversity, ecosystem services and water resources. The instructor-led teachings will take place in Geneva as a summer school from 11 to 22 June 2018. Several tools, thematics and hands-on exercises covering GIS, Remote Sensing, Spatial Data Infrastructures, Geoprocessing, Geostatistics, Species Distribution Modeling, Soil and Water Assessment as well as Ecosystem Services Assessment will be taught, giving attendees an expertise or consolidated knowledge in geomatics and environmental fields.

Speaker: Yaniss Guigoz studied Geography at University of Geneva where he obtained a degree in Geography, followed by a Certificate of Specialization in Geomatics. He then worked from 2000 to 2010 at the World Health Organization as GIS officer, focusing among other on a UN project about administrative boundaries standardisation worldwide (UN SALB). In parallel, he also worked at UNEP/GRID-Geneva since 2005 as webmaster, GIS officer and Spatial Data Infrastructures specialist and completed in 2016 a PhD on Spatial Data Infrastructures. He is now sharing his time between UN Environment/GRID-Geneva and the University of Geneva, focusing on GIS, open source Spatial Data Infrastructures implementation and capacity building activities in various projects.

3) Applied geography for sustainability - How does GIS help reaching the Sustainable Development Goals?

Abstract: For several years, the International Organizations have been making a wide use of geodata, structured in Geographic Information Systems. From public health to the response to natural or man-made disasters, from economic planning to humanitarian map action, from migrations to food crisis management, the topics covered are very varied. Data is collected, managed, analyzed, represented and shared in real time within social organizations involving professionals, NGOs and citizens in order to act more efficiently, respond more quickly, better manage resources that are increasingly scarce, and raise the bar of possibilities to achieve the sustainable development goals.

Speaker: Emanuele Gennai obtained a Master's degree in environmental geology at the University of Geneva. Since, then, he embarked in an academic career, collaborator of Professor JeanMichel Jaquet, and has been specializing in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing applied to environmental challenges, climate change analysis and humanitarian action. He joined Esri Switzerland in 1995 where he was quickly appointed as the Director for Frenchspeaking Switzerland. From 2007 to 2014, he was appointed by Esri Inc to develop the use of geographic information at the United Nations and International Organizations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He applies his talents to the many fields covered by these organizations such as humanitarian action, disaster response, public health and migration. Recalled by Esri Switzerland, since May 2014 it has been responsible for market development throughout Switzerland as well as the office director for French-speaking Switzerland.

4) Crisis Informatics : Damage assessment during a disaster using crowdsourced social media imagery data

Abstract: Situational updates in varied forms, such as texts, images, data etc, are uploaded in various micro blogging networks like twitter, facebook and instagram. This information has been proven to be very useful for rapid crisis response and management. Faster access to such location specific data through social media network can create avenues to address the pressing issues. In this work, the author analyzes the images posted on the social media platforms during the Chennai Rains 2017 to determine the level of damage caused by the North East Monsoon. While also citing the various examples on damage assessment using crowd sourced data, the author would touch upon the challenging task that lies ahead of the such crowd sourced information : Data Quality and Data Validation. A brief presentation on : Evolution of Emergency Copernicus Services (E2MC).

Speaker: Amudha Ravi Shankar is doing her PhD in UNIGE and is involved in the E2MC project (Evolution of Emergency Copernicus Services) which aims at demonstrating the technical and operational feasibility of the integration of social media analysis and crowdsourced information within both the Mapping and Early Warning Components of Copernicus Emergency Management Service. She holds a degree in Architecture, Urban Planning and Disaster Management. As an urban planner, she has worked on city development plans, disaster management plans in India and Libya. As a GIS personnel, she had worked with the International Organisations during Hurricane Irma, Maria and during the Ebola Outbreak and in the Polio Eradication Initiative. She is also part of the digital humanitarian community and has assisted in mapping, validating and several other digital response to various crisis and disaster activations.

5) Defining the Green Infrastructure du "Grand Genève" for preserving nature and human well being

Abstract: The Confederation, and the Canton of Geneva in February 2018, have adopted a Biodiversity Strategy that aims at strengthening the implementation of national and cantonal laws for the conservation of biodiversity. The aim is to set up classical measures (protected areas, red lists, biodiversity promotion areas, etc.), but also to better inform all sectors of activity on the importance of services, that biodiversity and ecosystems provide to improve our well-being and often our economy. In this context, ecological infrastructure is promoted at the Swiss and cantonal scales to connect natural and semi-natural habitats important for biodiversity and ecosystem services. This network of multifunctional areas will comprise existing protected areas and select areas through prioritisation showing the best potential for botanical value (biodiversity), ecosystem services and structure and ecological connectivity for wildlife.

Speaker: Anthony Lehmann is associate professor, vicedirector of the Institute for Environmental Sciences at the University of Geneva. He is leading the enviroSPACE team on Spatial Predictions and Analyses in Complex Environment. His main interest if to transform raw data on the environment into useful indicators to improve our capacity to inform environmental policy. He is mostly working on biodiversity and hydrology to measure these natural capitals and their ecosystems services to inform spatially the Nexus of Climate-Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems and the Broader Sustainable Development Goals. Homepage: www.unige.ch/envirospace/people/lehmann

6) Les géodonnées du SITG en open data, une richesse d’informations à disposition de tous

Abstract: Le système d’information du territoire genevois (SITG) met à disposition de tous en open data de très nombreuses géodonnées des institutions publiques à Genève. Plus de 600 jeux de données géographiques peuvent être explorés et téléchargés depuis le SITG par tout un chacun. Le SITG participe activement au GeoFab du Grand Genève. Une initiative franco-suisse qui favorise l’accès aux géodonnées pour les entreprises du Grand Genève qui souhaitent mettre sur le marché leurs services innovants.

Speaker: Pascal Oehrli dirige le centre de compétence du SITG au sein du département de l’environnement, des transports et de l’agriculture (DETA) de l’Etat de Genève depuis 2011 après y avoir travaillé dans le domaine des géodonnées liées au transport depuis 2001. Il a conduit – en collaboration avec les partenaires du SITG – la démarche d’ouverture des données publiques du SITG, ceci dans la continuité de la philosophie de collaboration et de partage que le SITG adopte depuis plus de 25 ans.