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This course provides an in depth overview of practical topics in land remote sensing with big data, data sourcing and provenance, characteristics, generating algorithms, data discovery, advanced analysis, and data limitations. Students will learn how to discover and acquire a variety of global to regional land remote sensing data, learn about the various sensors/platforms collecting these data, learn how to interpret and use these data emphasizing real-world applications and research topics.
The course is aimed primarily at students of biosystems engineering, environmental sciences, and natural resources management, and aims at bridging the gap between the theoretical aspects of remote sensing and current Earth science data records, algorithms, and analytics.
A course in Remote Sensing, Image Processing, Geographic Information Systems, or Geospatial Analysis and a course in Geostatistics or general statistics are strongly advised, as they would have provided the students with some analytical core to support this course. Nevertheless, highly motivated students from allied disciplines and without this formal background will perform well in the course if they invest time in understanding and exploring the more advanced and unfamiliar topics.
If the student is still not sure, please check with the Instructor or the ABE academic advisor before registering.
Kamel Didan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Office: Shantz Building, Room 501A and Forbes Room 134
Phone: 520-621-8514, didan@email.arizona.edu, http://vip.arizona.edu
Office Hours: - Tuesday 9:00am-11noon, Shantz Building Room 501A
Open door policy at Shantz, Room 501A (with appointment)
Web: https://vip.arizona.edu/VIP_Teaching.php
The course follows an interactive lecture format at the Shantz Bldg., Room 338, with live computer activities and exercises. Topics are presented using power point slides, the white board, and explored live. Students will be encouraged to interact, work in groups, and practice the presented concepts in class.
The course will revisit many basic concepts of remote sensing, but prior acquaintance with remote sensing data, GIS, or data analysis will help while not necessary to succeed in the course.
This course will provide the students with an opportunity to develop practical experience and real world skills for the understanding, acquisition, and manipulation of remote sensing data in the context of global to regional natural and managed ecosystems research and application. Upon completing the course, students will be able to:
1) Define and explain the concepts of remote sensing systems, data records and generating Algorithms,
2) Recognize, describe, and review the historical, current, and future National and International Earth observing systems,
3) Discover, identify and distinguish the various Data Active Archive Centers,
4) Locate, assemble, integrate, and manage remote sensing data to support research and application topics
5) Develop the skills to analyze and synthesize new value added data and results to answer scientific, application, and operational questions,
6) Interpret, visualize, and verify the results,
In addition, graduate students are expected to work on a class project to learn how to:
7) Model, Propose, and Design a research plan using big remote sensing data records and learned skills.
In accordance with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) goals of preparing graduates to meet the quality standards of their profession and global workforce, the course also has a strong relationship to the following ABET specific
Relationship to Program Educational Learning Outcomes:
Please use your university email account in all communications regarding this course and lab. Emails from other accounts and services will not be accepted for internet security reasons and due to the strict UA spam filters that may prevent certain emails from reaching the instructor on time or at all.
You can contact the Instructor with any questions regarding the course.
Instructor:
Dr. Kamel Didan
Email: didan@email.arizona.edu
Office: Shantz 501A/Forbes 134
The instructor will provide handouts, links to online and digital material, links to Open Access research papers, documents, required by the class.
The following books are only recommended and not required.
Remote Sensing of the Environment: An Earth Resource Perspective (2nd Edition)
By: John R. Jensen
ISBN-13: 978-0131889507
ISBN-10: 0131889508
Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation (6th edition)
By Thomas M. Lillesand
ISBN13: 978-0470052457
Available online or via library reserve system
A personal computer (running Windows 7 or above or iOS) with an internet (WiFi) connection, is highly recommended for this course. The student will be learning to access various data archive centers, searching and acquiring data online, using various online and offline tools throughout the semester. Computers are also available in Shantz #338 (lecture room), throughout the UA campus via OSCR labs. or the library system, but we highly suggest a personal computer. Most software tools required for the class will either be special student licensed commercial software, developed by the students, provided by the instructor, or freely available online. An external storage device is highly recommended also to store and transfer data.
