Funded by

EU

Period of grant

2011 to 2013

Award personnel

Prof. Heiko Balzter

Summary

GIONET will develop better methods for observing and controlling deforestation, using satellite monitoring for disaster relief after landslides and floods, monitoring climate change, measuring lake water quality and coastal erosion.

The University of Leicester is home to one of the world’s leading centres for space research and satellite monitoring.

There is a growing demand for highly skilled researchers with satellite remote sensing expertise, both in the private sector and in Universities. GIONET will satisfy this demand. The monitoring methods developed in GIONET will also benefit the economy, and the project is designed to have a strong collaboration between academics and private companies to achieve a lasting research impact.

GIONET will recruit 14 postgraduate researchers for three year postgraduate (doctoral) projects. Four open international summer schools will be held.

Research Themes

Land cover and Change	Forest Monitoring	Climate Change Adaption
Geohazards and emergency response	Coastal zone and freshwater monitoring

The European GMES programme (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) is entering the GMES Initial Operations (GIO) period (2011-2013).

GIONET will provide skilled personnel for the GMES land monitoring and emergency information services by:

• providing postgraduate training in Earth Observation Science in different research disciplines including complementary skills and work experience in the private and academic sector
• enabling access to first class training in fundamental and applied research skills to early-stage researchers at world-class academic centres and market leaders in the private sector 
• building on the experience from previous GMES Research and Development projects in the land monitoring and emergency information service
• developing a collaborative training network through the placement of researchers for short periods in other GIONET organisations

GIONET full partners

• University of Leicester (Coordinator)
• Infoterra UK Ltd.
• Gamma Remote Sensing AG, Switzerland
• Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Warsaw, Poland
• Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
• Balaton Limnological Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• German Aerospace Research Establishment

GIONET associated partners

• DEFiNiENS AG, Germany
• Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, Ispra, Italy
• ITT Visual Information Solutions Ltd., UK
• SpectoNatura, UK

GIONET is supported by the European Commission Framework Programme 7, Marie Curie Programme.

Consortium coordinator

Prof. Heiko Balzter
Department of Geography
University Road
University of Leicester
Leicester, UK
LE1 7RH

email: hb91@le.ac.uk