Masoud of CCORE

Wetlands are critical ecosystems, playing a key role in supporting diverse ecological functions. They serve as essential habitats for a wide array of flora and fauna, contribute to the regulation of water quality and quantity, and act as crucial buffers against floods. Additionally, wetlands provide valuable resources and recreational opportunities for humans while serving as vital carbon sinks, integral to both water and carbon cycles. Understanding the extensive spatial distribution of wetlands is imperative for effectively monitoring these dynamic ecosystems. This information is not only essential for assessing historical status and trends but also for providing accurate inputs in carbon budgeting, habitat preservation, biodiversity conservation, and resource management strategies. Traditionally, wetland mapping has been a resource-intensive process, involving airborne photography and on-site visits for surveys. The associated substantial costs and time requirements limit the feasibility of these approaches. However, recent advancements in Optical and Radar remote sensing technology offer a cost-effective solution, capable of producing accurate wetland maps on a global scale. The "Wetland Watch Seminar" provides an opportunity to learn about the latest progress in large-scale wetland monitoring. During this seminar, Dr. Mahdianpari will discuss a summary of his ten-year research findings and introduce several cutting-edge techniques developed by his team, which are grounded in advanced AI models and big remote sensing data.

Biography:

Dr. Masoud Mahdianpari, a Remote Sensing Technical Lead at C-CORE and a Cross-appointed Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Department of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in 2019. Following his doctoral studies, he served as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) affiliated with Memorial University. With a record of over 150 publications, Dr. Mahdianpari has made a great contribution to the field of remote sensing and environmental monitoring. His research interests encompass PolSAR image processing, multimodal data analytics, machine learning, and geo big data. Dr. Mahdianpari is actively involved as an Associate Editor for several prestigious journals, including the IEEE GRSL, the Frontiers in Environmental Science journal, the Remote Sensing journal, and the Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing. Recognized for his achievements, Dr. Mahdianpari has received various awards, such as the Research and Development Corporation Ocean Industries Student Research Award, the T. David Collett Best Industry Paper Award, the Com-Adv Devices Inc. Scholarship for Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship, the Microsoft Artificial Intelligence for Earth Award, and the Graduate Academic Excellence Award during his PhD. Additionally, he has secured several grants, including the NSERC Discovery Grant. His global ranking in the top 1% of scientists, as reported by Stanford and Elsevier in 2023, further highlights his contribution to the field of remote sensing and environmental monitoring.