All graduate students are required to select a topic of research for a class project that may take around 20-30 hours of work. We highly encourage team/group work on these projects and expect a high level of collaboration to stimulate scientific discussions and learn to work in teams.
There will be a field trip to a location near the city of Tucson (TBD) to collect observational data, link this data to satellite observations, and analyze the data to understand the linkage between spaceborne and in situ observations.
Students will be encouraged to read about ongoing research relevant to the class topics. During the class project discussions students will be exposed to recent research topics and asked to either replicate or advance the topics.
Exams: There will be two midterm examinations and one final exam for all students. Exams will be comprehensive and will cover all topics. Exams are meant to reinforce what the students have learned and help them identify areas they may want to explore and review more. All exams are open book and students are allowed to use their computers.
In-Class live computer work: In class computer activities are designed to encourage the student to follow the course material and practice new concepts in real time to encourage class attendance and motivate the students to explore on his own the field of remote sensing data and tools.
Homework and other activities: The instructor will post assignments and other class work on either D2L or handouts during the class with specific due dates. Homework assignments will build on learned concepts during the class and will require use of a computer, special licensed software, and other tools that will be provided by the instructor. Graduate students will have additional exercises as part of their homework assignments, ranging from reviewing relevant published manuscripts to more elaborate data analysis.
The date and time of the final exam or project, along with links to the Final Exam Regulations, https://www.registrar.arizona.edu/courses/final-examination-regulations-and-information, and Final Exam Schedule, http://www.registrar.arizona.edu/schedules/finals.htm
A class project will be assigned to all graduate students. There will be class sessions devoted to discussing and helping the students pick the proper class project. Students are highly encouraged to explore real world challenges and questions and possibly their ongoing research.
A final comprehensive open book exam will be given to all students and is scheduled for:
Spring: 05/07/2018 (Monday) at 10:00AM-12:00PM
Your final grade will be based on:
| Activity | Graduate Students | Undergraduate Students |
| Homework | 25% | 35% |
| Midterm exams | 25% | 40% |
| Project | 25% | N/A |
| Final Exam | 25% | 25% |
| Total | 100% | 100% |
Final letter grades for the course are computed as:
| Score | Grade |
| 90 - 100 | A |
| 80 - 89 | B |
| 70 - 79 | C |
| 60 - 69 | D |
| < 60 | E |
A make-up exam may be scheduled only when a student has a strong valid excuse. The valid excuses for missing an examination are serious personal illness, or serious illness or death in your family, and pre-approved leave of absence signed by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean Designee) to attend a professional event. If you determine that you will be unable to attend an examination, inform the instructor. If you miss any of the exams without a valid excuse or documentation, you will be assigned a score of zero for the exam(s) missed.
Suggestions for success For most students with basic remote sensing, statistics, image processing, or GIS background, and who are interested and motivated this will not be a "difficult" course. However, there will probably be some students who will struggle with some aspects of the course, in particular keeping up with the pace of the course and completing their assignments. My suggestions for anyone who wishes to enjoy and succeed in this course is to think of the potential skills you will gain throughout the semester. While the grade is also important, do not let it make you lose sight of what matters most, and that is to learn new skills in preparation for your career and research interests. If you are organized, work hard, and show interest you will succeed in the class. Your instructor wants you to learn, enjoy the course, and succeed and will address all your questions.
Makeup Policy for Students Who Register Late Any student, who register in the class late, but within the first two weeks, will be allowed and will have a chance to make up any missed assignments or class work, however, this needs to be discussed and approved by the instructor first.
Requests for incomplete (I) or withdrawal (W) must be made in accordance with University policies, which are available at http://catalog.arizona.edu/policy/grades-and-grading-system#incomplete and http://catalog.arizona.edu/policy/grades-and-grading-system#Withdrawal respectively.
Dispute of Grade Policy Work will only be re-graded when there is clear evidence of grading error. A student can dispute his/her grade within a week if he/she believes there was an error.
