Duration
12h Th, 24h Pr
Number of credits
| Advanced Master in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus | 3 crédits |
Lecturer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Theory
- Remote sensing part
- electromagnetic radiation.
- Interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the surface.
- Surface signal acquisition and transfer.
- Image analysis and interpretation.
- Examples of applications of remote sensing use in Nexus Water-Energy-Food projects in Southern countries.
- Data, information and knowledge.
- Information system.
- Geographic information: concepts and specificities.
- Questions posed to geographic information.
- Definition and classification of GIS.
- Examples of applications of the use of GIS in Nexus Water-Energy-Food projects in Southern Countries.
In particular, exercises relating to the creation, management and manipulation of GIS projects and spatial data (vector and raster data, satellite images, etc.), to the most common technical concepts and GIS manipulations (creation and editing of data, management of symbology, joins, selection, visualization, spatial statistics, georeferencing, etc.), cartographic representation of data (including indicators; in 2D, 3D, 4D (spatio-temporal animation) and in web format (webmap)), spatial analysis (logic of geoprocessing chains for the production of new information from basic data, identification of risk areas by creating buffer zones, mapping of flooded areas by RADAR remote sensing, general hydrological analysis and characterization of watersheds from Digital Terrain Models), spatial modeling (multilayer matrix modeling of a biophysical process with anthropogenic impact), the use of reference web servers and platforms (data geoportals, data servers, Google Earth, Google Earth Engine, EOBrowser, Digital Earth Africa, portals for monitoring forests, water bodies, the state of the agricultural vegetation, etc.), the study of land use dynamics (change analysis, supervised classification of satellite images for the production of a land use map), etc.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
As part of the implementation of WEF Nexus type projects, and more broadly of projects relating to environmental management:
Master the basic theoretical knowledge useful for the use of GIS and remote sensing for this type of project;
Understand the usefulness of GIS and remote sensing for the implementation of this type of project;
Be able to identify and know how to use reference and relevant software, applications and GIS-remote sensing data to meet a very specific objective, and in particular be able to design and execute a spatial data processing chain to produce the desired result.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Basics in physics and mathematics and basic use of a computer.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Additional information:
- 12h Theory, 24h Practical.
- Theory: lecture with examples of Nexus Water-Energy-Food case studies.
- Practice: exercises and manipulation of data in the form of a flipped classroom. A general introduction is carried out face-to-face and shows to the students the main resources of the course (software, data, teaching aids, etc.), the major concepts to be mobilized, the philosophy of the practical part of the course and the procedure to follow for its implementation as well as the methods and instructions for the evaluation. Then, the students are encouraged to progress at their own pace, independently, individually or in groups, using the clear and complete educational resources made available, and with the possibility of interacting, on request, with the teacher remotely (email, videoconference) or face-to-face, for any questions of understanding, technical difficulties, etc. In addition, question-and-answer sessions for the whole class are scheduled at regular intervals. Finally, the evaluation requires the mobilization of the skills acquired during the previous phase through the realization of a case study that the student must design himself/herself on a theme of his/her choice in connection with the concept of WEF Nexus and if possible in the context and with the data of his/her country of origin. This flipped classroom process has the particular advantage of answering questions that students ask themselves rather than giving them answers to questions they have not yet asked themselves (personal immersion in a problem > emergence of questions > finding and providing solutions). The evaluation method, asking students to conceptualize and solve a problem in their original context and in connection with their personal interests, allows them to get involved, to be interested and to project themselves more easily in their learning and in the mobilization of skills being acquired. All of the practice takes place with free and sometimes open source software and web applications, mainly the reference open source GIS software QGIS (https://www.qgis.org/fr/site/) and educational resources and free data.
Recommended or required readings
- Theory: slideshows, bibliographical references, websites.
- Practical: free and often open source software and applications, practical workbooks with free data and available online, video tutorials.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )
Written work / report
Additional information:
Individual report on a case study conceptualized and carried out by the student on a theme of her/his choice in connection with the WEF Nexus concept and if possible in the context and with the data of her/his country of origin.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Contacts
Bernard Tychon (Bernard.Tychon@uliege.be)
Antoine Denis (Antoine.Denis@uliege.be)