Working Groups

AquaWatch has have five Working Groups (WGs). The function of the WGs is to support timely and successful project implementation and task execution, and provide necessary scientific, technical and other support as required for projects, tasks and activities.

Working Group 1 – Outreach and User Engagement

WG-1 is responsible for outreach to the (potential) users of water quality data, products and derived information. The group will be tasked with generating a communication strategy for the community of practice that will allow for advocacy of Earth Observations in support of water quality monitoring and forecasting and general engagement of diverse users across the globe.

Working Group Co-Chairs

  • Carsten Brockmann, Brockmann Consult GmbH
  • Emily Smail, University of Maryland/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Working Group Members

  • Jennifer Dorton, SECOORA
  • Samuela Guida, IWA
  • Vikram Gulecha, OCEO Water (India)
  • Felipe Lobo, Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Brazil
  • Michael Natschke, Xylem
  • Jordi Sandalinas, LL.M. PhDc, Attorney in Private Practice
  • Nimisha Singla, Delhi Technological University
  • Adrian Strauch, University of Bonn
  • Apostolos Tzimas, EMVIS SA

Working Group 2 – Observations and Data

WG-2 is responsible for evaluating, generating and refining algorithms, protocols, supporting calibration and validation, and linking key data sets from remote sensing and in situ data sources.

Working Group Co-Chair

  • Philipp Saile, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) and United Nations Environment Programme-GEMS/ Water
  • Igor Ogashawara, IGB-Berlin

Working Group Members

  • Janet Anstee, CSIRO
  • Mina Bizic, IGB-Berlin
  • Laurence Carvalho, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
  • Alex Castagne Mourao e Lima, Ghent University
  • Miroslaw Darecki, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences
  • Gerardo Toro-Farmer, University of South Florida
  • Hans Peter Grossart, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
  • Bilqis Hoque, Environment and Population Research Centre
  • Peter Hunter, University of Stirling
  • Cedric Jamet, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences
  • Kulli Kangur, Estonia University of Life Sciences
  • Anders Jensen Knudby, University of Ottowa
  • Harald Krawczyk, German Aerospace Center, Remote Sensing Technology Institute
  • Tiit Kutser, University of Tartu
  • Zhong Ping Lee, University of Massachusetts, Boston
  • Soo Chin Liew, National University of Singapore
  • Mark Matthews, CyanoLakes
  • Wes J. Moses, United States Naval Research Laboratory
  • Michael Natschke, Xylem
  • Jens Nejstgaard, IGB-Berlin
  • Nima Pahlevan, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • Jaime Pitarch, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine
  • Suhyb Salama, University of Twente
  • John F. Schalles, Creighton University
  • Frank Schlaeger, KISTERS AG
  • Evangelos Spyrakos, University of Stirling
  • Emma Tebbs, King's College London
  • Andrew Tyler, University of Stirling
  • Maria Tzotziou, City College of New York
  • Anthony Vodacek, Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Mortimer Werther, University of Stirling
  • Guangming Zheng, Global Science and Technology (NOAA-Affiliate)

Working Group 3 – Products and Information

WG-3 is responsible for identifying, generating and evaluating products derived from complementary remote sensing and in situ data sets, as well as supporting modeling and data assimilation activities for regional and global water quality nowcasts, forecasts and predictions. This group will work to facilitate routine and sustained production of fit for purpose products for use in the scientific community as well as information products for policy makers, decision makers, and the general public.

