GSW

From Earth to Mars and Beyond: Showcasing MBRSC’s Cutting-Edge Space Projects and Use Cases

Tuesday, 8th April 2025 | 09:00 – 10:00 AM | Sheikh Rashid Hall

Overview: This panel discussion will highlight the comprehensive space exploration initiatives led by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), spanning Earth observation technologies, lunar and Martian missions, and the UAE Astronaut Program. Attendees will gain insights into MBRSC’s cutting-edge Earth observation systems that address critical challenges like environmental monitoring and disaster management. The panel will also showcase the Centre’s pioneering efforts in space exploration, including the Emirates Mars Mission, upcoming lunar missions, and the UAE Astronaut Program, which plays a vital role in advancing human space exploration. With a focus on real-world use cases, technological advancements, and strategic partnerships, the panelists will discuss how MBRSC’s vision is shaping the future of space exploration—reaching from Earth to Mars, the Moon, and beyond.

Moderator

Saud Karmustaji

Director -Strategic Communication Department

MBRSC

Panelists

Dr. Hamad A. Almarzooqi

Eng. Hessa Al Matroushi

Dr. Saeed Al Mansoori

Eng. Hessa Ali

Project Manager, Emirates Lunar Mission (EML)

Senior Manager - Earth & Planetary Science Section

Director – Remote Sensing Department

MBZSAT-1 Deputy Project Manager

MBRSC

MBRSC

MBRSC

MBRSC

Mapping the Future: How Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Drive Climate Solutions and Disaster Management

Wednesday, 9th April 2025 | 09:00 – 10:00 AM | Sheikh Rashid Hall

Overview: As the world faces unprecedented challenges due to climate change and natural disasters, advanced technologies like photogrammetry and remote sensing are playing a pivotal role in providing data-driven insights for effective solutions. This panel will explore how these technologies are revolutionizing climate monitoring, environmental protection, and disaster management. Experts from the fields of photogrammetry, Earth observation, and geospatial analytics will discuss the latest innovations in satellite imagery, aerial mapping, and AI-powered data interpretation. The panel will highlight how these technologies enable governments, organizations, and communities to track environmental changes, predict disasters, and respond with greater precision and speed. By showcasing real-world applications—from mapping vulnerable coastlines and monitoring deforestation to predicting floods and assessing post-disaster damage—the panel will provide a forward-looking perspective on how photogrammetry and remote sensing can contribute to a more resilient and sustainable future. The discussion will also cover the importance of international collaboration, data sharing, and the role of AI in enhancing the accuracy and timeliness of remote sensing data for effective decision-making. Join us as we explore how mapping the Earth’s surface from space and the air can drive critical climate solutions and improve disaster preparedness and response strategies globally.

Moderator

Khadeijah Al Dhanhani

Strategic Research Specialist

UAE Space Agency

Panelists

Dr. Inge Jonckheere

Mr. Goro Takei

Mr. Borre Pedersen

Dr. Shushanik Asmaryan

Dr. Prashanth Marpu

Head of Green Solutions Division

Deputy Executive Secretary, Sentinel Asia

Sales Director - Earth Observation

Deputy Director for Science, (CENS)

Chief Technology
Officer

ESA

JAXA

KSAT 

NAS RA

Space42

Urban Evolution: Harnessing Digital Twins and Remote Sensing for Tomorrow's Smart Cities

Thursday, 10th April 2025 | 09:00 – 10:00 AM | Sheikh Rashid Hall

Overview: As cities around the globe evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world, the integration of digital twins and remote sensing technologies is becoming crucial in shaping the future of urban planning. This plenary session, “Urban Evolution: Harnessing Digital Twins and Remote Sensing for Tomorrow’s Smart Cities,” will explore how these cutting-edge technologies are revolutionizing the way we design, manage, and optimize urban environments. Digital twins—dynamic, virtual replicas of physical urban spaces—allow planners and policymakers to simulate, analyse, and visualize complex city systems in real-time. When combined with remote sensing data, which provides detailed, high-resolution insights into urban dynamics, these technologies offer unprecedented capabilities for informed decision-making and strategic planning. In this session, experts will showcase innovative applications of digital twins and remote sensing in developing smart cities. Topics will include the creation of comprehensive urban models for infrastructure management, environmental monitoring, and disaster response. Case studies will illustrate how these tools are being used to enhance sustainability, improve quality of life, and drive resilience in urban environments. Attendees will gain insights into the latest advancements in digital twin technology, learn about successful implementations in various cities, and explore the future potential of these tools in urban evolution. Join us to discover how digital twins and remote sensing are paving the way for smarter, more adaptable cities and contributing to the development of sustainable urban futures.

