Top scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) missions will be present at BME at the invitation of Zsófia Kugler, a former Fulbright and Rosztoczy scholar, and Director to the Knowledge Centre for Water Sciences and Disaster Prevention at the Faculty of Civil Engineering.

The 2024 International Soil Moisture School – Europe will bring together twelve senior scientists and engineers for 3 days of lectures, hands-on computer sessions and in-field measurements training PhD students, postdocs and young researchers from 10 countries across Europe and the US. Lecturers are from the University of Massachusetts, Michigan State University, University of Georgia, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona, the Monash University in Australia and NASA laboratories, institutes.

The topic of the school is satellite measurement of soil moisture which can be fundamental for agricultural, hydrological and slope stability. Among the speakers is Simon Yueh, principal investigator of NASA’s SMAP satellite mission, and Klaus Scipal, director of the ESA’s SMOS and BIOMASS satellite programmes. Participants will take in-field measurements, courtesy of the Hungarian Soil Science Institute (TAKI).

The event is supported by the Geosciences and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS), an international organisation under the auspices of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Travel expenses for US students are sponsored by the Fulbright Hungarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange.

From the 120 nominees having applied for the school, 35 will be able to participate in the training. The organisers welcome all BME students and faculty to attend the technical program after registering at isms2024@m365.bme.hu.