2022 - The Year of the Phoenix?

 I think its pretty clear the effect COVID had on this blog - but looking back at it - so much work, im going to have to revive it in 2022. Twitter is great but you cant discuss things in much detail. So here is a token post so 2021 doesnt go totally underrepresented and lets hope 2022 I can get back into it. I mean 5*S doesnt even get mentioned!

Celtic Voyager Trip

The second stage of GY643 ended this weekend - what a great module.... A very early start Saturday morning saw us meet at Horgan's Quay in Cork with the two survey vessels tied up at the pier - we were on the Celtic Voyager for the weekend (below). The bigger Celtic Explorer was moored alongside.

The range of things the ten students were exposed to in the two days (not including Storm Denis) was incredible - and in detail too, with a chance to apply it themselves in practice. The whole experience of being on a ship like that from eating in the mess, to working in the dry lab and wet lab was really an experience students could not normally get, plus with 4 science staff and all the crew giving demos of many of the ports and practices they were really lucky to get to learn in such small groups. We found a nice sheltered spot down past Ringaskiddy and parallel with Cobh promenade and worked there in the wind and rain for most of Saturday taking seabed samples, carrying out multi-beam and singhle beam surveys and the only thing the weather stopped us from doing was seeing the ROV in action. Freshly cooked goulash for lunch on Day 1 and shepherds pie Day 2 - can't ask for better than that. 

Day two was a much sunnier affair - although had been forecast to be worse. We got to go on deck more often, see the sights and had a good look at naval vessels tied in Haulbowline. Fascinating experience - quite a few of the students looking at that as an option for their work placement now.

Marine Remote Sensing - Module Co-Developed with Industry

Last week brought the theory element of GY643 to a close - the first postgraduate marine remote sensing module in Ireland. This module was notable for another reason too - it was co-developed with industry. Early in 2018 we began working with Geological Survey of Ireland and the Marine Institute (the partners on INFOMAR - the national seabed mapping programme) on developing the structure, content and model of assessment etc for a 10 credit postgraduate module. Judging by early indications and the student feedback the theory and lab based practivcal element was very well received. The next stage - the boat time in February - will round off the module nicely. Lots of useful feedback and thanks to all the speakers and students for helping out this year.

5*S is Hiring

5*S has its own Twitter page now for those interested (yes, i made the logo...)

https://twitter.com/5S_Discover

We're also hiring. Maynooth Geography are hiring for a Postdoc/RA and also a Software Developer.

The PD/RA will develop new Copernicus related content for the Esri ArcGIS In Schools programme and provide training to interested professionals/teachers-in-training in return for enrolling as a GeoMentor. Job spec here

The Software Developer will develop new Augmented Reality teaching tools (i'm really excited about the possibilities with this one) to introduce students to Copernicus data via mobile apps and help improve their spatial skillsets by adding elements of interaction. Job spec here

Closing dates for applications is 31st Jan approx - and we're hoping for an almost immediate start.

Must have drivers license and car...

2019 - A year in review

2019 was another good year.

Work on the OSi project coming to a successful conclusion, 3 journal papers published (one with Remote Sensing of Environment), 2 surveyors journal articles published, 2 EO sessions at EUGEO, a SFI Discover award, through to last stages of SFI Frontiers, managed to get an ERC proposal submitted, co-developing the new INFOMAR module, collaborated on national space strategy - and sponsorship of a eBee drone from KOREC!

Think that's it - time to enjoy the holiday.

SFI Discover - Space, Surveyors and Students: STEM and Sustainable Development Goals (5*S)

Very pleased to hear that our SFI Discover proposal was successful - Space, Surveyors and Students: STEM and Sustainable Development Goals (5*S)

5*S builds on two existing national school-based programmes to target a national audience. A collaboration between Esri Ireland’s award-winning, ‘ArcGIS for Schools’ programme and the Society of Chartered Surveyors ‘Day in the Life’ recruitment programme offers the opportunity to combine a national network of volunteers with an existing data and training infrastructure  in Irish primary and post-primary schools. Added to that 5*S was awarded funding for a software developer to work on AR and bring Copernicus into the schools.

Project partners are Maynooth Geog, Maynooth Dept Education, TU Dublin, Esri Ireland, Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and Ordnance Survey Ireland - collaborating with ESERO/SFI.

We'll have more info in 2020 and announce it properly but here's the Silicon Republic article

New Paper: Spatially Optimised

Glimpse getting another outing with a recent LiDAR/point cloud paper in the Journal of Spatial Science with a few NCG alumni. Dr. Pankaj Kumar (now in Uni of South Australia) lead author.

Spatially optimised retrieval of 3D point cloud data from a geospatial 

database for road median extraction

Download Link