New research excellence hub for Earth observation
A new research centre in Cyprus promises to help Europe meet its climate and sustainability goals using satellite data and images. Established at the Cyprus University of Technology in Limassol under the EU-funded EXCELSIOR(opens in new window) project, the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence aspires to provide innovative services aligned with the latest advancements in Earth observation, remote sensing and geospatial technologies.
A home for scientific excellence
The centre is the result of a major upgrade carried out on a remote sensing and geo-environment lab run by the university since 2007. It now combines modern sensing equipment, cutting-edge research, data technologies, targeted education services and entrepreneurial promotion. Together, these serve the facility’s vision of becoming an internationally recognised digital innovation hub and research excellence centre for Earth observation in the eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa. The new centre – which now employs more than 90 researchers – focuses its activities on three areas: climate and environmental monitoring, promoting a resilient society, and big Earth data analytics. It features a EUR 3.9 million satellite antenna that makes it possible to monitor maritime activity, track wildfires, respond to floods and protect coastlines. It also includes an atmospheric observation station for monitoring air quality and climate conditions that affect both human health and farming activities. Additionally, the facility boasts a solar energy and ultraviolet radiation monitoring network and a digital precision irrigation platform that offers personalised recommendations to help farmers save water while also cutting energy and fertiliser costs. Another feature is the remote sensing system for the early detection of wear and corrosion in critical concrete infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels, which makes timely maintenance possible. The centre also has tools to monitor and protect archaeological sites. These tools make use of radar, 3D laser scanning and satellite images to assess threats from development, erosion and climate change. “This project would not exist without the vision and support of the EU,” states the centre’s managing director Diofantos Hadjimitsis in a news item(opens in new window) published in the ‘Cyprus Times’. “We have created a home for scientific excellence – one that brings real value to our country and people and promotes resilient societies and sustainable development internationally,” adds Hadjimitsis, who is also a professor at the Cyprus University of Technology, the institution coordinating the EXCELSIOR project.
Action to safeguard cultural heritage
The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is also leading the recently approved Cultural Property Protection for All (CPP4ALL(opens in new window) COST Action), a major pan-European initiative funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)(opens in new window) organisation. The first COST Action to focus specifically on enhancing cultural property protection, CPP4ALL aims to achieve this through interdisciplinary collaboration, innovative technologies and inclusive approaches. “This is a fantastic opportunity to unite efforts across disciplines and borders to safeguard our shared cultural heritage,” remarks Dante Abate, a researcher at the centre upgraded with support from the EXCELSIOR (ERATOSTHENES: Excellence Research Centre for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment) project, in an ERATOSTHENES news item(opens in new window). “We are proud to be the only Cypriot institution selected as a coordinator in this call and to lead such a landmark initiative in the field of cultural property protection.” For more information, please see: EXCELSIOR project website(opens in new window)
