IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine - September 2019 - 11

Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Camara discussed
the gap between the research that thousands of worldwide
scientists perform and the contributions those scientists
make to the decision-making process. Producing replicable
knowledge and exposing all the parts of a specific application, including the software code and data, to achieve full
results reproduction is import for closing the gap between
science and decision making.
Franz Ming-Chih Cheng [Figure 5(d)] gave the final
presentation of the plenary, "Sentinel Asia: Evolution
and Current Status." He is the director general of the
International Affairs Office, National Applied Research
Laboratories (NARLabs), Taipei, Taiwan, and a member
of the Sentinel Asia Steering Committee. Begun in February 2006, Sentinel Asia is a voluntary initiative involving space and disaster-management agencies that applies
remote sensing and Web Geographic Information System
(GIS) technologies to assist disaster management in the
Asia-Pacific region. Its objectives are 1) to improve safety
in society through information and communication technology and space technologies, 2) to improve the speed
and accuracy of disaster preparedness and early warnings,
and 3) to minimize the number of victims and reduce social/economic losses. Currently, 110 organizations from
28 countries belong to Sentinel Asia. Ming-Chih Cheng
discussed the importance of mitigation and preparedness activities, including the production of hazard maps,
early warning systems, building capacity for remote sensing and GIS technologies, and recovery activities after a
disaster. Since 2007, Sentinel Asia has responded to 300
emergencies. Space-based technology provides a unique
contribution to disaster and risk-reduction initiatives in
the Asia-Pacific region.
FELLOW RECOGNITIONS AT THE
AWARDS CEREMONY
After the plenary speeches, Prof. Alberto Moreira announced the newly elected IEEE Fellows and the presen-

tation of the GRSS major awards for 2019. Six IEEE GRSS
members were elevated to Fellow in 2019; five of them attended and were recognized at the plenary session. IEEE
President-Elect Fukuda congratulated the Fellows, presented their certificates, and gave them gifts. After the Fellow recognitions, four major awards were presented. GRSS
President Gamba congratulated the winners and presented
them with certificates and plaques.
IEEE FELLOW AWARDS
The title of Fellow recognizes an individual's unusual
distinction in the profession and is conferred only by
invitation of the IEEE Board of Directors to a person of
outstanding and extraordinary qualifications and experience in IEEE-designated fields. The IEEE bylaws limit
the number of Members who can be advanced to Fellow
grade in any one year to one per 1,000 of the IEEE Membership, exclusive of students and affiliates. To qualify,
the candidate must be a Senior Member and nominated
by an individual familiar with his or her achievements.
Endorsements are required from at least five IEEE Fellows and an IEEE Society best qualified to judge. The
GRSS Fellow Committee completes the first ranking of
the nominations. After this, members of the IEEE Fellow
Committee, composed of approximately 50 IEEE Fellows,
carefully evaluate all nominations (taking note of the Society rankings) and present a list of recommended candidates to the IEEE Board of Directors for the final election.
The GRSS performs above the average with respect to
the number of elected Fellows every year. Following are the
GRSS members elevated to Fellow status, effective 1 January 2019 (Figure 6):
◗ William Blackwell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, Massachusetts,
United States
◗ Bruce Campbell, Smithsonian Center for Earth and
Planetary Studies, Washington, D.C., United States
◗ Shutao Li, Hunan University, Changsha, China

FIGURE 6. IEEE President-Elect Fukada (left) and GRSS President Gamba (right) pose with the 2019 IEEE Fellows nominated by the GRSS
who attended the symposium (second from left): Prof. Liangpei Zhang, Prof. Jeffrey Walker, Dr. William Blackwell, Prof. Shutao Li,
and Prof. Marwan Younis.
SEPTEMBER 2019

IEEE GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING MAGAZINE

IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine - September 2019

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