Working Group Co-Chairs

  • Ghada El Serafy, Deltares

Working Group Members

  • Felix Bachofer, DLR German Aerospace Center, Germany
  • Caren Binding, Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • Damien Bouffard, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
  • Laurence Carvalho, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
  • Alex Castagne Mourao e Lima, Ghent University
  • Robyn Conmy, US EPA
  • Maycira Costa, University of Victoria
  • Miroslaw Darecki,  Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences
  • Gerardo Toro-Farmer, University of South Florida
  • Steve Groom, Plymouth Marine Lab
  • Angelica Gutierrez, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • Paul Hanson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Thomas Heege, EOMAP GmbH & Co.
  • Peter Hunter, University of Stirling
  • Md. Shamiul Huque, Environment and Population Research Centre (EPRC)
  • Cedric Jamet, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences
  • Klaus Joehnk, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
  • Kulli Kangur, Estonia University of Life Sciences
  • Philip Klinger, EOMAP GmbH & Co.
  • Els Knaeps, VITO
  • Anders Jensen Knudby, University of Ottowa
  • Tiit Kutser, University of Tartu
  • Kyriakos Kandris, EMVIS (Water Resources & Environment Management)
  • Zhong Ping Lee, University of Massachusetts-Boston
  • George Leshkevich, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • Soo Chin Liew, National University of Singapore
  • Stephen C. Maberly, Center for Hydrology and Ecology
  • Emilio Mayorga, University of Washington
  • Michael Natschke, Xylem
  • Daniel Odermatt, Odermatt & Brockmann GmbH
  • Nima Pahlevan, NASA
  • Nicole Pinnel, DLR
  • Emily Read, United States Geological Survey
  • Ils Reusen, VITO
  • Kevin Rose, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy
  • Philipp Saile, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) and United Nations Environment Programme-GEMS/ Water
  • John F. Schalles, Creighton University (Emeritas)
  • Frank Schlaeger, KISTERS, AG
  • Richard "Dick" Smith, United States Geological Survey
  • Anna Spinosa, Deltares
  • Emma Tebbs, Kings College London
  • Anthony Vodacek, Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Kathleen Weathers, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
  • Guangming Zheng, Global Science and Technology (NOAA-Affiliate)
  • Ru Morrison, NERACOOS, USA

Working Group 4 – Distribution, Access, and Visualization

WG-4 is responsible for making products and derived information generated (and/or facilitated) by WG-3 visually appealing and broadly accessible to target audiences. The group will also work to distribute scientific, technical and other outputs to applicable end users.

Working Group CO-ChairS

  • Steve Groom, Plymouth Marine Lab
  • Megan Coffer, USEPA ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow

Working Group Members

  • Paul Hanson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Thomas Heege, EOMAP GmbH & Co.
  • Kulli Kangur, Estonia University of Life Sciences
  • Philip Klinger,  EOMAP GmbH & Co.
  • Els Knaeps, VITO
  • George Leshkevich, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • Michael Natschke, Xylem
  • Ils Reusen, VITO
  • Philipp Saile, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) and United Nations Environment Programme-GEMS/ Water
  • Blake Schaeffer, United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • John F. Schalles, Creighton University (Emeritas)
  • Frank Schlaeger, KISTERS AG
  • Kathleen Weathers, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
  • Paris Collingsworth, Purdue University and Illinois-Indiana SeaGrant

Working Group 5 – Education and Capacity Building

WG-5 is responsible for educational content for policy makers, decision makers, and the general public. This group will also support, identify and lead capacity building efforts in developed and developing nations to expand the effective and timely utilization of Earth observations for societal benefits.

Working Group Co-Chairs

  • Bilqis Hoque,  Environment and Population Research Centre
  • Andrew Tyler, University of Stirling

Working Group Members

  • Anthony Akpan, Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), Nigeria
  • Laurence Carvalho, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
  • Paul Hanson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Erin Hester, North Carolina State University
  • Peter Hunter, University of Stirling
  • Amos T Kabo-bah, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana
  • Tania Jeannette Llamas Franco, National University of Asunción, Paraguay
  • Igor Ogashawara, IGB-Berlin, Germany
  • Nicole Pinnel, DLR
  • Kevin Rose, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy
  • Suhyb Salama, University of Twente
  • Blake Schaeffer, United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • Anthony Vodacek, Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Kathleen Weathers, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies