Article of the Month - May 2023

FIG Congress 2022 Keynote:
Mapping the Plastic

Gordana JAKOVLEJVIC and Simon IRONSIDE
This month we would like to share with you a video recording of a keynote session of FIG Congress 2022

 

In this recording that is offered to you in this "Video of the Month Series" Gordana Jakovlejvic and Simon Ironside speak about plastic pollution and the process that will enable the accurate mapping and classification of floating plastic.

The effects of plastic pollution on the Earth’s oceans are well documented, potentially catastrophic and increasing exponentially year on year. UN estimates suggest that >75% of all the plastic produced since 1950 has since become waste. The UN Environment Programme has calculated that each year more than 8 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the oceans. Eighty per cent of all litter in our oceans is made of plastic and, without action, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the sea than fish, by weight. This is an intolerable problem that needs immediate and far-reaching action to remedy.  The surveying and spatial science profession agrees that this must stop.

FIG Working Group 4.3 - Mapping the Plastic - a combined initiative of the FIG Young Surveyors Network and Commission 4 (Hydrographic Surveying), in conjunction with the University of Novi Sad (Serbia) and the University of Banja Luca (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and with assistance from Trimble has developed a world leading methodology to accurately extract floating plastic data (as small as 1.0 cm in length) from multi-spectral UAV images using artificial intelligence deep learning algorithms. Learn more about this exciting, ground breaking process will enable the accurate mapping and classification of floating plastic in near real time.

Watch and be inspired by the keynote session here:

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About the keynote speakers

Ms. Gordana Jakovlejvic - Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy Bosnia and Herzegowina

Gordana Jakovlejvic  is interested in the development of automated processing procedures for remote sensing data, which are designed to extract information in real-time or near-real-time, Gordana is focused on the research that could include remote sensing derived data in decision-making processes and implementation of policies including Sustainable Development Goals or EU Directives.  Her work interests are, but not limited to, deep learning, monitoring the status of aquatic environments, mapping floating plastics, and smart agriculture. She successfully finished her Ph.D. studies in remote sensing and GIS in 2020 at the University of Novi Sad and currently working as an Assistant professor at the University of Banja Luka in the Department of Geodesy. She published a dozen of papers at scientific conferences and journals. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordana-jakovljevic-55167469/ ResearchGate:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gordana-Jakovljevic-2  

Mr. Simon Ironside - Land Information New Zealand’s Property Rights Group and Chair of the WG on Mapping the Plastic

Simon is a New Zealand surveyor with considerable experience at both ends of the surveying spectrum. He is Licensed Cadastral Surveyor and a Level 1 Certified Hydrographic Surveyor. He works for Land Information New Zealand’s Property Rights Group, which is responsible for delivering New Zealand’s survey and title system as a Cadastral Surveyor, overseeing the validation and approval of cadastral survey datasets. His hydrographic surveying experience has been gained primarily in the industrial offshore sector. He worked in the North Sea oil and gas industry from 1980 until his return to New Zealand in 1991 and was involved in many offshore exploration and production projects as a hydrographic surveyor.
The period of the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch Earthquakes and their aftermath, while challenging personally, was probably the highlight of Simon’s professional career. The scale of the problems caused by the differential ground movement throughout Christchurch presented surveyors with complex problems that had not been encountered before, which was both challenging and exciting. Outside of work Simon enjoys gardening, entertaining, outdoor activities and travel. He also spends time giving back to the surveying profession. He is a Fellow of Survey and Spatial New Zealand and serves on the leadership team of the S+SNZ Hydrography Professional Stream. Simon was Co-Conference Director and Chair of the Local Organising Committee responsible for hosting the successful 2016 FIG Working Week held in Christchurch. He is a foundation member of the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute of Australia and serves on the SSSI Hydrography Commission national committee.
Simon has represented S+SNZ on FIG Commission 4 (Hydrography) for many years and currently chairs the joint FIG Commission 4 and FIG Young Surveyors Network Working Group 4.3 - Mapping the Plastic, about which we will hear more during this congress.