ENEUM
Enhancing Earth Observation Curriculum with a Focus on ESA Sensors
About the project
Objective(s): This project (ENEUM: 4000140187/23/NL/SC/rp) aims to establishing 2 new university courses with complete syllabi and study materials, which will improve the knowledge and skills of our students in the area of EO, ESA products and data: „Earth Observation Applications” (3rd year of BSc. study, 1st year of MSc. study), (ii) at a master level „Applied Radar Remote Sensing” (2nd year of MSc. study). The project should also increase the EO and ESA activities awareness in Slovakia and contribute to the pool of skilled users of ESA products in Slovakia and in the EU.
Benefits: The primary benefits are in: (i) improving the knowledge and skills of university students in EO technology, methods and data using satellite technologies and tools provided by ESA, (ii) supporting the pool of potential users of EO/Space technology, (iii) promoting the free and open access to satellite data and software, and (iv) improving the public awareness of EO applications and ESA products.
Total Budget: 53,185 EUR
Project team
prof. Mgr. Jaroslav HOFIERKA, PhD.
project manager, WP leader, teacher
doc. Mgr. Michal GALLAY, PhD.
WP leader, teacher
Mgr. Katarína ONAČILLOVÁ, PhD.
WP leader, teacher
Mgr. Ján ŠAŠAK, PhD.
teacher
doc. RNDr. Ján KAŇUK, PhD.
teacher
Activities
New Member States Tertiary Education Conference
As part of the project ENEUM: Enhancing Earth Observation Curriculum with a Focus on ESA Sensors, which is currently being solved by colleagues from the Department of Geoinformatics and supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), we presented the outputs on May 7, 2024, at the PECS / Associate / New Member States Tertiary Education Conference at the European Space Astronomy Center (ESAC) in Madrid. As part of the ENEUM project, the Institute of Geography research team created two new university courses with complete syllabi and study materials. These courses aim to improve our students' knowledge and skills in remote sensing and using ESA products.
During the Faculty Open Day we presented our focus on ESA satellite data applications
Our faculty opened its doors to the general public on 1 February 2024. In particular, high school students at the Department of Geography were able to learn about the importance of Earth observation from space and the courses that focus on satellite remote sensing as part of their studies.
We trained high school students in ESA sensor applications
In January 2024, we were visited again by students from Šrobárova Gymnasium, who were trained with us on online processing of Sentinel 1 and 2 satellite data using Sentinel Hub.
Hydrological measurements using Sentinel 3
Within the course Applied Radar Remote Sensing, invited guests from the University of Wroclaw gave a lecture and an exercise on river level monitoring using Sentinel 3. The teaching was provided by prof. Tomasz Niedzielsky and his PhD student Michal Halicky.
Earthquake monitoring by the Sentinel 1 radar mission
On 13 December 2023, within the course Applied Radar Remote Sensing, we conducted a lecture and an exercise by invited guest assoc. prof. Juraj Papčo from the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. The topic was earthquake monitoring using SAR interferometry.
Remote sensing also for secondary schools
At the Proeduco Education Fair on 7 December 2023, we presented the importance of remote sensing of the Earth from space for high school students.
Geologist from Sardinia lectured on mapping forest fires
In November 2023, the Institute of Geography of UPJŠ welcomed a distinguished guest, prof. Maria Teresa Melis from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, within the ESA ENEUM project. Her lectures enriched the students' knowledge in monitoring forest fires using data from ESA and the EFFIS information system. The students also had the opportunity to practically process Sentinel-2 multispectral satellite data and analyse the impact of fires on the affected area. This collaboration highlights the importance of international education projects and the real impact they can have on the practice of geography students.
How to do business in the space industry?
On 8 November 2023 we discussed with Denis Sedlák, representative of the Slovak Space Office, the possibilities of establishing start-ups and companies focused on space-industry.
European Researchers' Night 2023 lecture
Michal Gallay presented imaging spectrometry as a key to unveiling the invisible aspects of the Earth's surface in a public lecture during the European Researchers' Night on 29.9.2023. This technology makes it possible to identify hidden features of the Earth's surface, thus contributing significantly to the advancement of geographical research and environmental protection.
We have started teaching subjects within the ENEUM project
From September 2023, we have started teaching the new courses Earth Observation Applications and Applied Radar Remote Sensing Applications in the winter semester. The development of the content of the courses is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) within the ENEUM project at UPJŠ in Košice. A total of 30 students have enrolled in the courses, which will also be enriched by the teaching of invited guests.
Earth oservation from space at our faculty anniversary celebration
As part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Faculty of Science of the Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, we showed young guests the Earth from space in an interactive virtual reality booth and presented how Košice looks like from a satellite in a lecture on May 26, 2023.
Calibration and validation of Sentinel 2/PRISMA data with UAV lidar and hyperspectral scanning
European Space Agency (ESA) develops hyperspectral space missions to discern Earth's materials for applications in food security, biodiversity, or climate change mitigation. Ground reflectivity measurements calibrate space cameras accurately. The intermittently desiccating Sal’e Porcus Lake in Sardinia was chosen for such calibration. Here, 25 young scientists engaged in airborne mapping for spectral, geological, and topographical characterization under extreme conditions, acquiring over 300 GB of geospatial spectral data in July 2023.
