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03/04/2025 26views 0likes
In recognition of outstanding contributions to scientific advancement and innovation using Earth observation data, the ESA Earth Observation Excellence Award is presented annually to early-career researchers.
This year, the 2025 Earth Observation Excellence Award honours both an individual and a team. The individual award will be presented to Dr Marcello Passaro, a research associate at the Technical University of Munich, while the team prize will be awarded to the Decentralised Damage Mapping Group.
The research of Dr Marcello Passaro focuses on developing and applying techniques to enhance the quantity, quality and usability of satellite altimetry data for sea level and sea state studies, with a particular emphasis on coasts. He will receive a grant of up to €35 000.
Dr Marcello Passaro, Technical University of Munich
Marcello is passionate about developing algorithms for challenging marine environments, such as coastal zones, sea ice and regions affected by storms. His studies, which leverage data collected by ESA and other space agencies, have covered sea level dynamics in areas that affect people and infrastructure.
The team award goes to an international collaboration – the Decentralised Damage Mapping Group (DDMG) – which uses Earth observation datasets to assess damage in conflict and disaster-affected regions. DDMG develops novel Earth observation methodologies to rigorously assess the impacts of wars on the environment.
Through their research using Copernicus satellite data, including from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2, as well as other civilian and commercial sensors, they have brought awareness to the utility and limitations of Earth observation data in mapping the impacts of war, which has received widespread media attention. The team has mapped urban and agricultural damage in conflict-affected regions such as Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon.
Members of the DDMG are: Dr Eoghan Darbyshire from the Conflict and Environment Observatory (UK), Dr Marie Schellens, of Pax for Peace (Netherlands), and, from Oregon State University (US), Dr Corey Scher and Dr Jamon Van Den Hoek, as well as the team lead, Dr Lina Eklund from Lund University (Sweden).
Decentralized Damage Mapping Group
DDMG will receive a grant of up to €65 000. The announcement of this year’s winners follows an independent evaluation of nominations led by the European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC) of the European Science Foundation. The Award Ceremony will take place on 25 June 2025 during the ESA Living Planet Symposium in Vienna.
Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said, “I would like to warmly congratulate each of the winners of the 2025 Earth Observation Excellence Award. I am thrilled to see that the award continues to support the pioneering research of young scientists using Earth observation data supplied by European satellites.”
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