Panelists

Prof. Mohamed Elhabiby

Mr. Ahmed Awady

Eng. Maitha Alnuaimi

Mr. Noor Fan

Eng. Amr Elenein

Co-Founder, Executive Vice President

Technical Consultant Lead/ Principal

Director of GIS Department

Co-Founder Aerospace Group Limited

Chief Commercial
Officer

METI

ESRI

Dubai Municipality

STAR.VISION

Urbi

AI Horizons: How Will Machine Learning Redefine the Boundaries of Earth Observation?

Friday, 11th April 2025 | 09:00 – 10:00 AM | Sheikh Rashid Hall

Overview: As we advance into an era of unprecedented data availability and computational power, machine learning (ML) is poised to redefine the frontiers of Earth observation. This plenary session, “AI Horizons: How Will Machine Learning Redefine the Boundaries of Earth Observation?” will delve into the transformative potential of ML technologies in enhancing our understanding and management of Earth’s complex systems. Machine learning algorithms are revolutionizing Earth observation by enabling more precise analysis, prediction, and decision-making. From automating the extraction of features in satellite imagery to improving predictive models for climate change, ML is pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve with geospatial data. This session will explore cutting-edge applications of ML in Earth observation, highlighting its impact on environmental monitoring, disaster management, and sustainable development. Experts will present case studies showcasing successful ML integrations in remote sensing projects and discuss the latest innovations driving this field. Topics will include advancements in neural networks, deep learning techniques, and their implications for real-time data processing and analysis. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how ML is shaping the future of Earth observation, uncovering new possibilities for research and application. Join us to explore the exciting horizons of AI and machine learning and their profound impact on our understanding of the planet.

Moderator

Eng. Reem Al Ali

Head of Data Analytics Section

MBRSC Lab, University of Dubai 

Panelists

Arturo Intelisano

Dr. Hosni Ghedira

Eng. Roaya Bubshait

Mr. Naruhito Yabushita

Dr. Yuliya Tarabalka

Director, Research & Innovation Projects

Director of Research Engagements

Head of Geospatial Analytics Section

VP of Space Policy and Government Strategy

Vice President of Geospatial Platforms

Thales Alenia Space

MBZUAI

NSSA

SpaceData

Space42

Note: Click on the image to view the speaker’s biography

Saud Karmustaji

Director -Strategic
Communication Department
MBRSC

Dr. Hamad A. Almarzooqi

Project Manager, Emirates Lunar Mission (EML)

Eng. Hessa Al Matroushi

Senior Manager – Earth & Planetary Science Section

Dr. Saeed Al Mansoori

Director – Remote Sensing Department

Eng. Hessa Ali

MBZSAT-1 Deputy Project Manager

Ms. Khadeijah Al Dhanhani

Strategic Research Specialist, Space Mission Department, UAE Space Agency (UAESA)

Dr. Inge Jonckheere

Head of Green Solutions Division
ESA

Dr. Inge Jonckheere is a Belgian Environmental Engineer and obtained a PhD in Applied Bioscience Engineering in 2005, at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). She worked at the Università degli Studi di Milano (Italy) and was Guest Lecturer of the Geomatics Group at the KULeuven, combined with a mandate as Science Programme Manager for Environment at the European Science Foundation, Strasbourg (France). Since 2010, she has been working as Thematic Lead of Remote Sensing in the Forestry Department, leading the support to developing countries to set up national monitoring systems based on Earth Observation data with main research interest on carbon monitoring and land/forest/ocean applications. She is an official reviewer at the UN Framework of Climate Change and is Lead Author in the International Panel of Climate Change including the last (Sixth) Assessment Report published in 2022. She is co-editor of scientific books and high impact journals and has (co-) authored more than hundred scientific and mainstream articles. She joined ESA in the Esrin facility (Frascati, Italy) in March 2024 as Head of the Green Solutions Division and she is in charge of EO4Society incusing earth system science, applications, digital innovation and industrial competitiveness, with main actual interest the use of earth observation for sustainable environmental applications.

