On May 05, 2022, a Local Open Workshop for the youth and future specialists was held about Copernicus Assisted Environmental Monitoring Across the Black Sea Basin – PONTOS project.
The workshop was held in the framework of the PONTOS program with EU financing. In Armenia, the project is implemented by two partners Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia (Inspection Body) and the American University of Armenia (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment.
The participants of the Local Open Workshop for the youth and future specialists represent higher educational and high school institutions of the Republic of Armenia. The selection of the corresponding audience aimed to allow the participants to get acquainted with the various earth observation tools, their professional perspectives on the application of environmental issues, and possible solutions.
Karine Petrosyan, PONTOS Project manager’s assistant from the Inspection Body, opened the event with a greeting speech presenting the agenda and the goals and then expecting the workshop results.
Tatevik Vardanyan, PONTOS Project Communication manager from AUA Acopian Center, presented the project’s general overview: the platform and the services, the Copernicus system, spaceborne monitoring, and its potential for the environment.
Armen Ghlijyan, PONTOS Project researcher from the Inspection Body, presented earth observation data, the main issues connected with data management, the main directions of data use, and international earth observation organizations.
Narek Julhakyan, PONTOS Project researcher from the Inspection Body, presented practical work with image collection examples, satellite data use, and SNAP application. Calculating the chlorophyll-A concentration in Lake Sevan’s water by using Sentinel 2 satellite data and the tools of SNAP application allows having adjusted and specified results for the areas with higher chlorophyll-A concentration by combining satellite and in-situ data.
Karen Harutyunyan and Karen Eroyants, PONTOS Project researchers from the Inspection Body, presented earth observation data and tools in professional activities, contributing to more scientific decisions. Examples of detection of violations registered in different spheres of environmental control and decisions made in connection with them were presented.
The participants asked questions about satellite data and the collection and combination of images through the SNAP application. It was also suggested to contribute a pilot course about the earth observation tools in profile school-university programs considering the necessary imperative of today regarding the use of information and high technologies.
Aghavni Harutyunyan, PONTOS Project Manager from the AUA Acopian Center, made a summarizing speech, noting the enthusiasm and interest of the students in terms of the use of earth observation tools and technologies, and promised to invite the participants to the next course provided by the PONTOS program to get more comprehensive information and knowledge.
At the end of the event, young participants received certificates of participation in the workshop.
The Acopian Center for the Environment of the American University of Armenia (AUA), the Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia, and four other partner organizations, together launched the Copernicus Assisted Environmental Monitoring Across the Black Sea Basin-PONTOS project starting from July 1, 2020. The 30-month program is implemented under the ENP Black Sea Cross-Border Cooperation 2014-2020 program’s co-financing.
This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of PONTOS program and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