In general, and during the lecture/lab. your ideas, comments, suggestions, questions, are all welcome. Your discretion in these matters is expected however. No part of your grade will be based on anything other than your coursework, exams, and project. You are encouraged to take advantage of instructor office hours for help with anything related to the course and your progress.
The UA’s policy concerning Class Attendance, Participation, and Administrative Drops is available at: http://catalog.arizona.edu/policy/class-attendance-participation-and-administrative-drop.
The UA policy regarding absences for any sincerely held religious belief, observance or practice will be accommodated where reasonable, http://policy.arizona.edu/human-resources/religious-accommodation-policy.
Absences pre-approved by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean Designee) will be honored. See: https://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/absences
Participating in the course and attending lectures, lab. Computer exercises and other course events are vital to the learning process. As such, attendance is required at all lectures and meetings. Students who miss class due to illness or emergency are required to bring documentation from their health-care provider or other relevant, professional third parties. Failure to submit third-party documentation will result in unexcused absences.
Unexcused and reoccurring absence will be a sufficient reason for the instructor to recommend that the student be administratively dropped from the course. You are fully responsible for all course materials, lab. work, reading assignments, and any topic covered during the class or lab. if you miss without prior arrangement.
Given the class nature, lab. requirements, and limited space, no late registration will be entertained. However, the instructor may accept a late registration if the student shows a strong and compelling need to take the class during the ongoing semester.
To foster a positive learning environment, students and instructors have a shared responsibility. We want a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where all of us feel comfortable with each other and where we can challenge ourselves to succeed. To that end, our focus is on the tasks at hand and not on extraneous activities (e.g., texting, chatting, reading a newspaper, making phone calls, web surfing, etc.).
Students are asked to refrain from disruptive conversations with people sitting around them during lecture. Students observed engaging in disruptive activity will be asked to cease this behavior. Those who continue to disrupt the class will be asked to leave lecture or discussion and may be reported to the Dean of Students.
While Laptops are part of the course work, students are not allowed to use them for activities other than what is assigned or required. Students are not permitted to use other mobile devices during the class period, especially mobile phones, unless instructed to do so or part of the class or lab. activity.
The UA Threatening Behavior by Students Policy prohibits threats of physical harm to any member of the University community, including to oneself. See http://policy.arizona.edu/education-and-student-affairs/threatening-behavior-students.
Our goal in this classroom is that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, please let me know immediately so that we can discuss options. You are also welcome to contact the Disability Resource Center (520-621-3268) to establish reasonable accommodations. For additional information on the Disability Resource Center and reasonable accommodations, please visit http://drc.arizona.edu.
If you have reasonable accommodations, please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate. Please be aware that the accessible table and chairs in this room should remain available for students who find that standard classroom seating is not usable.
Students are encouraged to share intellectual views and discuss freely the principles and applications of course materials. However, graded work/exercises must be the product of independent effort unless otherwise instructed. Students are expected to adhere to the UA Code of Academic Integrity as described in the UA General Catalog. See: http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/academic-integrity/students/academic-integrity.
The University Libraries have some excellent tips for avoiding plagiarism, available at http://new.library.arizona.edu/research/citing/plagiarism
Selling class notes and/or other course materials to other students or to a third party for resale is not permitted without the instructor’s express written consent. Violations to this and other course rules are subject to the Code of Academic Integrity and may result in course sanctions. Additionally, students who use D2L or UA e-mail to sell or buy these copyrighted materials are subject to Code of Conduct Violations for misuse of student e-mail addresses. This conduct may also constitute copyright infringement.
The University is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of discrimination; see http://policy.arizona.edu/human-resources/nondiscrimination-and-anti-harassment-policy
Our classroom is a place where everyone is encouraged to express well-formed opinions and their reasons for those opinions. We also want to create a tolerant and open environment where such opinions can be expressed without resorting to bullying or discrimination of others.
UA Academic policies and procedures are available at http://catalog.arizona.edu/policies Student Assistance and Advocacy information is available at http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/student-assistance/students/student-assistance
Information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policy, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor. Lab. meetings and field trips may have to be adjusted to synchronize them with the lecture progress. In all cases, the students will be notified ahead of time.
