Skip to main content

IOCCG Summer Lecture Series “Frontiers in Ocean Optics and Ocean Colour Science”

Point of contact
Laura Sedaine
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
3 rue Michel Ange
75016 Paris
Phone: +33-1-44964325


The “Frontiers in Ocean Optics and Ocean Colour Science” Summer Lecture series (SLS) was created in 2012, during the tenure of the proposer (D. Antoine) as Chair of IOCCG (2010-2014). The IOCCG is an International group bringing together Space agency representatives (from most International agencies) and experts in satellite ocean colour remote sensing. It was established in 1996.

The IOCCG Summer School was designed to complement the basic training of students in the fields of marine optics, radiative transfer and ocean colour remote sensing applications, as well as to provide them with a thorough view of the important scientific issues in our fields. The goal is also to train future leaders in these fields in different countries, thus multiplying the direct impact via the students participating in this school. The IOCCG School quickly became international, with typically 10 to 15 nationalities represented. 

Today, the relevance of this school to the Copernicus objectives is clearly to develop the use of satellite data from the Sentinel3A&B missions, especially for the OLCI ocean colour sensor. ESA and EUMETSAT, in charge of the Copernicus space and ground segments, have developed the concept of "collaborative ground segments", through which Copernicus data are made available to a community of users (scientists and applied) in a country outside Europe, in order to facilitate their exploitation and in the hope of developing multiple applications, in particular through the generation of complementary products to those routinely provided by ESA or EUMETSAT. Such a collaborative ground segment now exists in Australia.

In this context, the IOCCG Summer School helps training people who will use these resources to develop research or applications in their country. As a clear indication of the fit with the Copernicus remit, the EUMETSAT agency, which is in charge of ocean products for the S3/OLCI mission, supports the SLS with funding for five students and through provision of a lecturer to run practical sessions on the use of S3/OLCI products. With this action, we will more specifically target potential users of the Copernicus data sets (from the OLCI ocean colour sensor on the Sentinel3A&B missions), in particular from member states. Therefore, the SLS2020 will differ from the previous editions as it will be significantly more oriented towards applications of satellite remote sensing using Copernicus products.

We will ask selected applicants (students) to come prepared with a specific project that they would like to develop based on Copernicus products, and the SLS2020 will be for them a rare opportunity to develop their skills. By conducting these mini-projects, they will be able to apply the knowledge gained during the lectures, as well as the Copernicus practical sessions, to address a specific issue or use specific products, in an area of their choice (most likely their home country). Because the students will come from around the globe (including member states), this will increase the critical mass of users beyond Europe (international user uptake) which will increase demand for Copernicus data in the future, as well as promote the use of Copernicus data and information.

We still intend to provide background fundamental training in the first week, so that participants get the fundamentals of the physics behind the remote sensing process. Lecturers will be however asked to include specific reference Copernicus products where relevant. The second week will be more dedicated to accessing and using Copernicus data sets. The participation of EUMETSAT personnel will be the key for the success here.

The speakers are selected according to their expertise in the different fields to cover, the quality of their teaching, and of course their availability. One of the important aspects of the IOCCG School is precisely to be able to engage students with lecturers who are among the most reputable researchers in the fields of interest. This guarantees its attractiveness as well as the very high quality of the courses.

Students are selected by a sub-committee of IOCCG. Criteria include a sufficient background to be able to fully benefit from the advanced lectures, the previous opportunities for similar training, and the potential to develop research and applications in the country of origin.

Outputs and Results

  • All interventions, except hands-on practicals, are recorded (audio and video) so that they can be widely replayed; the courses, filmed and edited by professional team, are dynamic and adapted to online viewing (they are not just series of slides accompanied by a voiceover); they are a considerable online resource, augmented at each new edition. For the 3 first editions, see:
  • A certificate is delivered to students at the end of the school, which certifies their participation; this certificate delivery is conditioned to their assiduity.
  • As far as logistical conditions permit (room capacity), classes may occasionally be open to local students and staff who wish to attend