IEEE GRSS WINTER SCHOOL 2026

The Sustainable Goa Summit 2026 was held on 3 November 2026 at Taj Cidade Held from 30 October to 1 November 2026, the IEEE GRSS Winter School on Remote Sensing, GIS and SAR Image Analysis: Foundation & Application was organised by the IEEE DBCE Student Branch in association with the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS) and IEEE Maharashtra Section at Don Bosco College of Engineering, Goa. The three-day event brought together selected student participants from more than ten colleges across the country, providing valuable technical knowledge and practical exposure. The event was coordinated by Mr. Kshitij Patil – IEEE GRSS Chair, Prof. Yeshudas Muttu – IEEE SB Counselor and Dr. Mohini Naik.

Day 1 commenced with the inaugural function, graced by the Space Application Centre, ISRO Scientists - Dr. Shiv Mohan and Dr. Anup Das who delivered the keynote sessions on Microwave Remote Sensing and Geospatial Technologies, covering radar principles, polarisation, SAR, the NISAR mission and its applications.

Post lunch, the participants visited the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Vasco. Dr. Juhi yadav, Scientist in Polar Remote Sensing, introduced participants to polar expeditions, the cryosphere, Antarctic research stations, glaciers, sea ice, ocean circulation and the applications of active and passive remote sensing in polar studies.

Day 2 commenced with a keynote session by Dr. Varsha Turkar on microwave sensors and their applications in remote sensing. The session covered antennas, polarisation, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), spatial resolution, radar parameters and the interaction of radar signals with different surface features.

This was followed by hands-on workshops on SAR data processing using PolSARpro tool, where participants gained practical exposure through visual demonstrations, photographs and raw sensor data. The day concluded with a thank-you dinner, during which the volunteers presented musical performances through the Symphonia - a DBCE Music Club and organised engaging networking games, creating an enjoyable opportunity for participants to interact and connect.

Day 3 commenced with a session on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) conducted by Mr. Deepak Choksi, who introduced participants to GIS fundamentals, spatial data, mapping and their applications across various fields. The session was followed by a hands-on laboratory workshop using QGIS (Quantum Geographic Information System). Participants explored various tools, worked with geospatial data, created maps and performed basic spatial analysis, gaining practical experience with GIS software.

The three-day IEEE GRSS Winter School offered a valuable combination of expert lectures, interactive discussions, field visits and practical workshops. It enhanced participants’ understanding of remote sensing, SAR image analysis and GIS while providing opportunities to learn from experts and connect with students from different institutions.