Mr. Goro Takei

Associate Sr. Engineer, JAXA and Deputy Executive Secretariat of Sentinel Asia
JAXA

Goro Takei joined National Aerospace Development Agency: NASDA (Former organization of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency: JAXA) in 2001. He has more than 20 years of experience in development, test, operation and application of earth observation satellites with optical sensor and synthetic aperture radar sensor (SAR). His current duty is to provide satellite data of area affected by natural hazards to Disaster Management Organications, when emergency observation is requested by member organizations of Sentinel Asia. He is the deputy executive secretariat and technical lead of Sentinel Asia and the board member of International Disaster Charter promoting utilization of space related assets in the international disaster management community.

Mr. Borre Pedersen

Borre Pedersen is a distinguished Sales Director with over 25 years of experience in the satellite services domain. He currently holds the position of Sales Director for Earth Observation at KSAT – Kongsberg Satellite Services, where he drives business growth, and nurtures key partnerships. Borre’s journey at KSAT began in 1998 at the Svalbard Ground Station where he lived and worked for five years. Over the years, his skills in B2B development, contract negotiation, and large-scale sales have enabled him to establish a strong foothold for KSAT in Europe, Asia, and the US markets. With a background in operations management at KSAT, Borre brings a holistic understanding of the satellite services landscape to his role. Pedersen is seeking solutions in the Earth Observation sector, leveraging his comprehensive experience to navigate the evolving demands of the satellite services field.

Dr. Shushanik Asmaryan

Deputy Director for Science,  Center for Ecological-Noosphere Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia

Dr. Sh. Asmaryan was born in 1978, received her education in Yerevan State University, Department of Geography and defended her PhD thesis in Geography in 2008. Since 2009 she has been leading the department of GIS and Remote Sensing technologies of the Center for Ecological-Noosphere Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia (CENS NAS RA) and since 2020 is a Deputy Director of CENS. Her research interests cover the issues of GIS and Remote Sensing technologies application for remote observation of the ecological state of environmental compartments (soil, water, agricultural plants, crops), land use planning (rural and urban), land cover monitoring and modelling, and the main factors of land degradation mostly by erosion. She also quite interested in Spatial Data Infrastructures – distributed GIS and Earth Observation Data Cube Infrastructures.
She has been coordinating the activities of Armenia in the Group on Earth Observation (www.earthobservations.org) since
She has been leading and participating in the number of national and international research projects: EU FP7 EcoArm2ERA [Coordinator] (2011-2014), SNF Swiss-Armenian ARPEGEO (2011-2013), EU H2020 Connecting Nature (www.connectingnature.eu) (2017-2022), SERI Swiss-Armenian ADC4SD (2018-2020), DTRA Atlas (2020-2023); Erasmus+ MENVIPRO (2019-2022), BMBF SEVAMOD2 (2020-2022), ML4GEO (2020-2022), Acti4Env (2023-2028) etc.
Since 2010 Dr. Asmaryan is a lecturer of the “Environmental Protection and Nature Management” educational department of the International Scientific and Educational Center of the NAS RA. She is an author and co-author of more than 80 research publications: ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6538-9171; Scopus Author ID: 56029764700.

Dr. Prashanth Marpu

VP of Research and Development
Space42

Dr. Prashanth Marpu is the Chief Technology Officer of Bayanat Smart Solutions/Space42 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Prior to joining Bayanat/Space42, he was an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Manager of YahSat Space Lab at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE. His specialization is in space systems, remote sensing, AI, environmental monitoring and internet of things. Before coming to the UAE, Dr. Marpu worked as a researcher at the University of Iceland and at the University of Pavia, Italy, where he was a Marie Curie Fellow working on developing advanced methods for earth observation data analysis. He holds a PhD in Remote Sensing from TU Freiberg, Germany, and MSc in Wireless Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark. He was involved in designing and building small satellites as a supervisor of various missions and worked as an advisor and reviewer for several other satellite programs. He has also actively contributed to the development of novel approaches for processing remote sensing data for a wide range of applications. Dr. Marpu has been part of several international committees related to Earth Observation technologies over the years. He has contributed to more than 150 publications in various journals and conferences and has been actively involved in the space and remote sensing activities globally.

Prof. Mohamed Elhabiby

Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, Micro Engineering Tech Inc.

