Fieldwork is often an essential component to acquire reference data for calibration and validation of the remotely sensed observations. This course provides skills and techniques to plan, execute and report on field observations. The course starts with an introduction to in-situ field measurement devices and lab equipment, and demonstrates standard operational procedures when analysing samples in the laboratory. Subsequently, students have to design their own field data collection based on a self-defined objective, e.g. which parameters are required and how to conduct sampling, which instruments are required, how to measure, sampling procedures and storing of samples. Considering focus group interviews how to prepare the questionnaires and review of ethical considerations. Another element would be the timing related to eventual satellite overpass or image acquisition in the terrain and collection of available information from installed in-situ measuring devices.
Being well prepared, a 3 day fieldwork is envisaged for practical collecting data in a fieldwork area with participants from multiple disciplines: water, natural and earth resources.
Once back, the data collected has to be analysed in the lab or subject to further processing. In the end, students are required to present their results obtained and have to report on the procedures applied, reflect on the quality of obtained results, and describe their analysis conducted into more detail.