This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 640276.
G6.12 Under - capacity of workforce to exploit satellite data and satellite characterisation
Submitted by Anna Mikalsen on 12 June, 2017 - 15:44
Gap abstract:
While it is necessary to address technical and organisational gaps that reduce the availability, effectiveness, and quality of satellite characterisation data, such improvements need be exploited by a sufficient workforce capacity to develop and deliver products and services to the marketplace. There is a shortage of skilled personnel to enable activities from the development and deployment of high-quality non-satellite instrumentation, through its processing to its exploitation, in order to successfully provide high-quality data products merging satellite and non-satellite data. If Copernicus services are to realise their full potential, additional training through formal and informal routes is required to train the next generation of data providers, analysts, and users that can fully exploit the substantive investment in space-based and non-space based observational assets and tools and, hence, deliver the envisaged step-change in capabilities and services to the marketplace.
Part I Gap description
Primary gap type:
- Governance (missing documentation, cooperation etc.)
User category/Application area impacted:
- Operational services and service development (meteorological services, environmental services, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS), operational data assimilation development, etc.)
- Climate research (research groups working on development, validation and improvement of ECV Climate Data Records)
Non-satellite instrument techniques involved:
- Independent of instrument technique
Detailed description:
European and global space agencies are investing substantially in improved satellite based remote-sensing capabilities. At the same time, numerous national and trans-national networks are performing high-quality non-satellite measurements. To realise a return on investment on these observational assets requires a skilled workforce capable of understanding and exploiting these data to their full potential. Experience within the GAIA-CLIM project, which aims to develop a set of tools and approaches to highlight potential applications of non-satellite data to better characterise satellite observations, has highlighted the relatively limited pool of available expertise at the present time. This expertise deficit pertains to varying degrees to all aspects of the end-to-end chain from instrument experts through practitioners capable of delivering products to end-users. Without addressing the educational / training deficit highlighted, it will be impossible to fully realise the value of the substantive investments to date in the space and non-space observational segments. A range of training needs are envisaged from formal educational routes that train the next generation of instrument specialists, data analysts and product developers through to more informal training of those professionals delivering user services and advice. For example, training should be a mandatory service provided by the Environmental European Research Infrastructures.
Gap status after GAIA-CLIM:
- After GAIA-CLIM this gap remains unaddressed
Part II Benefits to resolution and risks to non-resolution
| Identified benefit | User category/Application area benefitted | Probability of benefit being realised | Impacts |
|---|---|---|---|
Innovative research |
|
| New products, analyses, improved observations, and approaches, innovations to research infrastructures |
Increase in practitioners capable of delivering user services |
|
| Better provision of service and advice to users |
| Identified risk | User category/Application area at risk | Probability of risk being realised | Impacts |
|---|---|---|---|
Lack of capacity to uptake and use Copernicus data services |
|
| Lack of competition in marketplace, incorrect provision of advice and / or services to end users, non-utilisation of observational data to support decision making |
Long-term observational operation compromised |
|
| Observational capabilities not sustained leading to critical gaps in service / information provision. |
Long-term management of observational capabilities and programs compromised |
|
| Next generation of science and service leaders not available leading to reductions in service quality and / or provision. |
Part III Gap remedies
Gap remedies:
Remedy 1: Undergraduate, masters and doctoral training programs in Copernicus-relevant programs
Primary gap remedy type:
Education/Training
Proposed remedy description:
The exploitation of Copernicus data and services requires the training of a competent workforce of data providers, analysts, managers, and service provision experts. This requires a substantial increase in the number of relevant degree programs at undergraduate, masters and PhD levels. Via the Copernicus academy system, ERASMUS+, national programs, or other avenues, innovative teaching courses should be developed and shared to help develop competency in use of Copernicus data to derive products and services, including the use of satellite and non-satellite data and their appropriate synthesis / fusion / merging.
Perhaps most acute is training at the doctoral level, which provides the next generation of expert scientists capable of maintaining and improving the observational program and driving innovative analysis approaches. In many countries within Europe, there is very limited, if any, access to doctoral funding program support specifically targeted at Copernicus-relevant activities. Increasingly within H2020 / FP, and national projects, work seems shifted to postdoctoral and senior staff at the expense of doctoral training. There, hence, exists a looming capability capacity issue as the existing EO expert workforce is likely not being adequately replaced in time. The Copernicus program, along with other relevant stakeholders (a.o. ESA, EUMETSAT, national bodies), through the Copernicus Academy or other means, should facilitate a dedicated doctoral training program to questions relevant to Copernicus and dispersed via member states. This would enhance the ability of academic institutions within Europe to engage with Copernicus activities, while simultaneously training potential future researchers to support the sustained operation of Copernicus services. Such doctoral candidates and their supervisors would naturally act as champions of Copernicus within their institutions, potentially aiding uptake within the academic sector, and acting as a force multiplier.
Doctoral studentships are relatively inexpensive and offer an opportunity to explore issues in depth. Many of the gaps and remedies identified by both GAIA-CLIM are amenable to doctoral thesis type work. A targeted doctoral program addressing questions of mutual interest to host institutions and Copernicus would facilitate the provision of a sustainable programmatic capability while simultaneously better engaging academia within the programmatic structure of Copernicus.
Relevance:
The exploitation of Copernicus data and services requires the training of a competent workforce of data providers, analysts, managers, and service provision experts.
Measurable outcome of success:
Increase in range of qualified individuals supporting the Copernicus program provision.
Expected viability for the outcome of success:
- High
Scale of work:
- Individually
- Single institution
Time bound to remedy:
- Less than 10 years
Indicative cost estimate (investment):
- Low cost (< 1 million)
Indicative cost estimate (exploitation):
- Yes
Potential actors:
- Copernicus funding
- National funding agencies
Remedy 2: Instigate professional training, including formal qualification of competency in provision of Copernicus services
Primary gap remedy type:
Education/Training
Proposed remedy description:
The effective provision of services from Copernicus data requires users to have confidence about the quality of the service provider. This would be greatly aided by a program of training and certification of competency targeted at professionals working in the field who deliver user services and advice. This would assure that a basic level of service provision in the use and analysis of satellite and non-satellite data was attained by the party offering the service. This may result from a combination of proof of prior service engagement with users and / or formal training course(s) attendance. Service providers should show competency in accessing relevant observational data and products, their appropriate fusion, and the provision of advice to the user. A Copernicus service provision certificate could be provided by one or more accredited institutions offering training in required competencies with appropriate assessment. Training should be provided in a range of languages and need not be limited to European domain.
Relevance:
Ensure that users can be confident of competency of service provider to deliver relevant information services.
Measurable outcome of success:
Increased uptake of Copernicus services by end-users.
Expected viability for the outcome of success:
- High
Scale of work:
- Individually
- Single institution
Time bound to remedy:
- Less than 3 years
Indicative cost estimate (investment):
- Medium cost (< 5 million)
Indicative cost estimate (exploitation):
- Yes
Potential actors:
- Copernicus funding
- National funding agencies
- National Meteorological Services
- ESA, EUMETSAT or other space agency
- Academia, individual research institutes
- SMEs/industry
- National measurement institutes