NASA Harvest Researcher Abdul Qadir Selected for ASPRS' Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship
NASA Harvest’s Abdul Qadir has been awarded the 2023 Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship from the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.
The Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship recognizes Qadir’s “exceptional interest, desire, ability, and aptitude in the field of remote sensing” and his desire to develop practical applications of his research.
Qadir graduated with his PhD in Fall 2023. His research focused on crop mapping using Earth observations, specifically in regions where field surveys are restricted. He developed an innovative radar-based model to map crops throughout Ukraine to assist food security initiatives of the Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture and other international organizations operating in Ukraine.
Qadir has previously received a NASA ROSES-2020 grant to study the impacts of climate change on agriculture in northern climates. The grant, Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) funds graduate student-designed research projects.
The Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship comes with a cash award of $8,000 and a one-year membership in ASPRS. Qadir will be formally presented the award on February 13 in Denver, CO during GEO Week 2024.
“I’m very grateful to ASPRS for this honor. I intend to actively contribute to the realization of Dr. Robert Colwell’s vision focusing on demonstrating the practical applications of remote sensing
technology for societal benefit,” said Qadir. “I will utilize this award to spearhead the development of new products catering to the remote sensing community and decision-makers.”
Qadir is currently working on expanding his model to other crops in Ukraine as well as other regions in the world. He is particularly excited for advancements in radar technology and how they will facilitate new applications of the data. “I look forward to addressing other global challenges through the use of radar technology and the upcoming NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) mission," Qadir said.
NASA Harvest congratulates Qadir on this remarkable accomplishment and we look forward to continuing to work with him on improving agricultural monitoring and food security.