Mr. Ahmed Awady

Technical Consultant Lead/ Principal
ESRI

Ahmed Awady is the Solution Engineering Lead for GeoAI and Geospatial Analytics, specializing in Geospatial strategies, business solutions, proof of concepts, and technology demonstrations. With over 18 years of experience in Spatial Data Management, Remote Sensing, Geospatial Analysis, GIS consultancy, and advanced analytics across domains such as Public Safety, Defense, Space, Maritime, and Aviation, Ahmed has led numerous geospatial technology projects in the Middle East, Africa, and West Asia. Ahmed was part of Esri’s core development team globalizing ArcGIS software, including the release of the first Arabic ArcMap in 2011. His expertise spans Remote Sensing, Spatial Analysis, Spatiotemporal Analytics, Machine Learning, Desktop GIS, Web GIS, and Spatial Data Infrastructure development.

Eng. Maitha Alnuaimi

Director of GIS Department
Dubai Municipality
UAE

The director of the GIS Center department at Dubai Municipality, Maitha is Dubai’s first female Emirati drone pilot specialized in 3D mapping. She obtained her professional license as a drone pilot from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority after going through intensive training. She graduated with distinction from the UAE University in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in geographic information system (GIS). And holding two master’s degrees in city science and big data and business analytics. In 2019, she graduated from the National Program of Artificial Intelligence and She has been chosen as one of the top 20 young individuals from emerging talents in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries for the year 2021, who are under the age of 35.

Mr. Noor Fan

Co-Founder STAR.VISION Aerospace Group Limited
China

Mr. Noor Fan, as the co-founder of STAR.VISION, has demonstrated forward-thinking insights in space computing and the integration of AI with space technology. He advocates for equal access to space technology and actively promotes collaboration and resource sharing between industry and academia, driving innovative applications and advancing the space field. He led STAR.VISION market expansion and investment across the Greater China, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions in the last 3 years.

Eng. Amr Elenein

Chief Commercial Officer
Urbi

Amr Elenein, MEng. As the Chief Commercial Officer at Urbi, Amr Elenein, brings an unparalleled wealth of experience, a global perspective, and a history of transformative leadership in the ICT & Digital Transformation industry. With a career that has spanned continents, Amr has consistently navigated the forefront of the technology landscape. Prior to joining Urbi, Amr held the distinguished position of Senior Director of Sales at Huawei Technologies, where he orchestrated global strategies and propelled sales initiatives to new heights. Amr’s prior leadership roles at Ericsson were equally remarkable, including serving as Head of Sales and Business Development, Head of Strategy and New Areas, and Key Account Director. Here, his innovative thinking and strategic acumen shaped the direction of the organization and fortified Ericsson’s presence in the market. He held the position of Senior Manager at Etisalat (e&), where he was entrusted with the vital government sector in the UAE. Before conquering the international technology arena, Amr established his leadership credentials at home in Canada. Amr is a distinguished alumnus of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, holding a Masters Degree in Wireless Communications, a testament to his commitment to academic excellence and a deep understanding of the technological foundations of the industry. At Urbi, Amr is entrusted with driving global sales and business development, a role that leverages his rich history of visionary leadership and his innate ability to recognize and harness market opportunities. His strategic leadership and commitment to delivering innovative solutions have positioned Urbi as a leader in the geo-spatial and location intelligence industry. With Amr leading the way, Urbi continues to redefine the boundaries of what location technology can achieve, propelling the organization to global prominence and unlocking new horizons for clients and partners across the world.

Eng. Reem Al Ali

Head of Data Analytics Section
MBRSCLAB

Arturo Intelisano

Director of Research, Innovation, Advanced & Constellation Projects
Thales

Dr. Hosni Ghedira

Director of Research Engagements at MBZUAI

Dr. Hosni Ghedira is presently a Professor of Practice at Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the world’s first graduate-level research-based AI university. He earned his MSc in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Sherbrooke (Canada) in 1997 and his PhD in Water Sciences from the University of Quebec (Canada) in 2001. Prior to his current role at MBZUAI, Dr. Ghedira served as Director of the Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment at Masdar Institute (2010-2020). Before relocating to the UAE, he was a faculty member at the City University of New York for six years and founded the Environmental Remote Sensing and Image Processing Laboratory at the NOAA Cooperative Remote Sensing Science & Technology Center in New York. Dr. Ghedira has 25 years of rich and progressively responsible experience in diverse sectors of Energy, Environment, Water, Innovation and Climate. He is an active member in several regional and international working groups in the field of clean energy, space technologies, water security and environmental monitoring. Dr. Ghedira has participated in several studies with international organizations (UN-ESCWA, World Bank, IRENA, AfDB) on clean energy, water security and water-energy nexus. Dr. Ghedira was nominated in January 2019 by Solar Quarter Magazine in the list of Most Influential Solar Business Leaders in The MENA PV Market. He was nominated in January 2018 as a member of Mohammed bin Rashid Academy of Scientists (MBRAS).

