Cutting edge environmental space research to be showcased at free event
Leicester researchers who are tracing forest carbon from space to understand the contributions forests make to climate change will share their latest findings in a free talk.
Tracing forest carbon is crucial for understanding how forests contribute to climate change and helps researchers to discover how much carbon is stored in forests and how this can alter over time. Dr Nezha Acil, a research associate at the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) and fellow of the Institute for Environmental Futures at the University of Leicester, will discuss the research and how it can guide sustainable forest management at the next free Space Park Conservations event run by Space Park Leicester.
Dr Acil said: “New technology is advancing our capacity to monitor forest carbon dynamics, with unprecedented levels of detail.
“During Space Park Conversations we will review the ongoing research at the University of Leicester to map global aboveground biomass dynamics which are essential for quantifying carbon fluxes and understanding forest ecosystem functioning under changing climatic and anthropogenic pressures.
“This work is providing crucial quantifications to support global initiatives for carbon accounting, policy making and sustainable forest management.”
Dr Acil specialised in global forest dynamics and has recently completed her PhD at the University of Birmingham. Her research interests revolve around forest conservation, remote sensing and geospatial computing. Her current work on forest biomass modelling is funded by UK Research and Innovation National Environment Research Council and the European Space Agency.
Dr Acil’s talk, ‘Tracing forest carbon from space: Recent multi-sensor approaches to quantify aboveground biomass changes over time and across the world’ will start at 2pm on Tuesday, October 28, at Space Park Leicester. To book a free place, visit https://tinyurl.com/3t837wtj
Dr Acil will also join other leading experts at an evening of space, creativity and community at Space Park Leicester on Wednesday, November 19, to mark COP30 – the UN’s climate conference.
It will bring together leading researchers, innovators and local residents to explore how Leicester’s work in climate science, space technology and sustainable innovation is helping to create a better future for Earth.
The free event will feature hands-on science and sustainability exhibits, Earth observation displays and demonstrations and creative and educational activities for all ages. It will be immediately preceded by a Cosmic Coffee networking event which will take place from 3pm to 4pm.
To attend Climate & Community: Leicester’s Journey to COP30, book your free place at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/climate-community-leicesters-journey-to-cop30-tickets-1820178164889
To book a free place at Cosmic Coffee, go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1819195265009
Discover more about Space Park Leicester’s cutting-edge partnerships, pioneering missions, resident community, state-of-the-art facilities, specialist training programmes and innovation ecosystem at www.space-park.co.uk. Explore how your organisation can collaborate with us here. To learn more about the University of Leicester, visit le.ac.uk.
Main image: University of Leicester students