Eng. Roaya Bubshait

Head of Geospatial Analytics Section at NSSA

Roaya Bubshait is a passionate enthusiast of big data. Currently, she serves as the Head of Geospatial Analytics at the National Space Science Agency (NSSA) of Bahrain. In her pursuit of professional growth, she dedicated herself to obtaining a master’s degree with a specialization in Space Engineering and pursuing her PhD in Electronic & Electrical Engineering, aiming to further refine her expertise in the field. As the Head of Geospatial Analytics, Roaya leads a dynamic team dedicated to processing satellite images and analysing geospatial data. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies and strategic plans, they generate actionable business insights that optimize operations, identify new growth opportunities, and provide a deeper understanding of customer behaviour patterns. Their efforts contribute significantly to achieving the Kingdom’s economic vision for 2030 and fostering a sustainable space science sector. Roaya has a proven track record of utilizing geospatial tools and techniques to produce highly valuable analytical studies. Through her expertise, she skill-fully analyses and evaluates earth observation data, effectively meeting the national requirements. Her ability to employ geospatial data contributes to the successful fulfilment of critical objectives and supports informed decision-making processes. In her commitment to knowledge sharing and experience transfer, Roaya has been a representative of the Kingdom, participating in a number of international conferences. Her purpose is to showcase the pivotal role played by the Kingdom of Bahrain in leveraging space science technologies to foster sustainable development. Through her engaging presentations and insightful discussions, she effectively highlighted the nation’s contributions and accomplishments in this field, inspiring collaboration and further advancement on a global scale.

Mr. Naruhito Yabushita

Vice President of Space Policy and Government Strategy at SpaceData

After graduating from university in Japan, he joined the Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Local Department at the recommendation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Vietnamese Government. In this role, he contributed to the development of a special industrial zone designed to support Vietnam’s national industrialization strategy by attracting and concentrating heavy industries and material manufacturers. These efforts helped facilitate the establishment of prominent companies in sectors such as petrochemicals and steelmaking, with investments from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Japan. Additionally, he supported foreign investments in chemical manufacturing, paper production requiring soft industrial water, and assembly industries reliant on large-scale ports and stable power supplies. This initiative was part of an agreement between the Prime Ministers of Japan and Vietnam. Throughout his career, following this initiative, he has since been involved in policy formulation and business development initiatives for innovative technologies across more than 10 industries, including space development, urban planning, real estate investment, agriculture, logistics, apparel, advertising, education, and human resources. His expertise spans industrial policy, regulatory reform, industry-academia-government collaboration, and fostering large-scale foreign direct investments, with a focus on incorporating advanced technologies into policy frameworks to promote progress and innovation. He has had the privilege of collaborating with Japanese government agencies, including the Cabinet Office, Cabinet Secretariat, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of Defense, Japan Coast Guard, and the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy. His work with these agencies has primarily focused on advancing and applying space-related technologies, particularly through AI-based satellite data analysis. Internationally, he has contributed to project formulations with organizations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and served as Assistant to the Vice Chair of the Digital Transformation Committee at the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) in Switzerland. Currently, at SpaceData Inc., he oversees space technology and AI-driven initiatives, including digital twin solutions, aimed at developing policy strategies and fostering international collaborations. His work involves partnerships with international organizations such as the United Nations, the EU, APEC, and the African Union, as well as foreign governments, including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the UAE. In Japan, where SpaceData Inc.’s headquarters are located, he works closely with government agencies, political parties, and academic institutions to contribute to international cooperation and support policy innovation within the space industry.

Dr. Yuliya Tarabalka

Vice President of Geospatial Platforms at Space42

Yuliya Tarabalka is Vice President of Geospatial Solutions at Space 42. She obtained a European PhD degree from the Institut Polytechnique of Grenoble and the University of Iceland in 2010. In 2017, she defended her Habilitation to supervise research (HdR) from the University Côte d’Azur, on the topic Learning approaches for classification of remote sensing images. Between 2007 and 2018, she has been leading research on the development of the AI tools for both reconstruction and update of the Digital Earth at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishement FFI, the USA space agency NASA, French space agency CNES and Inria Sophia-Antipolis in France. During the last 6 years, she has been Head of the R&D team at LuxCarta. She co-authored more than 150 international scientific publications with over 10000 citations.